Ask This Old House TV

Showing results for "Season 2"
Scan the episodes below and select "more" to get information on products or services you saw on that episode.

Episode #226

Replacing a storm door, identifying a paint mixer and gutter nail driver, and choosing garden tools … more

Episode #225

Corroded copper pipes, old-fashioned sheet metal cutter, and worn-out weather stripping
… more

Episode #224

Track lighting, drywall repair clips, and noisy baseboard heaters… more

Ask This Old House #223

Radiant heat, a cable saw for PVC, and painting aluminum siding… more

Episode #222

Installing curved baseboards, buying wire by the foot, a "Nite Ize Flashlight Friend," and making maple syrup… more

Episode #221

Fixing a steam radiator, a "Molemover" and an invisible nailing kit, and preparing a raised garden bed for winter… more

Episode #220

Installing a programmable thermostat , a snowball maker and garage stopper, and fixing a plaster and lath wall… more

Episode #219

Original Air Date: Week of February 12

General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O'Connor how to cut a pane of glass safely and accurately. Then landscape contractor Roger Cook helps a homeowner beautify a fieldstone wall behind her home with two varieties of flowering vines. Back in the loft, Tom, Roger, Kevin, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey try to guess "What is it?" Then Richard helps two viewers install a portable air conditioning unit in their overheated attic apartment.



Cutting Glass
Tom helped Kevin answer a viewer's question about how to cut a pane of glass. He showed different types of glass cutters and demonstrated how to cut glass safely.

Where to Find It
All of the glass cutting supplies, including the conventional glass cutter and the glass cutter with the cutting oil reservoir, were purchased from:
Heritage Glass & Mirror
311 Marrett Road
Lexington, MA 02421
781-862-8624

Most glass companies and some hardware stores will cut new glass to custom sizes at no additional charge.

Planting Climbing Vines
Roger helped a homeowner choose flowering vines for a fieldstone wall surrounding the patio of her old farmhouse. They visited a nearby garden to view mature examples of several different vines, and decided on a climbing hydrangea and an autumn-flowering clematis. Back at the house, Roger showed how to prepare the soil and plant the vines along the base of the wall.

Where to Find It
Roger selected a climbing hydrangea (hydrangea anomala petiolaris) for the shady area of the wall. He chose an autumn-flowering clematis (clematis paniculata) for the sunny area. He suggested cutting back the clematis to within 4 to 6 inches of the ground every winter.

Roger enriched the soil around vines with super phosphate and "Healthy Start" 3-4-3 slow-release fertilizer, made by:
Plant Health Care Inc.
412-826-5488

To improve the aeration and water-retention of the soil, he also added peat moss from:
Hyde Park Products
3 New King Street
West Harrison, NY 10604-1203
914-949-5177

The plants and other materials for this project were provided by:
Gold Star Wholesale Nurseries
1265 Massachusetts Avenue
Lexington MA 02420-3825
800-631-3013

What Is It?
Tom, Roger, Richard, and Kevin examined two unusual items and tried to guess how they are used.

Where to Find It
Kevin demonstrated a simple magnetic stud finder (model no. 47-400) manufactured by:
Stanley Tools

Tom demonstrated cross-shaped tile spacers manufactured by:
Q.E.P. Co., Inc.

Installing a Portable Air Conditioner
Richard helped two viewers cool the home office in their attic apartment. A standard window-mounted air conditioner couldn't be installed because the office had no windows, only skylights. Richard solved the problem with a portable air conditioner, which he vented through an unused dryer vent in the utility closet.

Where to Find It
The portable air conditioner (model no. PAC260) is manufactured by:

800-322-3848

Episode #218

Deterring deer, making PVC connections, pipe plugs, and fixing a sagging shower door… more

Episode #217

Wiring for outdoor speakers, a Japanese chalk line, and planting a tree… more

Episode #216

Testing water quality, a duster and downspout diverter, and replacing a damaged floorboard… more

Episode #215

Repairing sliding doors, an electrical cord connector and ellipse marking tool, electric radiant heat, and selecting paint colors… more

Episode #214

Installing a brick walkway, a maple sugaring spile and "Sand Anchor" umbrella holder, and cutting accurate miters… more

Episode #213

Quieting hardwood floors, a garden sieve and heavy-duty twist-tie, and building timber steps… more

Episode #212

Drip irrigation repair, a "Sander Sitter" and "Forearm Forklifts," and fixing a leaky tile in a tub… more

Episode #211

Adding a stairway handrail, a grout saw and tile cutter, and transplanting a rhododendron… more

Episode #210

Installing a chimney liner, a proportioning tool, and a toilet anti-sweat valve… more

Episode #209

Removing poison ivy, a steel center square and pencil leash, and shingling an outside corner… more

Episode #208

Installing an engineered wood floor, and replacing a sink's pop-up drain… more

Episode #207

Planting ground cover, and opening stuck windows… more

Episode #206

Installing window trim, landscape camouflage, a "tape dolly," and fixing a kitchen spray hose… more

Episode #205

Installing a drywell, a spray paint shaker and magnetic pickup tool, and adding a shower grip bar… more

Episode #204

Patching drywall, sanding blocks and an antique clapboard gauge, and replacing an aged toilet… more

Episode #203

A slate walk, EZ Lift handles and eye-bolt driver, and repairing a shower stall leak … more

Episode #202

Securing a newel post, a nut splitter and paint scraper, and replacing a water heater… more

Episode #201

Installing a deadbolt, trimming a hedge, and installing an indirect hot water heater… more