Thanksgiving is chaotic: the planning, the travel, dealing with family. But think we’ve got it tough? How about the folks that have to balance those demands and deal with our leaks, our clogs and our heating and cooling failures? This Old House experts Richard Trethewey, Norm Abram, Tom Silva, Ross Trethewey, Nathan Gilbert, and a special guest close to Kevin’s heart tell their best (and worst) stories.

Believe it or not, there’s treasure lying at the bottom of some rivers. Known as deadhead logs, this old-growth wood hasn’t seen the light of day for hundreds of years, and it makes for some of the most beautiful furniture and floors around. Sherry Davis of the Maine Forest and Logging Museum explains how they got there, and logger John Claytor shares stories of how he finds them. This Old House master carpenter Norm Abram also tells us how to use deadhead logs in our homes, and why it’s the best stuff around.

We go to great lengths to make our walls airtight and well-insulated, and then we turn around and put big holes in them. Windows. They look simple, but they are highly-engineered machines… pulleys and weights, argon gas, solar coatings and more. Architect Don Powers helps us decode R-value, U-factors and the typical window label, architectural historian Elizabeth Milnarik traces the history of the window, and This Old House general contractor Tom Silva reminds us that old windows are sometimes worth saving.

It may look hard to frame a house, but it used to be a lot harder. Kevin O’Connor explores the incredible evolution of timber to stick framing. The 2x4 helped America spread out across the plains, but it reduced Chicago to ashes along the way. History professor Dr. Dennis Cremin traces the flames, and This Old House’s Jeff Sweenor helps snuff them out. Great innovation paired with massive tragedy set the stage for modern-day homebuilding.

We use it day in and day out in our homes, but how much do we really know about water? Are we really running out? Kevin O’Connor speaks with author Charles Fishman (“The Big Thirst”), uncovering surprising facts about all things water. Las Vegas and Orlando show us who’s boss in the water conservation game, and This Old House plumber Richard Trethewey solves a water mystery. Water is too cheap and it’s the ultimate recyclable in need of a revolution.

Clearstory is a new podcast from This Old House that sheds light on the surprising stories behind our homes. Host Kevin O'Connor digs into the systems, structures and materials in our homes from unexpected angles. Clearstory – your home in a new light. Premieres on October 24.