Ask This Old House – Season 17
Episodes
Plunge Pool, Heat Pump
Jenn installs a plunge pool for a homeowner with a small backyard; Tom gives some basic tips about insulating an attic; Richard travels to Celebration, Florida to help a homeowner select and install the right electric water heater.
Window Repair, Space House Tour
Mark explains how to make concrete; Tom replaces a broken pane in a basement window; in Future House, Ross travels to NASA Johnson Space Center to learn about the technology they use on the International Space Station to keep the astronauts alive.
Stone Walkway, Rustic Headboard
Mark installs a front walkway for a homeowner using natural stone; Mauro explains the uses and techniques for different types of painter’s tape; Tom and Kevin build a headboard using rustic barnboard.
Garage Heat, DIY Security System
Richard travels to Akron, Ohio to install a garage heater; Tom teaches the basics of sanding; Ross installs a DIY security system; Mark investigates a strange issue happening to foundations in the Northeast.
Crown Molding, Strip Wallpaper
Tom installs crown molding on cabinets with full overlay doors; Richard discusses toilet seats; Mauro teaches apprentice Mary how to strip wallpaper without using any chemicals.
Storage Bench, Old Shower Valve
In Build It, Tom and Kevin build a modern storage bench out of a single sheet of MDF and then Mauro paints it; Richard travels to Seattle to help a homeowner whose shower runs cold whenever there’s a demand for hot water elsewhere in the house.
Swap Door Swing, Tropical Yard
The team discusses tools that make good gifts; Jenn returns to her home state of Florida to help a homeowner design a tropical landscape for his backyard; former apprentice Nathan returns to help Tom change the swing of an entry door.
Fireplace Makeover, Drip Edges
Repairing and updating a fireplace surround; drip edges.
Swing Set, Robotic Construction
Building a swing set; building saw horses with materials left over from the job site; automated home construction.
Concrete Walkway, Jimmy DiResta
Replacing a concrete walkway with brick pavers; installing gas piping in a home; building a farmhouse table; guest Jimmy DiResta
Seismic Retrofit, Dryer Vent
Protecting homes from earthquakes; staining concrete; why and how to change lo locks in a new home; rerouting a lengthy dryer vent.
Soft Close Cabinets; Secret Garden
Soft close kitchen cabinets; how gas regulators work; cleaning up an overgrown garden and redesigning it as a secret garden.
Closet Door; Bathroom Paint
Replacing a bifold closet door; alternatives to flower bouquets; painting a bathroom using a mold resistant paint.
Vertical Garden; Toilet Factory
Installing a vertical garden; uses for different drill bits; advances in toilet engineering that help save water.
Stucco Repair; Gas Dryer
Repairing a crack in a concrete retaining wall with a stucco finish; air compressors; installing a gas dryer.
Paint Metal Railing; Wine Rack
Repainting a rusty metal railing; innovations that make cleaning a clogged sink easier; building a wire rack out of a reclaimed beam.
Prairie Grasses; Wildfires; Solar Flower
Caring for prairie grasses; making a home more resistant to wildfires; a robotic solar array mimics a sunflower.
Smart Irrigation; Jimmy DiResta
Upgrading an irrigation system; home inspection nightmares; kitchen renovations; building an Adirondack-style outdoor chair with Jimmy DiResta.
Water Filter; Bathroom Caulking
Updating a water filter on a retro faucet; the uses for different types of masonry jointers; when and how to use a Japanese pull saw; re-caulking a bathtub.
Foundation Repointing; Textured Ceiling
Re-pointing a fieldstone foundation; water management on the outside of a house; the disposal of oily rags; smoothing over a textured ceiling.
Stair Treads; Gas Stove Pipe
Replacing split-level stair treads; pruners; shortening a gas pipe for a new stove.
Fireplace Restoration; Porch Swing
Killing weeds without hurting the lawn; restoring a historic fireplace built with custom bricks; thermostats; hanging a swing.
Scorched Floor; Hardy Plantings
Testing a smart stud finder; repairing a wood floor that had been burned; using a table saw safely; replacing and improving foundation plantings that had been crushed by snow.
Humidity Mystery, Brick Patch
Tom discusses the conversations a homeowner and a contractor should have before starting a renovation project; Richard travels to Orlando to diagnose and repair an HVAC system that is creating way too much humidity; Mauro demonstrates the technique for using a paint sprayer; Mark travels to Denver to patch a hole in a brick wall.
Deck Staining; Water Monitoring
Sharpening a knife; re-staining a deck; building a fire; automatic water shutoff valves.
Historic Paintings; Wood Utensils
Adding curb appeal to a house using Victorian flowers; matching paint colors; home inspection issues; hand carving wooden serving utensils.