This Old House Radio Hour

Every dad seems to have a theory about the thermostat, but does turning off your AC, closing vents, or buying a bigger unit actually save money? Building science expert Allison Bailes shares the smartest ways to stay cool without driving up your energy bill. Then, comedian Ben Gleib takes us inside his San Fernando Valley home, a modest mid-century house transformed into a late-night television studio. Finally, This Old House contractor Charlie Silva explains what it really takes to convert a garage into a livable space. In This Episode You'll Learn:* Why common thermostat and AC "money-saving" tricks often don't work the way people think. * How to diagnose and solve humidity problems in a crawl space before they lead to mold. * What might be causing grout to crumble and whether it's worth repairing or replacing. * The biggest mistakes homeowners make when converting a garage into living space.All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at (877) 864-7460.

Hard water is quietly damaging your pipes, appliances, hair, and skin. Plumbing expert Tucker Yarbrough explains what causes it, how to spot it, and the best solutions for every budget. Then, bestselling author Ann Patchett takes us back to the wild Tennessee farm of her childhood. Plus, building engineer Ross Trethewey explains why understanding your home as a system can save you thousands, and where homeowners should start before investing in solar panels or a new heating system.In This Episode You'll Learn:* Whether waterproofing an entire bathroom floor is worth it when installing a freestanding tub * How difficult it is to restore painted mid-century wood ceilings and fireplaces * How to protect an upstairs laundry room from leaks and washing machine failures * What might be causing a lingering odor after mold remediation and flooring replacementAll of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

A five-foot snake inside the ductwork?! This week on Radio Hour, we uncover the strange, dusty, and sometimes creepy world hiding inside your vents — and what actually happens during a duct cleaning. Comedian Sheng Wang takes us back to his packed suburban Houston childhood home, where 12 relatives shared one house and the neighborhood bayou became an endless adventure. Plus, House Therapy tackles a family battle over baseboard heat versus forced hot air, and we answer your questions about damaged cork floors, mysteriously heated tiles, rocky hillsides, and cracking plaster ceilings. In This Episode You’ll Learn:* How to repair shiny tape damage on cork flooring without refinishing the entire floor * Whether warm floor tiles could mean leaking HVAC ducts beneath a slab foundation * What plants can actually survive on a steep shale hillside with almost no soil * What causes “alligator” cracking on old plaster ceilings and how to fix itAll of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

Tomatoes are the holy grail of the home garden, but getting them right isn’t always easy. This week, Farmer Dean shares a simple, surprisingly effective way to grow thriving plants almost anywhere, no backyard required. Then, comedian Tom Papa takes us back to his childhood beach house on the Jersey Shore, where 17 people, one bathroom, and endless pasta dinners somehow added up to pure magic. Plus, House Therapy returns with a couple at a crossroads: rebuild a rotting pool shed piece by piece, or start fresh with something new. And as always, we’re taking your calls and tackling real home dilemmas.In This Episode You’ll Learn: * How to remove deep, dark water stains from wood flooring. (7:38)* What to look for when comparing contractor bids for foundation repair. (14:02)* Whether ice dams are still a threat after installing a new roof. (19:07)* How to diagnose and fix high indoor humidity in an older home. (24:52)All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

Your smart home might be making your life easier, but it could also be making you an easy target. A cybersecurity expert explains the most common mistakes people make with connected devices and the simple fixes that can protect your home. Then, comedian Alonzo Bodden takes us inside the Los Angeles hill house he dreamed about for decades after years on the road. Plus, if your hydrangeas aren’t blooming, it might come down to when and how you’re pruning. We break down how to identify your plants and get them thriving again.In This Episode You’ll Learn: * How to safely install a corner shelf in a tiled shower without damaging the tile * What to do when a ceiling fan loses power after an electrical mishap involving a backup generator * How to fix squeaky, uneven second-floor floors without removing newly installed carpet * How to diagnose water seeping into a garage foundation and whether a neighbor’s construction could be the cause_All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

Spring cleaning gets a smarter, faster makeover with tips from a viral cleaning expert who shares the tricks that actually make a difference, from ceiling fan hacks to the right way to clean your walls. Then, MS Now anchor Chris Hayes takes us inside his off-the-grid woodland retreat, and his all-in obsession with clean energy. Plus, in House Therapy, a vintage toilet sparks a full-blown standoff, and we help settle whether to restore or replace.In This Episode You’ll Learn: * How to fix stripped cabinet hinge holes so they actually hold.* What to do after uncovering an old (and possibly unusable) fireplace.* How to stop squeaky floors without tearing up your whole house.* Why wood trim can change color over time, and what you can (and can’t) do about itAll of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

Got bees? Before you call an exterminator, a professional beekeeper explains why relocation is often the smarter move, and how to keep colonies from moving into your home in the first place. Seinfeld writer Spike Feresten tours his 1939 Paul Williams–designed home in the Hollywood Hills, from a hidden speakeasy to a basement with a surprising past. And we break down why contractors are wary of stepping into partially DIY projects, and what homeowners can do to make those collaborations actually work.In This Episode You’ll Learn: * How to reduce dampness and musty smells in a dirt-floor basement with a fieldstone foundation. (7:30) * How to properly level and maintain a bocce ball court on a slope. (14:16)* Whether it’s worth removing asbestos siding to replace windows and add insulation—and how to do it safely; (20:23) * Why removing paint from brick is so difficult (and when it’s better to leave it alone). (26:14)All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

We take a look at what comes after the McMansion, as architecture critic Kate Wagner explains how these oversized suburban status symbols came to define an era and why today’s replacement may be even blander. Then, Bullseye host Jesse Thorn takes us inside his lovingly preserved 1888 Queen Anne in Los Angeles, where original craftsmanship, city noise, and a lived-in sense of history make the house feel truly alive. And Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz shares simple ways to make your living room feel more like a real movie theater, from better sound to fewer distractions.In this episode you’ll learn:* Whether acoustic insulation above a bathroom ceiling can cause moisture problems, and why proper ventilation is the real key. (8:02)* How to deal with a sink cutout that’s too large for a replacement sink without replacing the whole countertop. (14:16)* The best way to remove raised plaster stencil designs from a wall before repainting. (20:59)* What it could mean when an older home’s floors suddenly develop a hump or slope, and when structural movement may be a concern. (26:09)All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

As tornado season ramps up, we separate myth from fact about storm protection and explain what actually makes a shelter tornado-rated. Then bestselling author Tracy Sierra takes us inside her 300-year-old New England colonial, where squeaky floorboards, carved windowpanes, and a real bump in the night helped spark her latest novel. Finally, structural engineer Dr. Nehemiah Mabry lays out the clear line between cosmetic updates and risky renovations, including the warning signs that mean it’s time to call in a licensed pro.On this episode you’ll learn: * Whether insulating between an 1806 home’s basement and original first-floor wood floors is worth it, and how to do it without trapping moisture. * Why certain rooms and interior walls can feel unusually hot in winter and cold in summer with a ducted heat-pump system, and how to diagnose air leakage or airflow patterns. * What to do when a single slate shower tile starts turning to powder, including whether it’s a bad tile, a moisture issue, and how sealing and maintenance can help. * Options for updating a large vaulted popcorn ceiling in a 1992 home.All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

Building Tomorrow is a special collaboration between Marketplace and This Old House Radio Hour that asks a simple but urgent question: how do we build homes that can last the next hundred years? From wildfire rebuilds to factory-built housing, this hour explores how new materials, new methods, and new ideas about community are reshaping the future of housing in America. Hosted by Jenn Largesse and Marketplace’s David Brancaccio, the episode blends reporting, lived experience, and hard science to show what’s possible right now.In this episode you’ll learn about: * A massive prefab factory where homes are built like cars on an assembly line.* A disaster research campus where engineers crash-test houses against hurricanes, hail, and wildfire.* A cutting-edge microfactory using software and small factories to build homes faster, locally, and at scale.* Touring a pioneering cross-laminated timber home built as a living case study in low-carbon construction.* How a 100-year-old house is transformed into a net-zero, future-ready home.* A tiny-house community redefining retirement, aging, and what “home” really means.Note: In the segment featuring Aloe Blacc's pre fabricated home, the exterior is made of cement fiber but the interior is not. The home's fire resilience comes from a combination of steel framing, fiber cement siding, and triple paned windows.

With even colder days ahead, Jody Gardner from Climate Control Kansas City shares how you can protect your pipes from bursting, and the technology you can use to make sure a burst pipe does not flood your home. Chef Roy Choi walks us through the first house his immigrant family owned in Orange County and how a bustling, fermentation-heavy kitchen shaped his senses, his privacy, and ultimately his path as a chef. Finally, sleep expert Dr. Michael Bruce shares simple bedroom upgrades that improve rest by working with your body’s five senses.In this episode you’ll learn:*Whether running your central HVAC fan can really replace a bathroom exhaust fan, and why moisture control still matters for mold prevention. (8:31)*Why a poorly sloped shower floor can’t be fixed from the surface, plus smarter options for dealing with staining and discolored grout. (14:13)*What it means when an outlet still shows power after the breaker is off, and how to safely verify electrical work with the right testing tools. (20:28)*How to insulate a drafty sunroom to make it more comfortable year-round. (26:20)All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

A professional mover shares the biggest mistakes people make, the packing supplies that actually matter, and the small planning choices that can save your stuff (and your sanity) on move day. We visit a 1946 Rudolph Schindler home in Los Angeles with author Susan Orlean, who brought the home back to its original vision. Plus, a mother-daughter wallpaper team explains why wallpaper is back, what types to choose for different rooms and lifestyles, and why today’s materials and techniques make hanging (and removing) it far less intimidating than its reputation.In this episode you will learn:* Condensation and dripping on exposed beams in a vaulted ceiling after a roof rebuild, especially on sunny days in humid weather (9:01)* Why water-based paint peels off oil-based paint, and how to fix it using stripping and the right bonding primer (14:40)* Whether lifting a 120-year-old house is a realistic flood-mitigation strategy and how to weigh cost, disruption, and insurance impacts (20:32)* Adding a neutral wire to a 14-50 receptacle used for an EV charger so it can also power an RV, and whether hardwiring is the better setup (28:02)All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.NOTE: This episode has been updated to reflect the correct employer for our guest.

Don’t wait for a fall to force change — aging in place is about smart decisions made early. This episode covers the home upgrades that protect your independence, a soulful tour of Roseanne Cash’s Chelsea brownstone, how to choose the right generator before a blackout, and real homeowner calls with practical fixes.In this episode you'll learn:*How to make simple aging-in-place upgrades, like safer entryways, bathrooms, and clear paths through your home, to prevent falls before they happen. (1:00)*How to repair hairline cracks in original plaster ceilings and know when simple patching is enough instead of replacing the ceiling. (9:00)*How to remove moss and lichen from your roof without damage, using soft washing instead of high-pressure spraying. (14:02)*How to handle an old dryer vent after switching to a ventless dryer, and why it’s smart to keep future options open. (19:25)*How to install a smart, lighted mirror on a tiled wall, including wiring it correctly and drilling tile without cracking it. (26:20)