Nearly 1M Books Recalled For Bad DIY Advice

Mark Wein

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
http://cbs2.com/business/diy.book.recalled.2.1414606.html

Oxmoor House on Friday recalled nearly 1 million home improvement books because of errors that could lead do-it-yourselfers to make risky mistakes while installing or repairing their electrical wiring.

The errors in technical diagrams and wiring instructions could cause people to be shocked or create a fire hazard.

In announcing the voluntary recall, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said no incidents have been reported.

Oxmoor House of Birmingham, Ala., published the 951,000 recalled books.

Here are the nine different book titles being recalled:

_"AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook"

_"Lowe's Complete Home Improvement and Repair"

_"Lowe's Complete Home Wiring"

_"Sunset Basic Home Repairs"

_"Sunset Complete Home Wiring"

_"Sunset Complete Patio Book"

_"Sunset Home Repair Handbook"

_"Sunset Water Gardens"

_"Sunset You Can Build — Wiring"

Readers might have bought some of the books more than three decades ago. Bookstores and home improvement stores nationwide sold the recalled books from January 1975 through December 2009.

Consumers can call 866-696-7602 for more details.
 
I didn't think step four looked right....

temp_wiring01.jpg
 
This is the part that gets me:

Mark Wein said:
Readers might have bought some of the books more than three decades ago. Bookstores and home improvement stores nationwide sold the recalled books from January 1975 through December 2009.
Click to expand...
 
Mark Wein said:
This is the part that gets me:
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In their defense, codes change all the time. It's possible that what is considered a very dangerous fire hazzard and extremely dangerous in 2009, was perfectly acceptable in 1975.

Kind of like sharing needles and unprotected sechs.
 
Mark Wein said:
Oxmoor House on Friday recalled nearly 1 million home improvement books because of errors that could lead do-it-yourselfers to make risky mistakes while installing or repairing their electrical wiring.

The errors in technical diagrams and wiring instructions could cause people to be shocked or create a fire hazard.
Click to expand...

I don't mess around with electrical or gas work. Everything else I can pretty much handle but when it comes to electric and gas I pay someone to do it for me.
 
jelloman said:
:facepalm:

...anyone who needs a book they bought at lowes to do a home repair...probably shouldn't...
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I must confess that I've used the DIY books sold at Lowes and Home Depot to do some fairly complex home repairs. It's still infinitely better than the advice you get from the dimbulbs who work there.
 
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