Posts

In this video, master electrician Scott Caron shares tips for preventing shocks and electrocution with Kevin O’Connor. How electrical circuit breakers and GFCIs work Circuit breakers protect a home’s electrical system from an overload or short circuit. An overloaded circuit is caused when too much electricity is drawn from a single circuit. A short often occurs when a live wire is accidentally cut or damaged. When a breaker senses an overload or short, it trips, cutting off power to that circuit....

Many of our readers have asked us what’s the best way of tackling homemade sliding barn doors. It’s easy to see why: building a sliding barn door means you don’t have to rip open and reframe a wall for a pocket door. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time DIY sliding barn door hardware is available in all manner of styles and budgets, and the door options are limitless—from salvage finds to original DIY creations like this one, a mix of pallet wood and common cedar....

Buying new carpeting successfully involves much more than running your hand across some samples. The basics you need to learn: what makes a quality carpet, which padding is best for you and what goes into proper installation. When it comes to buying wall-to-wall carpeting, what you don’t know can definitely hurt you. Consider that covering a 300-sq.-ft. room will cost $650 to $3,400. And just because you spend a lot of money doesn’t guarantee that you’re getting the best carpet for your needs....

Steps for Designing a Yard in Phases Break down the landscape into rooms that all have different purposes and functions but that flow together. This will make each section more manageable and, with a master plan, it will be easier to implement each room as time and budget allows. Some common landscape area functions include a dining area, an entertainment area, garden areas, relaxation areas, and entry/exit areas. Work with the existing footprint to keep the budget down....

In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey goes over some of the places to check when adequate heat is not being delivered from a forced hot water heating system. In this home, the water heats up in the boiler, goes up through the pipes, through the radiators, gives off heat to the room, and falls back down to the boiler to be heated again. That process is helped via an electric circulator pump which can be tested to ensure it is working properly....

If wall framing is on your to-do list, in addition to planning your layout and gathering materials, it’s a good idea to spend a little time considering the corners. Whether interior or exterior, corners are a multitasking part of the wall. They form the connection between two right- (and sometimes oblique-) angled walls; they help support the structure above and provide sheer strength for exterior walls. They also offer nailing surfaces or backing, for drywall, exterior sheathing, and trim boards....

Steps: Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Installing a whole-house heat pump is best left to a professional contractor. The contractor should run a heat load calculation to determine the correct sizing of the overall system. A wall-mounted ductless heat pump is a good solution for open areas like entertaining areas, bonus rooms, or open floor plans. Outdoor units can be sized to accommodate multiple zones of heating and cooling. In snowy climates, the outdoor unit should be mounted above the snow line....

Installing an artificial lawn yields permanent, low-maintenance perfection, dramatically increasing your home’s curbside appeal. It also eliminates the need for a lawnmower and place to store it, along with the gasoline and oil you would have needed for its operation. In many states with long periods of drought, watering your yard comes with hefty penalties and has prompted a shift to a more widely adopted use of artificial grass (alternately referred to as artificial turf)....

Mason Mark McCullough helps a homeowner solve a draining issue—literally. Every time there is heavy rain, the homeowner’s driveway washes away. Mark shows her how to replace the existing brick border with cobblestone driveway edging to act as a retaining wall to add function and style. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time How To Install Cobblestone Driveway Edging If there is existing edging, remove it from the driveway. Use the mason’s hammer or pickaxe to dig any buried edging up and out of the ground....

Axe sharpening is somewhat of a lost art, but learning to sharpen an axe can be a worthwhile skill. The lumberjacks of old would spend their lunch breaks sharpening their axes because they knew they could work faster, more efficiently, and with less effort if their edges were sharp. The same applies to the work done around a property or job site. Sharp is always good, and with a bit of practice, you’ll be able to repair and sharpen any axe or hatchet bit (the blade of an axe) in no time....

Being able to unwind after a long day in your very own hot tub is a dream for many homeowners, but part of that dream likely includes an attractive, restful ambiance. A hot tub that’s plopped into the middle of a yard won’t look like it belongs there—it should either be built into the landscape, or the perfect setting should be designed around the tub. Here are some inventive and resourceful backyard hot tub ideas for you to consider, for truly creating a personal oasis....

Previous episode: S42 E9 | Next episode: S42 E11 In this episode: The homeowners have opted for a crushed stone driveway for permeability, but they would like to upgrade it with a more elegant touch. Kevin O’Connor finds Mark McCullough and the masonry crew out front with a pile of cobblestones to be used for aprons and edging. Inside, the floor joists on the second floor of the old house had several problems, not the least of which was the fact that they were under sized....

Previous episode: S44 E9 | Next episode: S44 E11 In this episode: With plans for expansion, the 1902 house is ready for demo. Electrician Heath Eastman disconnects the main power and runs temporary power for safe working. Kevin O’Connor meets Charlie Silva outside to discuss the plans to convert the front porch into additional living room space and to remove the back bump out, which will be replaced by a new three-story addition....

Top 5 Tool Backpacks Best Tall Bag: Klein Tools Tool Backpack Most Pockets: CLC Custom LeatherCraft Tool Backpack Best Hanging Hook: Klein Tools Durable Electrician Backpack Best Small Bag: DEWALT Lighted Tool Backpack Best USB Port: SWISSGEAR Work Pack Pro Best Tall Bag: Klein Tools Tool Backpack This 39-pocket tool bag is made from water-resistant woven fabric. The molded base and hard front pocket make it durable enough to store delicate items, such as safety glasses....

Sure, summer steals the limelight with its bounty of juicy tomatoes and crisp cukes, but believe it or not, fall is ideal for growing certain types of crops, including healthy leafy greens and hearty root vegetables. And big bonus: The cooler weather means fewer bugs and weeds to pester plants, plus it’s simply more comfortable for you (i.e., less sweaty!) to putter in the garden once the dog days are officially over....

First In The 2018 This Old House Idea House greeted guests for the first time on Saturday, September 8, and a few lucky Insiders were the first through the door. Keep reading to see how much fun our Insider VIP guests had (and more of the gorgeous house, too!). P.S. Not an Insider? For the chance to be part of exclusive events and experiences like this one, sign up today!...

As Landscape Contractor on This Old House and Ask This Old House, Jenn Nawada teaches solutions to viewers across the country that make their landscapes more beautiful and functional. Jenn has been working in the landscape design and build field since 2001 and founded Nawada Landscape Design, Inc. more than a decade ago As a residential landscape designer, Jenn creates and installs landscape plans that are sophisticated, stylish, and sustainable. She helps clients realize the potential of their land, which can lead to healthier connections between people and their environments....

Previous episode: S41 E23 | Next episode: S41 E25 In this episode: About 30 miles from our project and 30 years before it was built, one of the most important tools in the plumbing trade was invented. Richard Trethewey meets Michael Fitzgerald, the enthusiast who uncovered this historical fact. The two meet at a museum that celebrates advances in plumbing, in where else? Watertown, Massachusetts. Back at the house, 130-year-old plaster can show its age after a construction crew comes through a house....

Moldings (sometimes spelled “mouldings”) are the decorative trim pieces that surround doors and windows, run along the bottom and tops of walls, and which generally serve as a transition between building elements. From Arts and Crafts to Colonial to Victorian, moldings go a long way to establishing the style of a house. Molding Styles from History Each era of architecture uses its own panoply of moldings. The very earliest American houses didn’t have much in the way of moldings as they would have been an extravagance in the hardscrabble life of early colonists....

When thinking about the construction of a new building, thoughts typically go to lumber, sheathing, and perhaps bricks. But how about dropping a modified steel shipping container or two (onto your property, and starting there? This article spells out the details of using shipping containers for buildings. What Are Shipping Containers? in the 1950s by visionary truck driver Malcolm McLean, shipping containers transformed international trade, and their versatility has made them viable, popular structures for storage units, backyard offices, and even homes....