When it comes to getting a thick, healthy lawn, nothing beats sod grass rolls for instant gratification. Read some common questions about sod, followed by our step-by-step instructions on how to prepare your soil and correctly lay out a beautiful carpet of green. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time What Direction Should You Lay Sod? Make sure you lay your first row against a straight edge; this could be along your yard or fence or patio....
Interior designer Denise Enright believes an eye-catching light fixture can make—or break—a room. “Lighting is an opportunity to influence the style and personality of a space, and I love the challenge of finding just the right piece.” Of the selection process, Enright says, “Consider the proportions of the room; would it benefit from a low-profile, flush-mount fixture or a bold, daring pendant? What shapes, materials, and finishes will best complement the overall design?...
Previous episode: S19 E11 | Next episode: S19 E13 In this episode: Plumbing and heating expert, Richard Trethewey, travels to Salt Lake City to replace a shower valve he has never seen before in his career with a conventional pressure-balanced one. Painter Mauro Henrique assists a homeowner that needs help painting her radiator cover that is suspected to have lead paint. The house was built in the 1950s and lead paint was being used in houses until it was banned in 1978, that’s the indicator Mauro and other contractors use to determine whether or not to test for lead....
Previous episode: S43 E34 | Next episode: S43 E36 In this episode: Over the last few weeks, the house has undergone a dramatic transformation. Kevin O’Connor walks through the changes and upgrades. One major upgrade happening is to the electrical service. Electrician Stephen Ristau upgrades the existing 200-amp service to 400 amps outfitted with arc fault and surge protection at the service panels. Another upgrade is installing a cold-weather heat pump designed to handle -10 degrees Fahrenheit while still maintaining full capacity....
Should we block our crawl-space vents or keep them open? Tom Silva replies: I think working vents in crawl spaces are a good idea, and so do the building codes, which generally require them. These vents allow outside air to circulate under the floor in summer to prevent the moisture buildup that encourages mildew and rot. In winter, when the air is drier, the vents are closed to reduce the chance that the pipes in the crawl space might freeze....
For their Jamestown Net-Zero house, homeowners Don and Dana Powers chose to install an induction stove. They know that this technology offers speed, safety, and energy efficiency, and since they are making electricity with the solar panels on the barn, they want to use electricity for all their appliances. The method works by magnetic induction (rather than radiation or conduction), so it heats the pot directly, which puts less waste heat into the room....
Top 5 Hangers These non-slip velvet hangers are offered in a variety of colors, quantities, and styles, allowing you to find the perfect pack to hang all of your articles of clothing. Plus, their slim design prevents them from taking up extra space in your closet. Key Features 50 hangers Made of velvet 17.4 by 0.2 by 9.2 inches each Available in other colors, quantities, and styles What Customers Are Saying Best Rotating Hook: Utopia Home Velvet Hangers These lightweight and durable hangers have a non-slip velvet coating around them to safely hold your clothes....
Cleveland is home to many invading pests, including rodents and stinging insects, that infest houses, condos, and apartments across the city. However, the city is especially prone to bed bug infestations. In fact, according to a professional study performed by Orkin in 2019, Cleveland is the 11th-worst city for this type of invasion. The This Old House Reviews Team has rounded up the top pest control providers in Cleveland, both national and local, to save you time and money when purchasing a bed bug treatment plan or another treatment plan....
STAMFORD, CT, FEBRUARY 5, 2021—This Old House is excited to announce that for its first Idea Houses in 2021, and eighth Idea House to date, the trusted home improvement brand is working with remodeler, designer, advocate, and television personality Amy Matthews as she embarks on building her dream home: a Scandinavian-style barnhouse on a verdant farmstead in the St. Croix River Valley, located 20 minutes from downtown St. Paul, Minnesota....
Working from home has become a reality for many—no longer a pandemic stopgap but a preference. However, as WFHers may have realized, plopping down on the sofa with a laptop isn’t the best strategy. Dedicating space to a more functional office setup may be long overdue, and since a spare room may not be available, a common area such as the dining room, living room, bedroom, or kitchen may have to do double duty....
Comparison Top 5 Curtain Rods Most Customizable Length: Ivilon Side Window Curtain Rod Best Double Rod: Umbra Twilight Double Curtain Rod Set Most Versatile Rod: Kenney Adler Indoor/Outdoor Rust-Resistant Wraparound Curtain Rod Best Finish Options: Decopolitan Urn Single Rod Set Best Value: Kenney Chelsea Standard Decorative Window Curtain Rod Most Customizable Length: Ivilon Side Window Curtain Rod Pros and Cons ✔ Has a one-inch diameter to accommodate heavier fabrics Ivilon Side Window Curtain Rod...
Dated finishes can really bring down a room. At Erin and Kurt Tassone’s 1980s ranch house, in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, the gas fireplace in the family room was such an eyesore that the couple and their three kids couldn’t bear to spend time in the space and gathered in the basement instead. Finally, after eight years, Erin decided enough was enough. So she and Kurt yanked out the faux stone and dark hearth tile, replacing them with new drywall above stacked-stone veneer and large slabs of pale gray stone on the raised hearth....
You just landscaped your yard and are looking to tackle another home improvement project outdoors. How about design landscaping your driveway? Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time What is a driveway apron? It’s the area where your residential driveway meets the street pavement. You can transform that plain patch of tarmac by tearing up the section above the curb and replacing it with materials that look like they were taken from the streets of Brussels itself....
In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey makes heating water more efficient by installing a heat pump. Read on to see the steps for this water heater heat pump retrofit. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for adding a heat pump to a water heater Shut off the cold-water line and electrical circuit to the water heater. Pump all the water out of the water heater’s tank....
How to Install a Heater in a Garage Workshop Working with gas is extremely dangerous and should only be left to a licensed professional. Shut the gas off at the meter. Determine a location to mount the heater that’s easily accessible to the gas line. To give the heater more range, try mounting it in a corner. Mount the bracket for the heater to the chosen location using bolts and a drill....
You might not realize it, but there aren’t any magic recipes inside those concrete mix bags at the home store. Making your own concrete mix is easy. Plus, when it comes to a large project, you can cut the cost of your concrete significantly. Keep reading to find out how to make and mix concrete. How to Make and Mix Concrete Step 1: Gather Your Tools and Materials Here’s what you’ll need to mix your own concrete:...
In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and tile expert Joe Ferrante team up to repair a leaky shower valve installation. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for repairing a shower valve Remove access panel from behind shower valve and inspect for damage and loose connections. Use a utility knife to score the grout around tiles to be removed. Cut through tile glaze with a carbide-tipped scoring tool....
In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shares a fast fix for ruptured paving. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for repairing an asphalt walkway: Set 4-foot level on walkway to determine how badly the root has lifted the walkway. Use pointed shovel to dig down on either side of the walkway to expose the tree root. Use a pruning saw to cut through root on each side of walkway....
Host Kevin O’Connor takes us on a house call of historical proportions to talk about wallpaper restoration. When visiting the Franklin Pierce home, Kevin speaks with museum staff about restoring the home, more specifically, the 200-year-old imported wallpaper in one of the rooms. Wallpaper’s Beginnings Most ornate wallpaper originated in Europe and is relegated to palaces and large villas. They were typically made from thousands of blocks of wood in different colors and took several years to produce....
Jenn: Hi guys, I’m Jenn Largesse from House One and today I’m here with Katie from Addicted 2 DIY. Katie, thank you for being here. Katie: Hi! Thank you for having me. Jenn: So I thought that we would start out and have you tell us a little bit about your blog and about how you got started. Katie: I got started about four and a half years ago. I started because we didn’t have any furniture in our house....
