Plumbing How To & DIY
Improve the value of your home by discovering our plumbing step-by-step tips & ideas.
How to Replace a Tank Water Heater
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner replace a tank water heater
How to Replace a Kitchen Sink Strainer
Ask This Old House plumbing expert Richard Trethewey finds a rusty sink strainer in the kitchen and shows a homeowner how to replace it.
How to Safely Treat Water with Lead
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey gives a tutorial on why lead can be found in home drinking water and the best methods to combat it.
All About Heat Pump Water Heaters
Save big bucks while taking advantage of the existing heat in your home. Here’s what you need to know about heat pump water heaters.
How to Repair a Shower Valve Stem
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey fixes a faulty shower valve with new valve stems and seats
How to Repair a Squealing Shower
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner silence a shrieking shower
How to Identify PVC Pipes and Fittings
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey gives a tutorial on the types of PVC pipes and fittings
How to Install a House Hydrant
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs a house hydrant to replace a leaky outdoor spigot.
3 Quick Plumbing Fixes Under Pressure
What to do before the plumber rescues the day
How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey reveals the best ways to unclog a slow draining bathroom sink.
How to Choose a Water Filter
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains the many filter options and home water systems available for filtering drinking water
How to Add a Heat Pump to a Water Heater
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey makes heating water more efficient by installing a heat pump
How to Repair a Leaking Toilet
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains what may be causing a leaky toilet and possible solutions
How and Why to Maintain a Temperature-and-Pressure Valve
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains the extreme importance of maintaining your water heater's temperature-and-pressure relief valve
How to Install a Touchless Kitchen Faucet
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner install a new, no-touch kitchen faucet
How to Repair a Noisy Toilet
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs a new flush valve
How to Install a Hybrid Gas Water Heater
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows a quiet, efficient way to produce domestic hot water
How to Prevent Frozen and Burst Pipes
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey offers a few tips to keep water from freezing up in your pipes during the winter months.
How to Maintain a Furnace
Ask This Old House heating and plumbing expert Richard Trethewey explains the best practices for keeping your furnace up and running during the winter
Ask Richard: How to Connect Pipe Without Soldering
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows two no-solder ways to make watertight pipe connections
Reattach an Undermount Kitchen Sink
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey uses undermount sink adhesive to reattach a stainless steel kitchen sink to a granite countertop.
How to Install an Anti-Scald Shower Valve
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey replaces a three-handle shower valve with a single-handle anti-scald valve
How to Install a New Toilet
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey heads to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to help a homeowner install a new toilet
What Can and Can't Go Down a Garbage Disposer
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains what foods should and should not go into garbage disposers.
How to Install a Whole-House Water Softener
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey visits New Jersey to install a water softener
How to Avoid Rookie Plumbing Mistakes
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey demonstrates some common plumbing mistakes and how to avoid them
How to Replace a Vessel Sink with a Self-Rimming Sink
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey heads to Atlanta to help a homeowner switch out one sink for another
How to Diagnose Leaks in a Steam Boiler
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps locate the leak on a steam boiler that is losing water
How to Prevent Plumbing Sulfur Smells
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey offers remedies to prevent smelly water
Understanding New Water-Heater Regulations
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains how new energy-saving regulations affect today's water heaters
How to Replace a Clogged Shower Valve
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey replaces a clogged shower valve that would not allow hot water into the shower
How to Replace a Kitchen Sink and Faucet
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey heads to Colorado to help a homeowner install a new kitchen sink and faucet.