When general contractor Tom Silva brought a new tool to the shop, no one knew what it was. It’s black, flexible, square, and has a ball attached to the end. Safe to say, none of the other crew members knew what it was.
The guesses from the crew were predictably creative. Jenn Nawada claimed it was her “fresh air purse,” demonstrating how she’d pump it up outdoors: “So when they try to make me come back inside, I need my fresh air… I go outside, I capture whatever season — you can get Christmas tree season, you can get whatever season.”
Setting the Scene: Tom Silva introduced the mystery item with minimal hints: “It’s black, it’s square, and it has a ball on the end of it… It’s so easy. I don’t want to give it away.”
Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada said it’s her “fresh air purse.” She fills the bag outside by pumping the ball, and when she needs some fresh air during a day in the office, she releases the air valve and breathes in her stored fresh air.
Host Kevin O’Connor said he uses this tool on days when he can’t get to the gym. He just slides it under his shirt and pumps it up to give his pec muscles a bit more definition. He would definitely need two, though.
Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey thinks it’s a multi-tool. He sits on it at concerts and sports games, and if he can’t see past the person in front of him, he pumps the handle until he’s a few inches taller. The other purpose? A whoopee cushion.
None of these guesses are correct. It’s actually an inflatable bag that Tom uses to level doors and windows during installation. He simply levels the door in place by filling or deflating the bag and then installs shims accordingly. Tom points out that this bag can handle up to 300 pounds, allowing it to lift some seriously heavy doors and windows.
Pro Tip: As Richard Trethewey joked on set, the inflatable bag doubles as “a multi-tool” — and even a whoopee cushion “so you can clear the room.” All kidding aside, having one of these in your tool bag can save significant time when you’re hanging heavy exterior doors or oversized windows solo.
