Plumbing How To & DIY
Improve the value of your home by discovering our plumbing step-by-step tips & ideas.
How to Get Hot Water with a Recirculating Pump
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains how a recirculation line can save energy, money, and time
Hydraulic Cement for Leaky Basements
Using the right product for patching holes where water seeps in will save you a trip back with a wet vac and a sump pump.
How to Connect Steel Gas Pipes
Looking to connect gas pipes in your home? This Old House Plumbing & Heating Expert Richard Trethewey explains a new method for connecting gas pipes, known as "press-connect."
How to Find and Hire a Qualified Plumber
Even small leaks can lead to big repairs. Here’s what you should know before hiring a plumber.
How to Upgrade to a Pressure Balanced Shower Valve
Richard Trethewey travels to Salt Lake City to replace a shower valve he has never seen before in his career with a conventional pressure balanced one.
How to Install a Pressure-Balance Shower Valve
Maintaining safe shower water temperatures with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey
How to Shorten a Gas Pipe to Fit an Oven
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shortens a gas pipe for a homeowner whose new stove does not fit against the wall because it is getting stuck on the pipe
New Solutions to Unclog Sinks
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey discusses some innovations that can make clearing a clogged sink easier
How to Work with Gas Pipes
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains how gas piping is installed in a home
How to Replace a Main Shutoff Valve
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how to replace a main shutoff valve that is not closing properly
How to Repair a Rocking Toilet
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows host Kevin O’Connor several ways to troubleshoot a toilet that wobbles
How to Replace a Shower Cartridge
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey travels to Seattle to help a homeowner whose shower runs cold whenever there’s a demand for hot water elsewhere in the house.
Plumbing Tool Essentials for Beginners
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows the basic tools required for most plumbing projects
How to Rebuild a Shutoff Valve
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner replace the shutoff valve underneath her kitchen sink
How To Solder A Plumbing Pipe
Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey offers landscape contractor Jenn Nawada a crash course on soldering a pipe.
How to Connect an Ice Maker Like a Pro
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a special homeowner hook up her refrigerator with an ice maker
Are Plastic Water Heaters Worthwhile?
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey weighs the pros and cons of a plastic tank water heater
How to Repair a Damaged Main Shutoff Valve
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey demonstrates solutions for replacing a water main shutoff
How to Select the Correct Water Filter
Not all water filters are alike. Richard Trethewey explains which filter does what
How to Install a Water Saving Toilet
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey replaces an old toilet with a "Water Sense" solution.
How to Connect Copper Pipes Without Soldering
The tried and true method for connecting copper pipes has always been soldering, but it’s a difficult skill to master. Richard Trethewey shows another effective way to connect these pipes without pulling out the blow torch.
How to Diagnose a Gurgling Sink
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows host Kevin O’Connor the proper way to ventilate a sink
How to Fix a Wobbly Toilet
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner diagnose and repair a wobbly toilet
How to Change a Toilet
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey gives some DIY Smarts and shows the basics of changing a toilet.
How to Prevent Plumbing Leaks Automatically
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey demonstrates a wireless detector that can shut off the water in case of a flood.
How to Diagnose and Repair a Leaking Water Heater
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey finds a solution for a water heater that recently started leaking.
How to Install a Water Conditioner
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs a water conditioner to combat hard water
How to Diagnose Plumbing Drain Problems
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey tracks down the source of a clogged drain using some high tech equipment.
How to Install a Whole House Water Filter
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey improves the taste and odor of municipal drinking water with a whole house filtration system that includes a sediment filter and a granulated activated carbon filter
Revisiting Our Hybrid Water Heater Install
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey returns to a home he visited four years earlier to replace a faulty water heater.
How to Install an Indirect Water Heater on a Boiler
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner install an indirect water heater onto an existing steam boiler to boost the amount of hot water in the house.
How to Diagnose Problems with a Hot Water Heating System
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner figure out why one of her radiators is not working.