Ask This Old House

Repairing a loose flagstone in a mortared walkway; installing a seamless patch to a hardwood floor where an interior wall once stood.

Fixing squeaky stairs; replacing a broken baluster; installing an automatic shut-off valve for a washing machine.

Installing an under-sink filter; types of residential water filter; selecting and properly planting a drought-resistant tree.

Repairing a flat wheelbarrow-tire and an aluminum rain gutter; drilling a hole in ceramic tile; fixing a leaking water heater T&P by installing a thermal expansion tank.

Ailing rose bush; solutions for steadying a wobbly toilet; preventing water from leaking in the foundation.

Building a raised garden bed using composite landscape timbers made from recycled plastic and sawdust; clearing a slow-draining bathtub.

Removing moss and lichen from a shade-covered roof; repairing a leaky valve by replacing the washer and valve seat.

Proper use of a circular saw; installing an outdoor faucet; preventing a tree from splitting in half.

Saving a tube of caulk; replacing a worn-out roof on an old garage.

Taming an overgrown privet hedge; installing a laundry sink in the basement of a town house.

Snowblowers; replacing an old, drafty door with one that is a pre-hung and energy-efficient unit.

Proper tools and techniques for window-washing; flushing sediment out of an electric water-heater.

Installing a vinyl floor; preventing plumbing pipes from freezing in the winter; thawing frozen pipes.

Radon gas found in a finished basement; radon test kits; pruning an apple tree.

Installing a low-cost in-ground sprinkler system; pouring new concrete footings for a backyard deck.

How to safely use hammers; repairing a pressure-assisted toilet; patching a hole using veneer plaster and blueboard.

Repairing a residential well pump and supply tank; repairing a small hole in vinyl siding.

How to transplant a spruce tree planted too close to a house; extending a staircase handrail.

Custom cover for a radiator; installing a steam humidifier on a forced-air heating system; portable units that do not require installation.

Installing a granite marker with an address number; repairing a hot-water radiator.

An instantaneous water heater saves on fuel costs; planting deciduous and evergreen trees helps reduce heating costs.

Repairing stripped threads on a radiator; solving a grading problem; stabilizing a wobbly newel post.

Adding a heavier "solid-core" door; how doors are constructed; repairing a leaky kitchen faucet.

New dishwasher; sharpening wood chisels using different types of sharpening stones; lawn spreaders.

Cutting different types of tile; installing a sump pump; emergency backup systems for sump pumps.

Installing a mini-split air-conditioning system; preparing the lawn for spring with a dethatching machine.