Ask This Old House

Find more information on Ask This Old House episodes, or more information on products and services you saw on Ask This Old House.

Ask This Old House does not endorse any product or service mentioned within this Web site.

Select a Season:

Season 3 Show Descriptions

Showing results for "Season 3"
Scan the episodes below and select "more" to get information on products or services you saw on that episode.

Episode #326
Installing window boxes on brick siding, making plumbing connections, installing a "drip strip" … more
Episode #325
Installing fluorescent light fixtures, landscaping software, replacing an aluminum baseboard heat cover
… more
Episode #324
Installing an electronic air cleaner, removing ice from a walkway, venting a bathroom fan.… more
Episode #323
Clearing a clogged vent stack, building a backyard ice rinks… more
Episode #322
Riding lawnmowers, garbage disposers, and replacing a rotting wooden threshold… more
Episode #321
Installing a 220 volt receptacle, gardening hand tools, and installing a macerating toilet… more
Episode #320
Leveling a floor, fixing a leaky water shut-off valve, air compressors… more
Episode #319
Composting, and removing a house trap… more
Episode #318
Unclogging bathtub drains, exploring alternatives to window weights and planting a low-maintenance garden … more
Episode #317
Replacing rotted deck balusters, and connecting an icemaker, and stripping wallpaper
… more
Episode #316
Replicating moldings, fixing an unlevel patio, and stripping wallpaper
… more
Episode #315
Replacing an old storm window, winterizing shrubs, and using carbon monoxide detectors
… more
Episode #314
Repairing a glass door, and pruning a Pin Oak
… more
Episode #313
Planting a new lawn, and replacing a kitchen sink
… more
Episode #312
Repairing cracked stucco, cleaning a lawnmower, and installing a dehumidifier pump
… more
Episode #311
Learning about ladder safety and rebuilding a crumbling retaining wall
… more
Episode #310
Silencing a noisy toilet, cutting crown molding, and replacing broken tile
… more
Episode #309
Repairing leaky valves, replacing a cellar door, and repairing a leaky drip irrigation hose
… more
Episode #308
Installing adjustable shelves, identifying a plastic guard for a tree trunk, and testing your soil before planting
… more
Episode #307


Original Air Date: Week of November 15, 2004

In the workshop loft, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey demonstrates how to extend the life of a hot water heater by replacing the sacrificial anode rod. General contractor Tom Silva visits homeowner Alison Hardy of Topsfield, Massachusetts, and installs a "cricket," or rain diverter, to keep water away from her front steps. Then Richard and Tom, along with landscaping contractor Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor, ask "What is it?" Then it's off to Brighton, Massachusetts, where Richard helps homeowner Kim McMahon cool off by installing thermostatic valves on her steam radiators.



Anode Rod Replacement
Rich shows Kevin how to get more life out of a water heater by replacing the sacrificial anode rod. He first shows how to remove the existing rod using a socket wrench and length of pipe for leverage. He then put some Teflon tape on the threads of a new anode rod and installed it.

Where to Find It
Water heater and replacement anode rods:
Gourley Co.
80 Felton Street
Waltham, MA 02254-0030
781-894-9500

Socket wrenches and Teflon tape can be purchased at your local plumbing supply house or home center.

Water Diverter
Tom showed a homeowner an alternative to traditional gutters called a rain diverter, or cricket. He took a piece of drip edge, painted it black, cut it in half, and installed it upside down using galvanized roofing nails and tri-polymer caulk.

Where to Find It
Tri-polymer caulk: Geocel Corp.
800-348-7615

Drip edge, galvanized roofing nails, spray paint, ladders, and ladder stabilizers are available at your local home center or rental store.

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

Where to Find It
Kevin showed a telescoping wand with gutter cleaner:
Orbit SunMate
800-488-6156

Richard showed a No-Calk vent stack roof flashing:
Oatey
216-267-7100 (local)
800-321-9532 (toll-free)

Too Much Heat!
Richard helps a homeowner cool down by installing thermostatic radiator valves (TRV's) on her steam radiators.
Where to Find It
Thermostatic radiator valves:
The Danfoss Group
443-648-1205 (local)
Episode #306
Adding window boxes, identifying a cordless drill holder, and how to install sod
… more
Episode #305
Removing damaged bolts and screws; creating a walkway edge; What Is It?; jacking up a porch to fix a rotting post
… more
Episode #304
Cutting a kitchen pass-through; What Is It?; stopping a toilet from running… more
Episode #303
Repairing a fence, restoring hot water by fixing an anti-scald valve, and installing a keyless chuck on an older drill
… more
Episode #302
Replacing a clogged trap, brick walkway patterns, and covering a cracked ceiling with drywall
… more
Episode #301
Edging a garden bed, choosing drill bits, identifying a nail finder, and how to use a fire extinguisher. … more