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Ask This Old House
Season 3
Episode 11

Ladder Safety; What Is It? Replacing an Old Retaining Wall

December 13, 2004

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Ask This Old House - S3 - E11

Kevin heads outside the barn to learn about ladder safety from expert John Drengenberg. Up at the loft, Kevin, Tom, Richard and Roger ask, ""What Is It?"" Then, Roger rebuilds a crumbling retaining wall with homeowner Colin White of Wakefield, Massachusetts using interlocking concrete blocks. More Info & Resources

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Ask This Old House: Season 3 - 26 Episode s

3x1 - Edging a Lawn; Selecting Drill Bits; What Is It?; Fighting Fire
October 4, 2004
Our first House call of the season takes us to Beverly, Massachusetts, where Roger shows new homeowners Todd and Chrissy Fratzel the proper way to edge a lawn and flower bed. Back in the loft, Tom gives some lessons on choosing drill bits. Then the guys ask ""What Is It?"" Finally, Kevin visits Captain Hugh Duffy at the Boston Fire Department Training Center for some lessons on choosing the right type of fire extinguisher. More Info & Resources
3x2 - Clogged Trap; Brick Walkway Patterns; Fixing Ceiling Cracks
October 11, 2004
Richard makes a House call in Wellesley, Massachusetts, to help homeowner Ziad Tarawneh replace a trap under his bathroom sink. Back in the loft, Roger shows Kevin a few design options for laying out a brick walkway. Then Tom shows homeowners Rudd Coffey and Melissa Liazos of Watertown, Massachusetts, how to make their cracked plaster ceiling look like new by covering it with drywall. More Info & Resources
3x3 - Broken Fence; What Is It? Shower Valve; Keyless Chuck
October 18, 2004
Roger repairs a broken fence with teenage neighbor Amanda Rao. Back inside, the guys ask, ""What Is It?"" Then, Richard restores hot-water flow to a shower for a house-sitter by repairing an anti-scald shower valve. Back in the loft, Tom shows how to upgrade an old drill by installing a ""keyless"" chuck. More Info & Resources
3x4 - Pass-Through Opening; What Is It? Stopping a Running Toilet
October 25, 2004
Tom visits homeowners David and Patti Dobrindt in Milton, Massachusetts, to help them cut a pass-through in their kitchen wall. Back in the loft, the guys ask, ""What Is It?"" After that, Rich repairs a continuously running toilet in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, for homeowner Peter Fay. More Info & Resources
3x5 - Screw Extractors; Cobblestone Edging; Rotting Porch Post
November 1, 2004
Tom shows Kevin how to remove bolts and screws with stripped or damaged heads. Roger visits homeowner Lauren Speisman of Waltham, Massachusetts, to help create an edge along a concrete walkway using jumbo cobblestones. Back in the loft, Tom, Roger, Kevin and Richard ask, ""What Is It?"" as they identify unknown objects. Then Tom heads to Wenham, Massachusetts, to help homeowner Francine Molay jack up the roof of her front porch and fix a rotting post. More Info & Resources
3x6 - Flower Boxes; What Is It? New Lawn with Sod
November 8, 2004
Tom helps spruce up the front of homeowner Stacy Keller's Acton, Massachusetts, house by building window boxes for flowers. Then Tom, Roger, Richard and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" Then Roger installs sod to create a brad-new lawn in the backyard of Needham, Massachusetts, homeowner Peter Burdick, just in time for his family's annual barbecue. More Info & Resources
3x7 - Anode Rod Replacement; Water Diverter; Too Much Heat!
November 15, 2004
In the workshop loft, Richard demonstrates how to extend the life of a hot water heater by replacing the sacrificial anode rod. Tom visits homeowner Alison Hardy of Topsfield, Massachusetts, and installs a ""cricket,"" or rain diverter, to keep water away from her front steps. Then Richard, Tom, Roger and Kevin ask, ""What Is It"" Then it's off to Brighton, Massachusetts, where Richard helps homeowner Kim McMahon cool off by installing thermostatic valves on her stream radiators. More Info & Resources
3x8 - Hanging Shelves; Soil Testing; Hot Water Recirculator
November 22, 2004
Tom helps homeowners Rich and Sarah Paisner of Brighton, Massachusetts, get organized by installing adjustable shelves on the wall in their den. Back in the loft, Tom, Richard, Roger and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" Then Roger is joined by soil expert Roberta Clark from the University of Massachusetts for some tips on testing soil before planting. Then Richard gets Tewksbury, Massachusetts, homeowner Paige Impink into hot water by installing a hot water recirculator pump in her upstairs bathroom. More Info & Resources
3x9 - Plumbing Valves; Old Bulkhead; Drip Irrigation Repair
November 29, 2004
Inside the loft, Richard gives Kevin some lessons on leaky valves and how to repair them. Then, Tom heads to Waltham, Massachusetts to help homeowners David Anderson and Alica Beneteau replace an old, rusty cellar door with a new fiberglass model. Back in the loft, Tom, Richard, Roger and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" Then, Roger helps homeowner Christine Dinardo of Carlisle, Massachusetts repair a leaky drip irrigation hose. More Info & Resources
3x10 - Noisy Toilet; What Is It? Cutting Crown Molding; Broken Tile
December 6, 2004
Richard visits Stephen Davidson of Littleton, Massachusetts to find the source of a strange ""fog horn"" sound coming from his plumbing system. Then Richard, Tom, Roger and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" Back in the loft, Tom shows the three basic cuts necessary to install crown molding. And tile contractor Joe Ferrante helps homeowner Brandon Ingersoll of Cambridge, Massachusetts replace some hard-to-find broken bathroom tiles. More Info & Resources
3x11 - Ladder Safety; What Is It? Replacing an Old Retaining Wall
December 13, 2004
Kevin heads outside the barn to learn about ladder safety from expert John Drengenberg. Up at the loft, Kevin, Tom, Richard and Roger ask, ""What Is It?"" Then, Roger rebuilds a crumbling retaining wall with homeowner Colin White of Wakefield, Massachusetts using interlocking concrete blocks. More Info & Resources
3x12 - Cracked Stucco; Cleaning a Lawnmower; Dehumidifier Pumps
December 20, 2004
Tom heads to sunny Los Angeles, California where he helps homeowner Joshua Tano repair some cracked stucco. Back in the loft, Tom, Richard, Roger and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" Then, Roger shows Kevin how to keep a lawnmower humming all summer long by cleaning underneath the deck. Then, Richard helps water-logged homeowner Karen Kostegan of Bedford, Massachusetts install a pump to remove condensate from her basement dehumidifier. More Info & Resources
3x13 - Planting a New Lawn; What Is It? Replacing a Kitchen Sink
December 27, 2004
Roger re-seeds a damaged lawn for homeowner Mary Brintnall of Beverly, Massachusetts. Back in the loft, Roger, Tom, Richard and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" Then, Richard heads to Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights, Michigan to install a new kitchen sink for homeowners Donna and Tim Mackey. More Info & Resources
3x14 - Chicago Door Glass; Glass Expert; Pruning a Pin Oak
January 3, 2005
Tom heads to the windy city suburb of Park Ridge, Illinois, where he helps homeowner Richard Westphal replace the broken window pane in an exterior door. Back in the loft, Tom and glass expert Larry Rosenfield show Kevin different kinds of safety glass. Afterwards, Tom, Kevin, Richard and Roger ask, ""What Is It?"" Then Roger is off to Brookline, Massachusetts to ""let the sunshine in"" for homeowner Elizabeth Choi by pruning her Pin Oak tree with the help of arborist Matt Foti. More Info & Resources
3x15 - Old Storm Window; Shrubs; Carbon Monoxide Detectors
January 10, 2005
Tom helps homeowner Tarah Hirschey of Wellesley, Massachusetts make her old windows more efficient by installing new storm windows. Then, Roger offers tips for getting your shrubs ready for winter. Afterwards, Tom, Roger, Richard and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" in the Ask This Old House loft. Finally, Roger heads to New York City where he meets up with home inspector Stephen Gladstone and homeowners Roy and Sophia Pachecano for some potentially life-saving lessons on carbon monoxide detectors. More Info & Resources
3x16 - Replicating Moldings; Unlevel Patio; Stripping Wallpaper
January 17, 2005
In the Ask This Old House loft, Tom shows Kevin a few ways to recreate different molding profiles. Then, Roger heads to Skokie, Illinois where he has some ""uplifting"" advice for a homeowner with a sinking brick patio. After that, Tom, Roger, Richard and Kevin guess ""What Is It?"" in the loft, Then, Jim shows Kevin and homeowner Caroline Pooler of Andover, Massachusetts a new way to strip wallpaper. More Info & Resources
3x17 - Rotted Deck Balusters; What Is It? Connecting an Icemaker
January 24, 2005
Homeowner Martin D'Agostino of Swampscott, Massachusetts receives a visit from Tom who knows him how to repair and replace his rotting deck balusters. Then Tom, Richard, Roger and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" in the Ask This Old House loft. Afterwards, Richard heads off to Salem, Massachusetts to hook up a refrigerator's ice-maker and water dispenser for homeowner Joe Cole. More Info & Resources
3x18 - Unclogging Drains; Window Weights; Low-Maintenance Garden
January 31, 2005
In the barn loft, Richard ""clears up"" the mysteries of clogged bathtub drains. Then, Tom helps Marblehead, Massachusetts homeowner Terry Lavelle replace his double-hung window weights with spring loaded sash balancers. Afterwards, Tom shows Kevin how to insulate the empty window weight pockets to prevent cold winter drafts. Then Tom, Richard, Kevin and Roger ask, ""What Is It?"" Finally, Roger helps a very thoughtful tenant, Brett Campbell of Arlington, Massachusetts, plant a low-maintenance garden for his elderly landlady. More Info & Resources
3x19 - Composting; What Is It? Removing a House Trap
February 7, 2005
Roger shows homeowner Doug Ferguson of Hudson, Massachusetts how to recycle his yard waste through composting. They visit a compost bin test site where they meet compost expert Ann McGovern from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Then Roger, Tom, Richard and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" in the Ask This Old House loft. Later, Richard helps homeowner Kate Smukler of Arlington, Massachusetts remove an old cast-iron house trap on her main sewer line so that a clog can be easily cleared. More Info & Resources
3x20 - Floor Leveling; What Is It? Leaky Water Valve; Air Compressors
February 14, 2005
Tom helps homeowner Mark Andrews of Charleston, Massachusetts level an uneven concrete floor so that he can install hardwood flooring. Then Tom, Richard, Roger and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" in the Ask This Old House loft. Then, Richard shows homeowner Jenna Williams of Rex, Georgia a simple repair for a leaky water shut-off valve. Then, up in the loft, Tom teaches Kevin about air-compressors and how to select the right one for the job. More Info & Resources
3x21 - 220-Volt Receptacle; Gardening Hand Tools; Macerating Toilet
February 21, 2005
Tom shows Kevin what's inside a typical residential electrical service panel. Then, master electrician Allen Gallant helps homeowner Steve Bankowitz of Burlington, Massachusetts install a 220-volt receptacle in his garage-turned-woodshop. Roger shows Kevin what types of hand tools every home gardener should own. Then, the crew ask, ""Whats Is It?"" in the Ask This Old House loft. Later, Richard helps homeowner Scott Jones of Arlington, Massachusetts install a macerating toilet in his basement. More Info & Resources
3x22 - Riding Lawnmowers; Garbage Disposers; Rotting Threshold
February 28, 2005
Roger heads to Alpharetta, Georgia to help homeowner Dale Eneberg shop for a new riding lawnmower. Then Roger, Richard, Tom and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" Later, Tom replaces a rotting wooden threshold for homeowners Steve Chapman and Maggie Hale of Arlington, Massachusetts. And, back in the loft, Richard shows Kevin how garbage disposers work and explains how to keep them working like new. More Info & Resources
3x23 - Clogged Vent Stack; What Is It? Backyard Ice Rink
March 7, 2005
Richard helps homeowner Tom Pulkowski of Chelmsford, Massachusetts clear a clogged vent stack with the aid of a fiberoptic plumbing snake. Then Richard, Roger, Tom and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" Then Roger helps homeowner Dennis Cronin of Duxbury, Massachusetts build an ice skating rink in his backyard. More Info & Resources
3x24 - Air Cleaner; Walkway Ice Removal; Bathroom Venting
March 14, 2005
Richard helps a pair of homeowners from Arlington, Massachusetts install an electronic air cleaner on their forced-air furnace. Then Roger shows Kevin some tools and materials for removing ice from concrete walkways. And Tom shows homeowner Enza Sheehan of Swampscott, Massachusetts how to properly vent a bathroom fan to the outside of the house. More Info & Resources
3x25 - Florescent Light; Landscaping Software; Aluminum Heat Cover
March 21, 2005
Up in the loft, Tom shows Kevin a few tricks for using one of the most basic tools, a tape measure. Then master electrician Allen Gallant visit homeowner Kristen Berger of Leominster, Massachusetts and brightens up a dimly-lit basement with new fluorescent fixtures. Then Tom, Kevin, Richard and Roger ask, ""What Is It?"" Later, Kevin shows Roger a software package that can be used to create a three-dimensional landscape plan. And Richard makes a house call to homeowner Wendy Smith in Duxbury, Massachusetts and shows her how to replace the banged-up aluminum cover on an old baseboard heater. More Info & Resources
3x26 - Window Boxes; What Is It? Plumbing Connections
March 28, 2005
Tom makes a house call to Atlanta, Georgia to show homeowner Terry Andrews how to use masonry fasteners to install window boxes on his brick townhouse. Then Tom, Richard, Roger and Kevin ask, ""What Is It?"" Then, back in the loft, Richard shows Kevin several different ways to make copper pipe connections, including a new solderless system. Then, Roger helps homeowner Alan Lear of Carlisle, Massachusetts install a perimeter drain to catch rainwater running off of his roof. More Info & Resources

3x1 - Edging a Lawn; Selecting Drill Bits; What Is It?; Fighting Fire

3x2 - Clogged Trap; Brick Walkway Patterns; Fixing Ceiling Cracks

3x3 - Broken Fence; What Is It? Shower Valve; Keyless Chuck

3x4 - Pass-Through Opening; What Is It? Stopping a Running Toilet

3x5 - Screw Extractors; Cobblestone Edging; Rotting Porch Post

3x6 - Flower Boxes; What Is It? New Lawn with Sod

3x7 - Anode Rod Replacement; Water Diverter; Too Much Heat!

3x8 - Hanging Shelves; Soil Testing; Hot Water Recirculator

3x9 - Plumbing Valves; Old Bulkhead; Drip Irrigation Repair

3x10 - Noisy Toilet; What Is It? Cutting Crown Molding; Broken Tile

3x11 - Ladder Safety; What Is It? Replacing an Old Retaining Wall

3x12 - Cracked Stucco; Cleaning a Lawnmower; Dehumidifier Pumps

3x13 - Planting a New Lawn; What Is It? Replacing a Kitchen Sink

3x14 - Chicago Door Glass; Glass Expert; Pruning a Pin Oak

3x15 - Old Storm Window; Shrubs; Carbon Monoxide Detectors

3x16 - Replicating Moldings; Unlevel Patio; Stripping Wallpaper

3x17 - Rotted Deck Balusters; What Is It? Connecting an Icemaker

3x18 - Unclogging Drains; Window Weights; Low-Maintenance Garden

3x19 - Composting; What Is It? Removing a House Trap

3x20 - Floor Leveling; What Is It? Leaky Water Valve; Air Compressors

3x21 - 220-Volt Receptacle; Gardening Hand Tools; Macerating Toilet

3x22 - Riding Lawnmowers; Garbage Disposers; Rotting Threshold

3x23 - Clogged Vent Stack; What Is It? Backyard Ice Rink

3x24 - Air Cleaner; Walkway Ice Removal; Bathroom Venting

3x25 - Florescent Light; Landscaping Software; Aluminum Heat Cover

3x26 - Window Boxes; What Is It? Plumbing Connections

S1: Season 1

S2: Season 2

S3: Season 3

S4: Season 4

S5: Season 5

S6: Season 6

S7: Season 7

S8: Season 8

S9: Season 9

S10: Season 10

S11: Season 11

S12: Season 12

S13: Season 13

S14: Season 14

S15: Season 15

S16: Season 16

S17: Season 17

S18: Season 18

S19: Season 19

S20: Season 20

S21: Season 21

S22: Season 22

S23: Season 23