Ask This Old House Season 18, Episode 23: Mantel; Too Many Light Switches

1

Sliding Barn Door, Dry Well

Nathan travels to Birmingham, Alabama to install a sliding barn door in an open-concept loft apartment. Tom compares the qualities of different types of roofing materials. Ross explains the culprit behind damaged solar panels and how to prevent future damage. Mark installs a dry well for a homeowner with drainage issues in his backyard.

30 min

2

Nursery Paint, Record Stand

Mauro paints a baby’s nursery using zero VOC paint. Richard tests out a new dryer that uses a heat pump to dry the clothes. Tom and Kevin build a record player stand out of oak plywood.

30 min

3

Radiator, Fireplace Veneer

Mark replaces a homeowner's sloppy fireplace surround with a clean, thin brick veneer.

30 min

4

Ductless Humidifier, Planters

The uses and purposes for different types of screws. Installing a whole house ductless humidifier. Changes to electric bill payment structures. Installing a front entry planter.

30 min

5

Built-in, Dining Room Light

Repairing an old dining room built-in with hand tools. Home inspection nightmares. Installing a chandelier in a dining room.

30 min

6

Women's Repair Class; Garden

A women's only do-it-yourself class; selecting and installing plants for a terraced garden; how homeowners and contractors should communicate about expectations for home improvement projects.

30 min

7

Switch; Affordable Geothermal

Replacing a standard toggle switch with an antique push button switch; affordable geothermal heat pumps.

30 min

8

Polybutylene; Squeaky Door

Indoor air quality; replacing polybutylene piping with conventional PEX; drop cloths; different methods for silencing a squeaky door.

30 min

9

Cable Railing; Painting Shutters

Replacing a stair railing; upgrading a door to make it look more modern; cleaning and painting vinyl shutters.

30 min

10

Beehive Oven; Jimmy DiResta

Restoring a beehive oven; failure points in toilet tanks and how to repair them; building a metal coat rack.

30 min

11

Stoop Planters; Fireplace Insert

Building a hexagon planter; reviving a stoop; home inspection nightmares; installing an electric fireplace insert.

30 min

12

Ceiling Light; Tool Storage

Installing a ceiling light; installing the temperature rating system for ceiling lights; the uses for different types of trowels; building a tool storage shelf.

30 min

13

Loose Railing; Smart Thermostat

Nathan tightens a railing; Mauro strips paint off hardware; Richard upgrades a thermostat.

30 min

14

Weird Shower Valve; Mossy Roof

Richard replaces a shower valve with a conventional pressure balanced one, Nathan demonstrates how to refinish stair treads, and Tom removes moss from a roof in the latest episode of Ask This Old House.

30 min

15

Indoor Garden; Fireplace Hearth

Planting an indoor garden; the basics of using a hole saw; replacing a common terra cotta hearth with slate tile.

30 min

16

Dog Dish Stand; Gas Lantern

Using a mobile CNC routing machine; building a dog dish stand using power tools; different methods for wiring a portable generator to a house.

30 min

17

Cherry Blossoms; Mount Rushmore

The Ask This Old House team travels to and appreciates different national parks and makes a few house calls.

30 min

18

Custom Screen Door; Paint Trim

Ross tests out some new smart lighting configurations, while Tom helps a homeowner build a custom screen door. Richard gives general advice on maintaining a washing machine, and Mauro teaches a homeowner techniques to paint old 1960s wood trim with a varnish on it.

30 min

19

Ground Wire; Fireplace Doors

Kevin works with Jenn Largesse to demonstrate a technique on a trim router. Heath grounds an outlet, while Mauro explains paint rollers and demonstrates rolling techniques. Mark then replaces fireplace doors.

30 min

20

Pedestal Sink; Grout Cleaning

In this episode, Richard helps a homeowner replace components of his pedestal sink, and Heath discusses bathroom vent fans. The team shares home inspection nightmares, and Tom explains how to clean dirty tile grout.

30 min

21

Paver Patio; Shoe Rack

Mark helps a couple install a concrete paver patio; Jenn discusses the common elements she includes in outdoor kitchen designs; Tom and Kevin build a combination bench/shoe rack out of fir decking.

30 min

22

Cedar Shingles; Vegetable Garden

In this episode, Tom explains the architecture, installation, and maintenance of white cedar shingles. Richard repairs a hose spigot, and Jenn builds and plants a self-watering vegetable garden.

30 min

23

Mantel; Too Many Light Switches

In this episode, Richard tests a faucet, and Mark installs a mantel. Ross and Mauro discuss why and how to remove cigarette smell from a home. Then, Heath connects 4 separate switches that control 6 lights in the same room.

30 min

24

Pantry Doors; Reflective Shingle

Nathan installs bypass doors for a pantry; Richard tests different smart automatic water shutoff valves; Ross explores asphalt roof shingles that can reflect some of the sun’s heat.

30 min

25

Quartz Countertops; Firepit Kit

Kevin learns how quartz countertops are manufactured and installed. Nathan explains how to hang and display a U.S. flag, and Tom and Jenn split firewood. Then, Mark installs a fire pit that comes in a kit.

30 min

26

Shower Cartridge; Turning a Bowl

Nathan shows Kevin some old drywall paneling he found, and Richard teaches a homeowner how to clean her shower cartridge. Tom teaches Kevin the basics of using a lathe, and then they turn a bowl together.

30 min