Home Improvement

How Retirees Can Avoid Refinancing Troubles

Next Avenue

Lenders are rejecting retired homeowners who want to refinance at today's attractive rates. But there are ways to combat this growing trend. Continue

Handmade Soaps

PBS Parents

Make soap at home for a squeaky-clean craft that's fun for all ages. Continue

Barrington: Another Project Wraps

This Old House

As the project winds down in Barrington, Rhode Island, Norm and Kevin congratulate Andy on a job well done. Richard shares an advanced programmable thermostat with a 7-inch LCD screen. Solar shades are installed on the first floor while upstairs the master closet is divided up to accommodate both his and hers spaces. Interior designer Lisa Newman Paratore shows off the final decor choices. Continue

AskTOH: Generator, Clogged Sewer

This Old House

Host Kevin O'Connor and electrician Scott Caron travel to Annapolis, Maryland, to install a manual transfer switch for a portable generator. Then Kevin, along with general contractor Tom Silva, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey ask "What Is It?" Afterwards, Richard heads to Dallas to fix a sewer line that is clogged with tree roots. Continue

Barrington: Wall Dressing

This Old House

A retractable awning gets installed. New soapstone countertops get sealed with wax, not oil, for a more durable finish. Andy dresses up the half-walls with oak caps and a scotia molding. The light fixtures are being made by New England blacksmiths. Floor warming goes in the master bath. Richard tells us why the ERV unit is possibly the most important piece of mechanical equipment in the house. Continue

Barrington: Cherry Kitchen

This Old House

The old driveway is replaced with new concrete pavers. Norm visits a custom cabinetshop to see how they are using high-end cherry veneers to make our kitchen. The installer scribes the refrigerator panel to fit. In the master bath the new soaking tub is set in a bed of fresh plaster. The painting contractor tries out a "full spectrum" paint that relies on other pigments to create richer colors. Continue

Barrington: The Finishes Begin

This Old House

The Brazilian hardwood garapa is being used for the new deck. Red cedar shingles are cut into a wave pattern. Kevin heads to Providence to meet designer Lisa Newman Paratore at her shop to see what she's pulling together for our project. Norm sees the decorative brackets being used on the exterior and learns why polyurethane is a better choice than PVC stock for this application. Continue

Barrington: Coastal Landscape

This Old House

A sustainable coastal landscape is created using native plants along with freshly harvested local sod. Metalsmiths install a custom copper gutter and scupper. Renewable energy expert Ross Trethewey takes host Kevin O'Connor to see a lighthouse that is also an off-the-grid bed and breakfast for sustainability enthusiasts. Richard Trethewey sees the solar hot water system being used for our house. Continue

Barrington: A Newport Mansion

This Old House

Andy Tiplady shows Kevin why he's using red cedar shingles and the flair he's creating between the first and second floors. Richard Trethewey shows Kevin how we are heating and cooling the house using a hydronic system that is integrated with a solar hot water system. Solar panels are also being used for electricity. Norm get a behind-the-scenes look at The Elms, one of Newport's famous mansions. Continue

AskTOH: Fast Hot Water, Chimney

This Old House

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs a recirculation pump to provide hot water quickly to a bathroom. Then, general contractor Tom Silva shares a tip for fixing the handle on a casement window. Afterward, Tom, Richard, host Kevin O'Connor, and landscape contractor Roger Cook ask "What Is It?" And Kevin travels to Dallas to help a homeowner line her fireplace chimney. Continue

The Journal: Katrina Recovery Woes

Bill Moyers

Two years after Katrina, casinos, hotels and condos are coming back strong in the hardest hit areas of Mississippi, but tens of thousands of people are still displaced. Bill Moyers Journal profiles a group known as The Steps Coalition, which is fighting on behalf of families who are still in need of housing. Also on the program, a different take on immigration from author Manuel A. Vasquez. Continue

AskTOH: Spray Paint, Wood Floor

This Old House

Landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor refinish several worn out items using spray paint. Then, general contractor Tom Silva removes wall-to-wall carpet and installs a pre-finished wood floor. And in the loft, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin some new household devices that can be operated "hands-free." Continue

Barrington: The Finish Line

This Old House

Light green grout is used with glass tiles to give a depth of color to the backsplash. The garage gets a new insulated steel door and a storage system. A cable railing system gets installed outside. A gas stove goes in the living room; it will become a focal point at night, when water views are no longer visible. The lighting designer shows how layers of light were used to create distinct spaces. Continue

AskTOH: Historic Windows, Filter

This Old House

General Contractor Tom Silva heads to Alexandria, Virginia to restore the windows in a home built by George Washington. Then Tom, along with host Kevin O'Connor, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey ask "What Is It?" Afterwards, Richard installs a water filter at a kitchen sink. Continue

AskTOH: Solar PPA, Framing Walls

This Old House

Alternative energy expert Ross Trethewey travels to San Francisco to learn about a new way to finance solar photovoltaic panels and then sees them installed. Afterward, general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner frame the walls for a basement-remodeling project. Continue

AskTOH: Tile, Weatherstripping

This Old House

Contractor Angelo McRae helps a homeowner tile his bathroom floor. Then, General Contractor Tom Silva heads to Washington D.C. to help a homeowner weatherstrip her front door. Continue

AskTOH: Texas Plants, New Window

This Old House

Landscape contractor Roger Cook travels to Dallas to help a homeowner plant a garden using native species that are drought-tolerant. Then, general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner remove a door and replace it with a window. Continue

AskTOH: Vinyl Casing, Dishwasher

This Old House

Host Kevin O'Connor works with a siding contractor to install new vinyl casing around a window. Then, Plumbing and Heating Expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner install a new dishwasher. Continue

Barrington: Building a Clambake!

This Old House

Builder Andy Tiplady shows master carpenter Norm Abram how he's installing the windows using a custom copper pan for flashing. Kevin visits the Hurricane Research Lab at the University of Florida to see their current research and to feel what it's like to stand in a Category 3 hurricane. At the end of the day, it is time for the clambake down on the beach. Continue

AskTOH: Patio Upgrade, Mirror

This Old House

Landscape contractor Roger Cook heads to San Francisco to upgrade a neglected urban patio. Then Roger, along with host Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey ask "What Is It?" Afterward, Tom shows Kevin how to hang a heavy mirror on a wall. Continue

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