Ask This Old House

Historic Window Restoration
General contractor Tom Silva went to Alexandria, Virginia to restore the windows in a home built by George Washington. Tom cut the paint seal on the inside and outside of the window, allowing him to operate the lower sash. Then he removed the window "stops" and sash. He opened the weight pockets, replaced the broken sash cords, and reassembled the window.

Where to find it?
All of the tools and materials for this project, including a painter's 5-in-1 tool, putty knife, and replacement sash cords can be purchased at a hardware store or home center.

What Is It?
Roger asks the guys to identify a large plastic disk with a slit.

Where to find it?
The Rain Saucer attaches to the top of a rain barrel and creates a standalone rainwater harvesting system.

Installing a Water Filter
Richard helps a homeowner install a water filter at his kitchen sink.

Where to find it?
The filter that Richard installed is manufactured by AquaPure.

It was provided by The Walter F. Morris Company, a wholesale plumbing and HVAC supplier.

The "Slug Buster" tool that Richard used to cut through the stainless steel sink is manufactured by Greenlee.