In this video, Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey walks through all the various options available to homeowners for purchasing or renting a water heater. Types of Water Heaters Gas Storage Tank Water Heater Gas burner is underneath the tank. Cold water enters the glass-lined tank by the dip tube and goes to the bottom of the tank. Through the process of convention, hot water rises to the top of the tank....
If you have a fireplace or wood stove in your home, then you also have some sort of chimney that funnels smoke outside. Chimneys are a relatively recent invention—if you had lived before the 12th century, the smoke from an inside fire would most likely have been vented through a hole in your roof. What is a Chimney Flue? Chimneys are built to promote the upward progress of smoke, and among their many parts is the flue—a smooth secondary layer on the chimney’s inner walls that eases the smoke’s passage, protects the masonry from deteriorating effects of acids in smoke and prevents any smoke or gases from entering the house through cracks in the masonry....
Kevin O’Connor and master electrician Heath Eastman meet back at the shop to talk about holiday lights. After assessing Kevin’s inability to properly store lights, Heath helps him check each strand’s condition and teaches him how to check the fuses should a strand not light. Then, the two discuss the pros and cons of LED lights and devices. Christmas Lighting Tips Better Storage is Key The first step of holiday light safety is to store them away correctly each year....
Whether you’re looking for kitchen flooring or something to lay down in the garage, here’s what you need to know about commonly used materials, including the average price per square foot, how labor-intensive they are to install, and how long you can expect them to last. 8 Affordable Flooring Options 1. Vinyl Vinyl flooring comes in sheets, tiles, and planks and is predominately manufactured with PVC, resulting in durable, waterproof flooring that can be installed anywhere in your home....
Mike Eagleton is often asked to conjure miracles from small, cheek-to-jowl city lots. The Denver landscape designer’s own yard, around a 1929 brick cottage south of downtown, is a prime example of his professional sleight of hand. Within its 50 by 120 feet, he has incorporated sunny, street-side perennial beds, a private entry court in the rear, an elevated outdoor dining room, a secluded lounging terrace, a carpet of lawn, woodland views, a potting shed, and several destination strolls that lead to musical, spilling fountains....
Beachy Bungalow This livable solution for a narrow lot has 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths on the second story, with a den and powder room on the first floor. Perfect for guests, everybody appreciates its open-concept floor plan and covered porches front and back. Get the Plan: See additional photos, get more information, customize, and buy The House Designers House Plan 3425 (prices vary). Exclusive Coupon Codes: Enter OLDHOUSE10 at checkout to save 10% off on PDF and digital sets....
A World Away A house all dolled up in pink inside—from carpeting to countertops—might have scared off some prospective home buyers, but not Lidy Baars. She had only toured a couple of houses when her Realtor took her to see this 1960s Pueblo Revival ranch in Huntington Beach, California, just as it was about to hit the market. Shown: In a shady corner of the backyard, a gnarly old ginkgo ringed by a tree bench shelters the entry to the garden house....
This article appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. In the pursuit of a bumper crop of vegetables, too often an edible garden’s aesthetics fall by the wayside. For Nicole Burke, founder of Rooted Garden, a company that designs, installs, and maintains edible gardens in and around Houston, the backbone of the modern kitchen garden is a series of raised beds, fitted with trellises and gravel pathways, which add to both its beauty and utility....
Q: At irregular intervals this winter, the downstairs toilet would gurgle violently and then all the water would drain out of the bowl. This seemed to happen when the washing machine, also on the first floor, discharged its load of wash water, and when the upstairs tub was being drained. What’s going on? —Richard Bowman, Waldorf, MD. Why Is My Toilet Gurgling? A: I’d bet that one of your plumbing vents is blocked....
In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva saves a rotting window with a two-part epoxy filler. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for fixing rotted wood with epoxy Use trim router or rotary cut-out tool fitted with a V-shaped bit to grind out all the rotted wood. Stop when you reach sound, solid wood. Use a paint scraper to scrape off any old paint. Mask off the area around the repair with painter’s tape....
A drywall hammer is a specialty tool that resembles a traditional hammer, except for its milled face that’s used to grip nails and its hatchet-like end that’s used to trim drywall. The tool is mostly used for installing and modifying drywall, which is the material used to construct walls throughout your home. Top 5 Drywall Hammers Best Design: Stanley 14-Ounce FatMax AntiVibe Drywall Hammer Best Anti-Vibration: Estwing 14-Ounce Drywall Hammer Best Grip: OX Tools 14-Ounce Drywall Hammer Best Value: Goldblatt 14-Ounce Drywall Hammer Most Durable: Stiletto Nine-Ounce Titanium Drywall Axe Best Design: Stanley 14-Ounce FatMax AntiVibe Drywall Hammer This 14-ounce drywall hammer from Stanley has a durable steel body wrapped in a comfortable and molded rubber grip....
Top 5 Trampolines Best Ladder: Zupapa Trampoline Best Model For Kids: Clevr Seven-Foot Kids’ Trampoline Best Two-in-One Model: Skywalker Trampolines 15-Foot Jump N Dunk Round Trampoline Best Medium-Sized Model: Skywalker Trampolines 10-Foot Round Trampoline Most Customizable Model: Exacme Heavy-Duty Trampoline Best Ladder: Zupapa Trampoline This trampoline comes with a ladder that attaches to its side to make climbing in and out of the structure easier. The ladder also has a bar along the bottom to stabilize it....
PART 1 OF 2: In this video, Master electrician Scott Caron shows the first phase of replacing an antiquated electrical system. NOTE: Working inside an electrical panel is dangerous and is best left to a professional electrician. Steps to Upgrade to a 200 Amp Service Wire Ensure that power is off to the entire building, which may involve more than just shutting off the main breaker. Have utility company to disconnect electrical cables from the house....
If you’re new to the DIY space, you may be familiar with the importance of clamping. But did you know the right type of clamp can make all the difference? As a beginning DIYer myself, I research a lot of tools and their uses. Having my options in one place helps me decide which tool is right for the job. Hence, this handy clamp tool guide for other beginners like myself....
Step into a shower and feel the relaxing pulse of hot water. Toss a load of dirty clothes in the washer, add some detergent, and press a button to have everything clean in under an hour. Yes, it’s easy to take household plumbing for granted. But the wonder of water on demand becomes more apparent when something goes wrong, or when a remodeling project calls for new supply, drain and vent lines to be installed....
Builder Jerry Effren had originally planned on a nine-month build-out that was shortened to just five months thanks to delays at the Planning and Zoning and Permitting offices. Adding fuel to the fire, he launched construction on each of the other four duplexes in the pocket neighborhood in one month intervals to achieve economies of scale and keep his team of subcontractors on the job. Shown: The TOH 2021 Idea House in the upper right-hand corner is one of 5 duplexes being built concurrently in this Norwalk, CT pocket neighborhood....
Top 5 Handsaws Best Folding Blade: Corona Razor-Tooth Folding Saw Best Double-Bladed Saw: SUIZAN Double-Edge Japanese Ryoba Pull Saw Best Curved Blade: Tabor Tools Pruning Saw Best Long Blade: Craftsman Hand Saw Best Electric Hand Saw: BLACK+DECKER Electric Hand Saw Best Folding Blade: Corona Razor-Tooth Folding Saw The molded plastic handle of this hand saw is designed for easy gripping. The saw’s seven-inch blade also features six teeth per inch to make quicker, smoother, and more accurate cuts....
Landscape expert Jenn Nawada and carpenter Nathan Gilbert help a homeowner build a backyard ice skating rink. Jenn and Nathan explain the best time of the season to build a rink and then ensure that the yard is level enough for the project. Nathan then shows Jenn and the homeowner the hardware and lumber he plans to use to build the rink so it’s level and easy to assemble and disassemble....
A great way to dress up a room is to add decorative wood beams to the ceiling. It’s a DIY-friendly project that can match almost any style of home. In most cases, the beams will run across the shortest dimension of the room to mimic exposed joists above, although they can run the other way, or they can run in both directions to create a boxed look. Usually, decorative beams are spaced fairly widely, say three or more feet apart....
Steps: Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Tools & Materials Tape measure Miter saw Cordless drill/driver Combination square Measure and mark scrap lumber to cut to length. To keep it easy, pick one measurement and cut all the lumber the same dimensions. Cut the scrap lumber to length using the miter saw. Screw a board perpendicular across two other boards with the drill driver to make the bottom piece of one of the legs....
