Modern Feng Shui Tips + Restoring Rusted Chrome Fixtures + How to Stop Paint from Peeling
This week on This Old House Radio Hour, we’re shifting the energy—literally. Architect and modern feng shui expert Cliff Tan joins us to share how simple design changes can create more harmony, balance, and positive flow in your home. From furniture placement to room orientation, Cliff breaks down the ancient principles of feng shui with a fresh, accessible approach. (1:01)Then: imagine secretly building an apartment inside a mall. That’s exactly what Michael Townsend and eight artists did in 2003 inside the Providence Place Mall. Michael shares how they constructed a hidden 700-square-foot home—and lived there for four years undetected. (32:46)Want to make your lawn look like your favorite Baseball Field? If you build it… We can help you… Former Director of Grounds for the Boston Red Sox, David Mellor, joins us to share his tips and tricks to give your yard a major league overhaul. (40:27) Plus, the This Old House experts are standing by to solve your most pressing home improvement issues:(8:07)—Jenn Nawada and Zack Dettmore help Cory in Texas restore his classic porch, adding a creative DIY twist that blends traditional materials with a more flexible alternative, preserving the timeless look. (18:12)—Zack Dettmore and Jenn Largesse chat with Kathy from New Jersey about an unusual challenge: her block house has no insulation between the walls and the exterior. Jenn and Zack share some solutions to update her walls and add that much-needed insulation, especially during the winter. (22:54)—Mauro Henrique and Zack Dettmore help listener Pam in Michigan, who wants to paint the bricks in her home. Mauro goes over the best ways to paint brick and the steps you need to take if you want to paint the bricks around your fireplace. (26:50)—Richard Trethewey and Zack Dettmore speak with Adam from Ohio. Adam is interested in retrofitting his existing heating system to incorporate propane as a fuel source. Richard evaluates whether Adam can make this upgrade.All that, plus a round of our house rules game, and a simple fix for unsticking your windows. This Old House Radio Hour is produced by Ember20 and distributed by American Public Media.
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51:18
Tips for Keeping Pests Out of Your Home This Spring, Plus: Actor William H. Macy Restores Two Cabins in "My Old Home"
Spring is in full swing, and so are pests and critters. The Bug Boys join us to help prevent infestations in and around your home, wherever you live! In “My Old House,” actor William H. Macy takes us on a personal tour of his Vermont cabin complex, which he has personally built over three decades; the ups and downs of his building have mirrored the highs and lows of his life off-screen. Also, Ethan and Elizabeth Finkelstein from Cheap Old Houses join us to share listings that you can purchase. This week, they spotlight historic properties in Ohio and Michigan for a Rust Belt extravaganza. We’ll also answer your DIY and home improvement questions, play a round of “House Rules.”
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50:31
Sound Proofing Your Bathroom + How To Paint Your Garage Door + Walter Mosley’s Los Angeles
This week on This Old House Radio Hour, we meet Bo Petterson—a 66-year-old dad, DIYer, and unexpected TikTok sensation. Known to millions as @DadAdviceFromBo, Bo began posting home repair videos with his daughter Emily as a way to help her recover from a traumatic brain injury. What started as a private act of love has grown into a viral force for good, offering step-by-step repair tips, emotional support, and the quiet reassurance that it’s okay not to know everything. Then in *My Old House*, acclaimed author Walter Mosley returns to the South Central Los Angeles bungalow where he grew up—a 1,500-square-foot home filled with fruit trees, family, and the kind of detail that shaped his voice as a writer. With warmth and reflection, Mosley explores the power of place, the meaning of identity, and the memories that never leave the walls we call home. Plus: your DIY questions, a round of *What’s That Sound?*, the surprising history of toilet paper etiquette, and Mauro Henrique’s clever painter’s tape workaround you’ll want to try this weekend.
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50:33
Designing for Disaster: How Los Angeles Builds Back Smarter + Saving The Outsider’s House + Four DIY Fixes: Chimneys, Circuits, Ceilings, and Steam
This week on This Old House Radio Hour—what does it mean to rebuild not just homes, but entire communities? Sunset Magazine editor-in-chief Hugh Garvey joins us to discuss the magazine’s special issue devoted to the rebuilding of Altadena and Pacific Palisades in the wake of January’s devastating wildfires. Sunset, a voice in California architecture for over 125 years, has assembled an extraordinary coalition of architects, planners, artists, and historians. Together, they offer not just a plan, but a call to action—for fire-resilient homes, culturally grounded design, and a West that can weather what’s coming. Then we travel from the hills of Los Angeles to the streets of Tulsa, where Danny Boy O’Connor—from House of Pain—takes us inside his remarkable second act. After bottoming out, he bought a run-down house for $15,000... and it just happened to be the house from The Outsiders. What followed was a full restoration, a pilgrimage, and a new life. We take a tour of the Outsiders Museum and meet the community that made it possible. Later, Cheap Old Houses is back—Ethan and Elizabeth Finkelstein spotlight a dreamy 1870s Victorian in Fredonia, Kentucky and an off-the-grid cabin on federal forest land in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, both for under $100,000. Plus, another round of House Rules, our listener-powered game that tests your home renovation know-how. And in The Simple Fix, we show you how to find a stud in your baseboard—without breaking the wall. And as always, we’re taking your calls. Got a house problem, project hurdle, or just need a little advice? Call us at (877) 864-7460. All that and more, coming up on This Old House Radio Hour.
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50:31
Fixing Knob and Tube Wiring + Patching Moldy Dry Wall + Alessandro Nivola's Brooklyn Row House
This week, we meet writer Patrick Hutchinson who bought a $7,500 off-the grid, moss-covered Craigslist cabin—and taught himself to fix it with YouTube and trial and error. How he went from clueless to carpenter and changed his life. Actor Alessandro Nivola shares how his Brooklyn row house became a living tribute to Brutalism, family, and art history.Plus:– Mold or mystery? Our experts explain why cutting drywall might just save your house.– What to say to an electrician who won’t touch your knob-and-tube wiring.– Why workwear is having a high-fashion moment—and what that says about the way we live.– And a simple fix using a golf tee that just might realign your door and your DIY confidence. Got a home issue? Call us at (877) 864-7460. We’ve got the experts—and a few surprises.
For over four decades, This Old House has been America’s most trusted source for home improvement, craftsmanship, and restoration. Now, we’re bringing that same expertise to the airwaves with This Old House Radio Hour—a weekly deep dive into the art, science, and soul of home building. Hosted by This Old House editor Jenn Largesse and featuring all your favorite TOH experts, each episode blends practical advice with rich storytelling. Whether you’re tackling a DIY project, renovating a historic home, or simply fascinated by the way we shape—and are shaped by—the spaces we live in, this show has something for you. Expect expert guidance from a roster of top builders, designers, and craftspeople who answer your home improvement questions—covering everything from plumbing to flooring, framing to finishing. We also go beyond the toolbelt, exploring the philosophy of craftsmanship with master artisans, and uncovering America’s forgotten architectural gems with the team behind Cheap Old Houses who spotlight properties you can buy for as little as $1000. Along the way, we’ll dive into the latest in building science, design trends, and home innovation. Plus, we keep things fun with games, surprise guests, and some seriously ridiculous prizes. So join us each week for the best home has to offer. Subscribe now to This Old House Radio Hour!
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