What's a kerf? What kills carpenter ants? How do you build a cedar closet? The answers to these and other household questions are attempted here with limited success. Schuler includes such assorted problem areas as burglarproofing, odor control, and wiring--about sixty in all; however, not all areas benefit equally from the short-answer format, and not all the responses are adequate. Asked for ""good publications on bathroom planning,"" he mentions a manufacturer's pamphlet alone, ignoring the Alexander Kira classic. The section on financing is too skimpy to be of any real use. And some responses are vague or no help at all: ""Should vinyl siding fade?"" ""It shouldn't but it does somewhat."" What this book does handle well are questions that are best answered briefly, and there are lots of them, if not 5,000. An ambitious project insufficiently realized.