Discover how tool lending libraries are transforming DIY, get expert advice on fixing crank-out windows, troubleshoot EV charging electrical mysteries, and explore actress and filmmaker Embeth Davidtz's soulful Hawaiian home restoration—plus insider tips for buying your next air conditioner. From hands-on repairs to design inspiration, this episode of This Old House Radio Hour delivers practical know-how you can use right now.

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

Step-by-step solutions for repairing or replacing a crank-out window sash without breaking the bank (8:06) 

Expert troubleshooting for electrical issues caused by EV chargers, solar panels, and GFCI outlets (13:56) 

 Fixing weather stripping on a wood front door (21:06) 

Replacing or removing a glass tile backsplash (25:42) 

How to choose the right air conditioner for your space—covering BTUs, efficiency, noise levels, and must-have modern features (40:07)

Keywords: #toollendinglibrary #DIY #homeimprovementtips #crank-outwindowrepair #EVcharger #airconditionerbuyingguide #EmbethDavidtz #Kauai #portableACvswindowAC #BTUcalculator #ThisOldHouseRadioHour

Tech Radar’s Lance Ulanoff reveals the one smart home upgrade that truly changes how your house functions—and it’s not what you think. Plus, Daryl Hall gives a tour of his 1787 farmhouse, and our experts answer your calls on noisy windows, wobbly railings, and cracked concrete floors.
 
In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The one smart home upgrade worth investing in—and how it actually works (1:00)

What to do if your stair railing is wobbly and unsafe (09:05)

How to block out highway noise with an interior storm window (20:16)

The best way to fix and seal a powdery, cracked concrete floor (26:11)

How Daryl Hall restored his 1787 farmhouse—and what it taught him about (32:49)

Keywords: #SmartHomeUpgrade #SmartThermostat #SmartHomePrivacy #DarylHallHouse #ThisOldHousePodcast #HistoricHomeTour #DIYHomeRepair #NoisyWindowsFix #CrackedConcreteFloor #StairRailingRepair

Designer Stacey Lapuk shares how to reinvent your home post-divorce—creating spaces that reflect who you are now, not who you used to be. Plus, we dig into generator basics, haunted house tales from cartoon voice legend Billy West, and DIY fixes for rusted beams, drawer upgrades, and countertop repairs.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How to redesign your home after divorce or heartbreak (0:55)
What to know before buying a generator (portable vs. standby) (40:21)
Whether rust on steel beams is a structural issue—or just cosmetic (8:05)
If soft-close drawers can be added to existing cabinetry (17:43)
The best way to fix chips in cultured marble countertops (23:07)

#breakupdesign #postdivorcehome #generatorbuyingguide #rustrepair #softclosedrawers #culturedmarblefix #BillyWest #ThisOldHouseRadioHour #hauntedhouse #billywest #futurama #renandstimpy

All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

This week on This Old House Radio Hour, we’re talking about something you can’t see but definitely feel: the air inside your home. Kenneth Mendez, president of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, shares the smartest, science-backed ways to improve indoor air quality—from high-heat laundry to HEPA vacuums—and explains why your bedroom might be the most important place to start.

Then, The Splendid Table’s Francis Lam takes us back to the New Jersey home of his childhood. With vivid stories of birthday parties, incense-filled kitchens, and Hardy Boys books read in a mirror-covered living room, Francis reflects on how homes carry our deepest identities and contradictions.

We also help callers tackle squeaky floors, stubborn drafts, mismatched temperatures, and that infamous 1970s gold bathtub. Plus, a fresh edition of House Rules and a real estate segment from Cheap Old Houses featuring a tiny Gothic summer cottage and a quirky Kansas gem for under $55,000.

All this, plus a “Simple Fix” from Tom Silva that will stop your window drafts cold.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

How to reduce indoor allergens room-by-room (0:55)

Where to place air purifiers for maximum impact (3:56)

Tips for dealing with uneven heating in split-level homes (17:13)

How to fix squeaky wood floors with a DIY plug-and-glue method (22:49)

When that faint stain on your drywall means trouble—and when it doesn’t (27:53)

From designing homes that support neurodivergent family members to building your cat the ultimate backyard enclosure, this episode is packed with practical advice for every kind of household. Plus, we tour author Sloane Crosley’s West Village apartment and share DIY fixes for leaky outlets, drafty attics, wood siding, and crumbly foundations.

• Inclusive Home Design (:55)

• Attic Insulation 101 (8:42)

• Restoring Old Wood Siding (16:38)

• Painting Stone Foundations (26:28)

• Building the Perfect Catio (39:37)

Keywords: #InclusiveHomeDesign #NeurodivergentSupport #DrSusanFaja #SensoryFriendlySpaces #AtticInsulationTips #WoodSidingRestoration #CatioBuild #SloaneCrosley #PictureHangingHack#HomeDIYProjects #HistoricHomeRestoration #CatLoversDIY #SealDraftyOutlets #CalmingHomeDesign #HomeImprovementTips #Catio #ThisOldHouse

Want to block out noisy neighbors, fix roof leaks, or renovate a retro gem? This episode features YouTube’s Soundproof Guide Martin Poirier, comedian Paula Poundstone’s emotional home story, and expert answers to your biggest home questions—from radon and chimneys to indoor pool flooring and Lustron houses. 

• Soundproofing for Renters (0:55) 

• Radon Mitigation Simplified (8:34) 

• Tracking Down Roof Leaks (17:43) 

• Best Flooring for Indoor Pools (22:17) 
• Why Lustron Homes Still Shine (40:21) 

Keywords: #SoundproofingTips #MartinPoirier #PaulaPoundstone #LustronHomes RadonMitigation #RoofLeakFix #IndoorPoolFlooring #SteelHouseDesign #RetroHomes #QuietHomeSolutions #HomeImprovement #DIYFixes #ChimneyRepair #ThisOldHouse #SoundproofGuide 

From renter-friendly kitchen hacks with Hedley and Bennett founder Ellen Marie Bennett to backyard beekeeping tips from TikTok’s Bowser Bee, this episode is packed with smart solutions and inspiring stories—including a 5,700 sq ft hand-carved cave home in Utah. Plus, we answer your top home repair questions about cracked ceilings, woodpecker damage, antique doors, and post-blast brickwork. 

• Smarter Kitchen Flow: (0:54) 
• Cracked Ceiling Fixes (8:53)  
• Woodpecker Deterrents (17:28) 
• How to Hang an Old Door (22:13) 
• How to Start Beekeeping (40:49) 

Keywords: #KitchenOrganization #TinyKitchenTips #BackyardBeekeeping #OffGridLiving #HomeRepairTips #ThisOldHouse #BowserBee #EllenMarieBennett #WoodpeckerDamage #DIYBrickRepair #HomeImprovement #BeehiveSetup #AntiqueDoors #CaveHome #GrantJohnsonUtah #HedleyandBennett

Expert babyproofing tips from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to keep your home safe from newborn to toddlerhood—plus clever fixes for shifting floors, cracked stucco, and prepping your home for hurricanes.  

• How to babyproof for every stage (1:03) 

• How to shift floating floorboards (8:13)  

• Repair cracks in stucco around windows (17:32)  

• Portable generator safely for hurricane-prone homes (26:25)  

• How to keep your A/C running efficiently (39:13) 

Keywords: #babyproofing #homeimprovementtips #CheapOldHouses #portablegenerator #stuccorepair #floatingfloors #toddlersafety #newbornsleep #JCourtneySullivan #ThisOldHouseRadioHour #ACmaintenance 

We explore the return of the American porch with architect Charlie Hailey, tour Nathaniel Rateliff’s mountain recording retreat, and answer your toughest DIY questions—from brick repair and deck fixes to bathroom ventilation and arc fault detectors. Plus, we dig into urban gardening tips with Detroit’s Kamaria Gray—whether you’ve got a backyard or just a windowsill, we’ve got the tools and tips to help you grow. 

• Porch design tips (0:55) 

• Masonry fix: Water-damaged brick (8:35) 

• Deck repair: How to fill an old hot tub hole (17:03) 

• Arc fault detectors: Are they worth it? 21:22) 

• Bathroom ventilation (26:24) 

• Urban gardening tips (40:29) 

• Simple Fix: Tip smoother paint jobs (49:55) 

Keywords: #porchdesign #urbanfarming #NathanielRateliff #DIYhomeimprovement #brickrepair #deckrepair #ventilationtips #arcfaultdetectors #gardeningtips #homeprojects #ThisOldHouseRadioHour #charliehailey #hoodsteadfarm #kamariagray

Get these amazing cleaning tips from TikTok’s “Clean That Up” guy Brendan Pleshak. Plus, how to preserve vintage tile, test for lead paint, upgrade rake boards with PVC, fix lawn grubs, stop sewer backups, and hear “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” host Peter Sagal’s hilarious story of buying the wrong house. 

• DIY Vinegar Cleaner (0:55) 

• Vintage Tile Advice (9:48) 

• Flooding Solutions (17:27) 
• Lead Paint Safety (21:38) 
• Rake Board Repair with PVC (26:49) 
• Peter Sagal’s House of Horror (32:37) 

Keywords: #cleanthatup #brendanpleshak #ultimate cleaning tips #DIY vinegar cleaner #natural cleaning hacks #lead paint safety #how to replace rake board #PVC trim repair #vintage tile restoration #combined sewer flooding #grub control lawn #bucket seeding hack #Peter Sagal #waitwaitdonttellme #This Old House Radio Hour