Episode

Mulching garden beds

Roger and the homeowner went to a local farm that sells several varieties of mulch. They examined a few different types and Roger shared a rule-of-thumb for determining the quantity of mulch: one cubic yard of mulch will cover approximately 300 square feet with a 1-inch layer of mulch. They selected a "triple grind" pine bark mulch and had it delivered. Back at the house, Roger began by stripping the old mulch out of the garden beds. The old mulch was spread too thick and was preventing air and water from getting down to the roots of the plants. Once the old mulch was stripped from the beds, Roger demonstrated how to clean up the edge of the bed using a half-moon edger. They then added a 1" layer of new mulch to the bed. To prevent rot, Roger made sure that the mulch did not come into contact with the shrubs' trunks.

Repairing a sash-balancer in a double-hung window

Tom helped a homeowner install a new sash-balancer in a 20-year old double-hung window. The bottom sash would not stay open because the cord connecting the spring balancer to the sash had broken. Tom removed the sash and balancer and discovered that finish nails had been driven into the balancer, causing it to fail. Tom solved the problem by installing replacement sash balancers on both the right and left side of the window.