Ask This Old House TV

Showing results for "Season 6"
Scan the episodes below and select "more" to get information on products or services you saw on that episode.

Episode #626

Rebuilding a toilet tank, Lawn Watering, Building a simple bookcase… more

Episode #625

Installing a water pressure reducing valve, Choosing the best types of grass seed, What is it?, Installing crown molding on kitchen cabinets… more

Episode #624

Replacing broken tile, Cutting ceramic and stone tile, Installing glass tile on a kitchen backsplash… more

Episode #623

Overseeding a lawn using a slice seeder, Viewer tip, Preparing a home for sale, Finding and fixing a mysterious plumbing leak … more

Episode #622

Installing granite steps, Choosing "Keyless" Deadbolts, Replacing polybutylene water piping… more

Episode #621

Installing an old full-mortise lockset into a new door, Installing a pellet stove, Non-Gasoline Lawn Mowers… more

Episode #620

Building a soccer goal with PVC pipe, Building stilts, Building a sandbox… more

Episode #619

Increasing attic insulation, Installing landscape lighting, Replacing an old kitchen faucet… more

Episode #618

Installing a Water Softener, Installing fiber-cement siding … more

Episode #617

Improving a lawn, What is it?, Water Supply Piping… more

Episode #616

Replacing a leaky skylight, What is it?, Repairing a 3-way light switch… more

Episode #615

The ATOH crew repairs a smelly dishwasher, transplants a rosebush, changes a circular saw blade, and plays another exciting round of What Is It?… more

Episode #614

Installing thermostatic radiator valves on hydronic radiators, What is it?, Making a refrigerator fit into an opening that is too small, Viewer tip… more

Episode #613

Installing a vinyl fence, Installing an epoxy coating on a garage floor… more

Episode #612

Determining landscape grades, What is it?, Seeing inside walls, Repairing a bathtub drain that won't hold water… more

Episode #611

Improving front steps with bluestone, What is it?, Installing a propane kitchen stove… more

Episode #610

Original Air Date: Week of December 6, 2007

Landscaping contractor Roger Cook shows a homeowner in Portland, Oregon an innovative way to handle storm-water runoff from her roof. Later, Roger is joined in the loft by host Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey to answer the question, "What is it?" Then, Tom shows a homeowner how to refinish her hardwood floors.

How to Divert Storm Runoff to a Rain Garden

Roger visited a homeowner in Portland, Oregon who wanted to disconnect her gutter downspouts from the city’s sewer system. Portland gets heavy rains during the winter months, and rainwater from gutters overwhelms the sewer system, causing millions of gallons of sewage to enter rivers and streams. The city of Portland offers a program where they will disconnect the gutters from the sewer and divert the water to nearby landscaping. Instead of just letting the rainwater run out onto the lawn, Roger and the homeowner created a “rain garden.” The garden was designed so that native plants and rocks will soak up the water, preventing it from damaging the house or causing erosion problems.

The gutters were disconnected by:

City of Portland
Environmental Services

503-823-5858

Landscaping support and design assistance: Drake's 7 Dees Landscaping
16519 SE Stark St.
Portland, OR 97233
(503) 256-2223 or (503) 625-6222


GreenWorks, P.C. Landscape Architecture
24 NW 2nd Ave., Suite 100
Portland, Oregon 97209
(503) 222-5612

What Is It?

Roger showed a device used for installing caps on beer bottles. We have not been able to determine the manufacturer of this device. If you can identify the manufacturer, please let us know!

How to Refinish a Wood Floor

Tom and a homeowner sanded and refinished an oak kitchen floor. They started by using a floor sander with four sanding pads that work in a “random-orbit” motion, helping to prevent swirl marks. The sander also has a built-in vacuum to contain dust. They made a first pass over the entire floor with a coarse-grit sandpaper to remove the old finish, and made two more passes using finer grits of sandpaper to smooth it out. For hard-to-reach spots and edge sanding, they used paint scrapers and a portable “detail” sander connected to a vacuum. After sanding, Tom “set” any exposed nails beneath the surface and used wood filler to hide them and fill any gaps. They then vacuumed the entire floor and removed any remaining dust with rags soaked in mineral spirits. For finish, Tom applied a water-based polyurethane. Water-based finish dries faster than oil-based, allowing several coats to be applied in a single day.

Floor sanders can be rented at some hardware stores, home centers and rental centers. “U-Sand” Model:

Cherryhill Manufacturing Corporation
640 Kolter Drive
Indiana, PA 15701
(724) 465-4001
"www.u-sand.com"]

Detail Sander and Vacuum:

Festool USA (sander model #DX93 and vacuum model #CT22)
Tooltechnic Systems, LLC
400 N. Enterprise Blvd
Lebanon, IN 46052
(888) 337-8600

Water-Based Polyurethane: Minwax Company
10 Mountainview Road
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
(800) 523-9299

Episode #609

Picking a Christmas tree, What is it?, Safety equipment, Caulking a leaky window… more

Episode #608

Improving a muddy backyard, Choosing space heaters, Preventing condensation in a bathroom fan… more

Episode #607

Installing replacement windows, Heating water more efficiency, Home energy audit… more

Episode #606

Removing a dangerous tree, What is it?, Installing interior door trim… more

Episode #605

Repairing a jammed garbage disposer, What is it?, Stripping exterior paint, Drilling and notching in joists … more

Episode #604

Preventing floods, Removing and replacing foundation plants, What is it?, Fixing rotted wood with epoxy… more

Episode #603

Replacing a toilet flange, What is it?, Repairing cracked plaster, Viewer Tip… more

Episode #602

Carpentry squares, What is it?, Installing a patio using concrete bricks… more

Episode #601

Replacing a bathtub drain trap, What is it?, Repairing a cracked drywall ceiling… more