In this episode:
Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner relocate a poorly placed baseboard heater that has been doing very little to heat the space. The heater is located in what used to be a kitchen, but is now a newly renovated family room. The placement used to make sense as it sat across from the cabinets, refrigerator, and sink.
However, with that all removed the heater is now placed opposite of the windows. Richard explains that baseboard heating is most effective when it is wrapped around the exterior walls of the house. He also points out that the baseboard is much shorter than the length of the room and the longer radiator, the warmer the room could get. He then demonstrates how to move a hydronic baseboard heater by cutting and rearranging PEX piping, as well as installs a high output radiator cover, which is slightly taller than a traditional cover but has a higher heat output.
Then, Jenn Nawada talks all about thuja occidentalis—also known as arborvitaes. Arborvitaes are fast growing evergreens with thick, textured needles that are drought resistant and low maintenance. Jenn enjoys using them in her designs and she shows her two favorite species of the tree: the green giant and the emerald green.
For smaller spaces she explains that the emerald arborvitae is a good choice as it grows tall but not wide. The green giant, also known as the western arborvitae, has the ability to grow very fast and get very wide. Jenn explains that one of the major attractions of using these plants is the lack of maintenance it needs to still flourish, but still shares some tips on how to keep your arborvitaes in the best condition.
Later, Tom Silva teaches Kevin O’Connor how to build an outdoor bench that doubles as a cooler. The cooler bench features a series of hinges to keep the lid secure on the top, a specially made copper bin, and insulation to keep beverages cool.
The insulation is foil-face isocyanate rigid foam that is hidden between cedar and a copper bin. Tommy chose to use cedar as a frame for the bench because it is weather resistant and good for outside. Although he built his prototype with mahogany, cedar is a much lighter wood and will be easier to move around. Tom goes through the step-by-step process of making the fully functional cooler bench, so you too can make one of your own.
How to Move Baseboard Heating
Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner by moving a hot water baseboard heater from one side of a room to another.
Where to find it?
The homeowners had a baseboard heating system with ¾” PEX lines, which were manufactured by Uponor. To move the baseboard from one side of the room to the other, all Richard needed to do was cut the PEX and move it to the other side of the room.
While Richard could have moved the existing baseboard over, he thought it would be better to install a new baseboard with a taller cover to make it more efficient. The one he installed is a Multi/Pak 80 residential hot water baseboard heater, which is manufactured by Slant/Fin.
All About Arborvitaes
Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada explains some of the basics of selecting and caring for a couple different species of arborvitae.
Where to find it?
Jenn discussed two types of arborvitae—a green giant and an emerald green—which can be found at most home centers and nurseries.
Build It | Cooler Bench
Tom Silva teaches Kevin O’Connor how to build an outdoor bench that doubles as a cooler.
Where to find it?
Tom built the cooler bench out of dimensional cedar, which can be found at any lumberyard.
To cut all the boards to the proper dimensions and assemble the bench, Tom used a variety of tools, including a Domino Joiner and a Kapex KS120 sliding compound miter saw, which are manufactured by Festool, and an Industrial Table Saw from SawStop.
Tom and Kevin secured everything together with pocket screws and a K5 Pocket Hole Jig from Kreg and some wood glue from Gorilla Glue.
The copper bin and copper piece for the top of the cooler were both custom made by The Tin Shop in Beverly, MA.
Original Air Date: Apr 11, 2021 Season 19; Ep.18 23:42
Products and Services from this Episode
- PEX lines manufacturer: Uponor
- Baseboard heater manufacturer: Slant/Fin
- Domino joiner and miter saw manufacturer: Festool
- Table saw manufacturer: SawStop
- Pocket hole jig manufacturer: Kreg
- Wood glue manufacturer: Gorilla Glue
- Custom-built copper bin manufacturer: The Tin Shop