Heating & Cooling
Keep your home comfortable year-round with expert advice on choosing, installing, and maintaining heating and cooling systems.
Home Heating Guide For Beginners
Heating is the most basic requirement of a house. Learn about the various types of home heating systems and how to maintain them.
Basic Types of Home Air Conditioning Systems
Learn the basics of the most common AC systems and how to maintain them with this guide on all the different AC systems.
Everything You Need to Know About Plumbing
From when to call a plumber to saving on your water bill, and more, we cover all you need to know about your home's plumbing.
How to Remove Air Pollution in the Home
While a tight, well-insulated home is great for saving energy, trapping lots of stale air indoors can undermine your health. Here’s what you need to know to ensure that the quality of the air inside is healthy and free from harmful pollutants.
How to Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat without Changing the Wiring
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey replaces an old thermostat with a smart thermostat without replacing the original two wires in the wall.
7 Tips for an Energy-Efficient Home
Want to improve your energy bill and run your home efficiently year-round? Read on.
Why a Heat Pump Clothes Dryer Might Be Right for Your Home
This Old House plumbing and HVAC expert Richard Trethewey explains the energy and cost-efficient benefits of a heat pump dryer.
How to Buy an HVAC System for Any Kind of Home
Consider design, comfort, and greater energy efficiency when installing a new HVAC system
All About Heating & Cooling
No matter how unpleasantly hot or cold it is outside, we can stay comfortable indoors because of heating and cooling equipment. The varied technology we have today for mechanically heating and cooling indoor spaces is truly amazing.
How To Seal Leaky Ductwork
This Old House expert Richard Trethewey shows how to improve your home's air quality and efficiency by sealing your ducts.
How Do Smart Thermostats Work? A Complete Guide
Learn about smart thermostats, including features, cost, installation, and the difference from traditional home thermostats.
Heat Pump vs. Furnace: Understanding the Differences
Our guide covers what to consider when choosing between a heat pump and furnace, such as heating needs, cost, and climate.
How a Heat Pump Clothes Dryer Works
Ask This Old House plumbing and HVAC expert Richard Trethewey tests out a new dryer in our DIY Smarts series that uses a heat pump to dry the clothes.
Cape Ann Project Heating Plan
Our plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains the general layout of the heating and cooling system in our Cape Ann project
Heat Pump Advances
These days, everyone is doing their best to conserve energy. Richard Trethewey’s best advice: don’t create heat, move it! Heat pumps are a great option for keeping everyone in your house warm without breaking the bank.
How to Diagnose and Repair a Humid Air Conditioner
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey travels to Orlando to diagnose and repair an HVAC system that is creating way too much humidity
How to Maximize Comfort with a Thermostat
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and home technology expert Ross Trethewey discuss improvements to thermostats and how they contribute to comfort in a home
How to Install a GPS-Enabled Smart Thermostat
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey installs a thermostat that can be programmed automatically from a smart phone
How To Adjust Water Heater Temperature
Ask This Old House expert Richard Trethewey shows how to change the temperature on your water heater for safety and energy savings.
Staying Safe with Natural Gas
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and host Kevin O’Connor discuss how gas regulators work and how their malfunction caused gas explosions in Lawrence, MA
How To Fix a Noisy Baseboard Heater
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner diagnose and solve a baseboard hot water system that makes noise.
How to Heat a Garage Workshop
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey travels to Akron, Ohio to install a garage heater.
Tankless Water Heaters: What You Need to Know Before You Buy
Tankless water heaters warm water on demand, so you never run out of hot water. They’re also energy efficient, which saves you money on utility bills.
How To Install an Electric Heat Pump Water Heater
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner select and install the right electric water heater.
How to Choose and Use an Air Conditioner for Your Home
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey walks host Kevin O’Connor through the choices in air conditioners.
How To Install a Whole-House Ductless System for Your Home
Looking for a more energy-efficient way to heat and cool your home? Learn all about whole-house ductless systems in our comprehensive guide.
Take the edge off your energy bills – meet the heat pump water heater
Your home’s most forgettable appliance could be wasting hundreds of dollars per year
How to Maintain an Air Conditioner
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shares tips for keeping an air conditioner running efficiently
How an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) Works
Learn how an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) works and the benefits it provides in this guide and video featuring Richard Trethewey.
The Pros and Cons of a Steam Heating System
Considering steam heat? We help you weigh the pros and cons so you can decide if it is right for you.
Sizing up a Home Heating System
Richard Trethewey explains how to assess a home’s heating system – and figure out whether you’ll need to replace it
How to Replace a Steam Radiator
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey replaces a small radiator with one that’s the correct size
