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DIYers beware: Sunset, Lowe's recall home repair books
By Linda Zavoral
[email protected]
Posted: 01/08/2010 01:05:32 PM PST
Updated: 01/09/2010 09:16:23 AM PST
Hold off on the home wiring project, you do-it-yourselfers.
One of the most trusted names in DIY, Menlo Park-based Sunset Publishing, was forced to recall six of its titles Friday, after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said consumers who followed some of the wiring instructions in the books risked electrical shocks or could start a fire.
The recall covers nearly 1 million home repair books dating back to 1975.
No injuries have been reported, and the commission declined to detail the specific problems, except to say the books "contain errors in the technical diagrams and wiring instructions that could lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring." Consumers are advised o stop using the books and return them for refunds.
"It all stems from the same problem going back to 1975," said Dawn Bridges, senior vice president of corporate communications for Time, Sunset's parent company. However, she said, there may have been slight changes in wording or diagrams over the years from book to book. And the advice could crop up on different pages in different books.
She encouraged consumers to call the toll-free line (866-696-7602) because "they really want to personalize the advice based on what book" each person is using.
Affected by the recall are six titles by Sunset, including "Sunset Basic Home Repairs," "Sunset Complete Home Wiring" and "Sunset Complete Patio Book"; two titles sold under the
Lowe's home improvement store name; and one under the AmeriSpec title. Publisher Oxmoor House of Birmingham, Ala., coordinated the recall with the safety commission and is handling the book returns and consumer questions.
Jeff Vasek, co-founder of the DIY Academy, a new business in San Jose that caters to this new generation of do-it-yourselfers, was surprised by the recall.
"On the one hand, the implications could be far-reaching," he said. "Home repair is one of those things that you can't learn out of a book. You need to be trained by an expert."
However, he noted, "the codes have changed a great deal, and the enforcement agencies know a lot more than they did 34, 35 years ago."
Neither the Consumer Product Safety Commission nor Time would say precisely which wiring project, diagram or set of instructions is at issue.
Bridges said company officials learned of the problem "relatively recently — right before the holidays" and contacted the commission immediately. Kim Dulic of the commission confirmed that the recall had been "fast-tracked" because of the potential hazard.
Vendors at the county fairgrounds, where this weekend's San Jose Home & Garden Show was getting under way Friday afternoon, were quick to offer nuts-and-bolts advice on repairs.
Sal Hernandez, a licensed contractor who owns Fine Home Renovations of San Jose, cautioned against having an amateur do anything electrical in your home other than "maybe something simple like switching out a light fixture."
Even well-schooled homeowners can get in over their heads, added residential designer Monty Lucas, president of Created Space in Campbell.
"If you study, most people can do basic residential work on their own home — and shouldn't be afraid to — but they should realize they are responsible for what they are doing," Lucas said. "If something becomes a concern, don't try to save a few bucks. Contact a professional. You save yourself in the long run."
The San Jose Public Library system planned to take the books off the shelves and return them for refunds, said library official Lorraine Oback. The book racks at Lowe's in North San Jose on Friday morning were missing the books in question, including the store's namesake and mammoth "Lowe's Complete Home Improvement and Repair" guide.
Lowe's employee Daniel Lanier, an electrical pro at the store, said all the books were removed from the shelves this week and shipped back to the vendor after the store received a "quality control alert."
In the store Friday, he tried futilely to find out from his supervisors what information was incorrect in the books, but was told that information was not included in the alert.
Basically, he said, the store is told, "Here's an issue. Get if off the shelves."
Contact Linda Zavoral at 408-920-5960.
RECALLED BOOK TITLES
Nine titles published from 1975 to 2009 are affected by the recall. Here are the publication dates. They were sold for prices ranging from $13 to $35. To obtain a prepaid mailing sticker and a refund, call Oxmoor House publishing at 866-696-7602.
"Sunset Basic Home Repairs"
(1995, 1975)
"Sunset Complete Home Wiring"
(1999)
"Sunset Complete Patio Book"
(2006, 1998, 1990)
"Sunset Home Repair Handbook"
(1998, 1985)
"Sunset Water Gardens"
(2004)
"Sunset You Can Build: Wiring"
(2009)
"AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook"
(2006)
"Lowe"s Complete Home Improvement and Repair"
(2005, 1999)
"Lowe"s Complete
Home Wiring"
(2008)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
RECALLED BOOK TITLES
"Sunset Basic Home Repairs"
"Sunset Complete Home Wiring"
"Sunset Complete Patio Book"
"Sunset Home Repair Handbook"
"Sunset Water Gardens"
"Sunset You Can Build: Wiring"
"AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook"
"Lowe"s Complete Home Improvement and Repair"
"Lowe"s Complete Home Wiring"
More information at www.sunsetrecall.com
www.sunsetrecall.com
DIYers beware: Sunset, Lowe's recall home repair books
By Linda Zavoral
[email protected]
Posted: 01/08/2010 01:05:32 PM PST
Updated: 01/09/2010 09:16:23 AM PST
Hold off on the home wiring project, you do-it-yourselfers.
One of the most trusted names in DIY, Menlo Park-based Sunset Publishing, was forced to recall six of its titles Friday, after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said consumers who followed some of the wiring instructions in the books risked electrical shocks or could start a fire.
The recall covers nearly 1 million home repair books dating back to 1975.
No injuries have been reported, and the commission declined to detail the specific problems, except to say the books "contain errors in the technical diagrams and wiring instructions that could lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring." Consumers are advised o stop using the books and return them for refunds.
"It all stems from the same problem going back to 1975," said Dawn Bridges, senior vice president of corporate communications for Time, Sunset's parent company. However, she said, there may have been slight changes in wording or diagrams over the years from book to book. And the advice could crop up on different pages in different books.
She encouraged consumers to call the toll-free line (866-696-7602) because "they really want to personalize the advice based on what book" each person is using.
Affected by the recall are six titles by Sunset, including "Sunset Basic Home Repairs," "Sunset Complete Home Wiring" and "Sunset Complete Patio Book"; two titles sold under the
Lowe's home improvement store name; and one under the AmeriSpec title. Publisher Oxmoor House of Birmingham, Ala., coordinated the recall with the safety commission and is handling the book returns and consumer questions.
Jeff Vasek, co-founder of the DIY Academy, a new business in San Jose that caters to this new generation of do-it-yourselfers, was surprised by the recall.
"On the one hand, the implications could be far-reaching," he said. "Home repair is one of those things that you can't learn out of a book. You need to be trained by an expert."
However, he noted, "the codes have changed a great deal, and the enforcement agencies know a lot more than they did 34, 35 years ago."
Neither the Consumer Product Safety Commission nor Time would say precisely which wiring project, diagram or set of instructions is at issue.
Bridges said company officials learned of the problem "relatively recently — right before the holidays" and contacted the commission immediately. Kim Dulic of the commission confirmed that the recall had been "fast-tracked" because of the potential hazard.
Vendors at the county fairgrounds, where this weekend's San Jose Home & Garden Show was getting under way Friday afternoon, were quick to offer nuts-and-bolts advice on repairs.
Sal Hernandez, a licensed contractor who owns Fine Home Renovations of San Jose, cautioned against having an amateur do anything electrical in your home other than "maybe something simple like switching out a light fixture."
Even well-schooled homeowners can get in over their heads, added residential designer Monty Lucas, president of Created Space in Campbell.
"If you study, most people can do basic residential work on their own home — and shouldn't be afraid to — but they should realize they are responsible for what they are doing," Lucas said. "If something becomes a concern, don't try to save a few bucks. Contact a professional. You save yourself in the long run."
The San Jose Public Library system planned to take the books off the shelves and return them for refunds, said library official Lorraine Oback. The book racks at Lowe's in North San Jose on Friday morning were missing the books in question, including the store's namesake and mammoth "Lowe's Complete Home Improvement and Repair" guide.
Lowe's employee Daniel Lanier, an electrical pro at the store, said all the books were removed from the shelves this week and shipped back to the vendor after the store received a "quality control alert."
In the store Friday, he tried futilely to find out from his supervisors what information was incorrect in the books, but was told that information was not included in the alert.
Basically, he said, the store is told, "Here's an issue. Get if off the shelves."
Contact Linda Zavoral at 408-920-5960.
RECALLED BOOK TITLES
Nine titles published from 1975 to 2009 are affected by the recall. Here are the publication dates. They were sold for prices ranging from $13 to $35. To obtain a prepaid mailing sticker and a refund, call Oxmoor House publishing at 866-696-7602.
"Sunset Basic Home Repairs"
(1995, 1975)
"Sunset Complete Home Wiring"
(1999)
"Sunset Complete Patio Book"
(2006, 1998, 1990)
"Sunset Home Repair Handbook"
(1998, 1985)
"Sunset Water Gardens"
(2004)
"Sunset You Can Build: Wiring"
(2009)
"AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook"
(2006)
"Lowe"s Complete Home Improvement and Repair"
(2005, 1999)
"Lowe"s Complete
Home Wiring"
(2008)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
RECALLED BOOK TITLES
"Sunset Basic Home Repairs"
"Sunset Complete Home Wiring"
"Sunset Complete Patio Book"
"Sunset Home Repair Handbook"
"Sunset Water Gardens"
"Sunset You Can Build: Wiring"
"AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook"
"Lowe"s Complete Home Improvement and Repair"
"Lowe"s Complete Home Wiring"
More information at www.sunsetrecall.com