Bright ideas from The Complete Idiot's Guide

So this book isn't new (it made it's debut in 2005), but I started thumbing through it the other day for kicks and realized just how smart it really is. No, I'm not just being ironic. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Common Household Disasters is surprisingly engaging.

Case in point: I've often come across (and, yes, even used) the word borates over the past couple of years, while only having a vague understanding of what they are and how they make wood better. Chapter 14 of the Complete Idiot's Guide, however, told me all I want to know about the mineral-derived chemicals without being overwhelming. See, when wet, borates use the moisture to start moving around the wood they''ve been injected into. Like little vaccines, they kill fungi and up the defense of the wood from future infections. Keep that in mind the next time Building Materials comes up in a trivia game.

The book is also chock full of helpful tips. For example, if you suddenly have a bunch of fruit flies swarming around, you should put a piece of tape over your drains (leaving a little room for airflow) and then check it the next day. If you find some of the buggers stuck to the tape, you'll know where to direct the exterminator.

While the Complete Idiot's Guide isn't exactly the be-all and tell-all book of home upkeep, I think it's an entertaining and insightful manuel that should be a part of every homeowner's bookshelf — particularly those young'ins you know who just bought their first place.

Available here for $34.