This Old HouseWith Tom SilvaGeneral ContractorThursday, Oct. 10, 2002; 11 a.m. ET
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Thursday atramentous the 24th division of "This Old House" premieres on PBS, but with a few twists. The appearance will move to primetime and -- forth with a additional bisected hour of home adjustment admonition -- will become "The New This Old Abode Hour." This year, "This Old House" restores a 1922 Colonial Revival home and the new "Ask This Old House" allows admirers to ask home adjustment questions and accept alone advice.
General architect Tom Silva, a affiliate of the "This Old House" aggregation for 16 years, was online Thursday, Oct. 10 at 11 a.m. ET, to altercate the new division and new appearance format.
Renovating houses aback he was a child, Silva's aboriginal above project, alive alongside his dad and brother, was installing a basement fallout accommodation beneath their 1787 Colonial in Lexington, Massachusetts. Silva Brothers Construction, fabricated up of Tom, his brother Richard, and his nephew Charlie, congenital the aboriginal set for the WGBH-TV Boston assembly The Victory Garden in the parking lot of WGBH. The firm's assignment has been showcased on abounding Massachusetts-based This Old Abode projects including the bed-and-breakfast in Lexington; the timber-frame barn in Concord; Kirkside in Wayland; the agronomical transformation in Lexington; the Victorian in Belmont; the 1710 Colonial in Acton; the Federal-style home in Celebrated Salem; the 1725 New England Colonial and barn in Milton; the Queen Anne-style Victorian in Watertown; the Additional Empire Victorian in Billerica; the 1883 Shingle-style home in Manchester-by-the-Sea; and currently the Winchester Colonial Revival.
Check your bounded listings for air dates.
The archetype follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators absorb beat ascendancy over Alive Online discussions and accept the best accordant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can abatement to acknowledgment questions.
washingtonpost.com: Tom, acknowledge you for abutting us this morning. We accept affluence of questions from aggressive homeowners attractive to aces your academician for some home advance tips. Afore we get to those, though, I apprehension you ability appetite to booty a minute to acquaint us about the new "Ask This Old House" bisected hour.
Tom Silva: Basically, we go out and advice homeowners with babyish jobs about their houses, from putting a window in to acclimation a baptize pipe, to accouterment growing on houses and basically assignment with them in commodity we can do in bisected a day and get their projects started and point them in the appropriate direction.
People can go to thisoldhouse.com and there's an "Ask This Old House" mailbox, or they can address to: This Old Abode Magazine, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 27th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10036.
Harrisburg, Pa.: What do you anticipate of your move to prime time? Do you accept there will be added burden to present yourself to a potentially added audience?
Tom Silva: I don't anticipate the burden will be any greater than it is. We accept a lot of assignment to do with so little time and we appetite to do it appropriate and not cut corners.
S. Berwick, Maine: Tom,
Your assignment on the homes through the years has been annihilation abbreviate of amazing. I am appetent of your talent. Acknowledge you for administration your abilities with the viewers.
In this hot bazaar (in New England anyway), what tips would you accord a homeowner in aggravating to get the absorption of a contractor? These canicule they don't acknowledgment buzz calls and don't appearance up aback aback promised. Aback you are austere about a activity it's arresting not actuality able to get a able to at atomic alarm back.
Thanks.
Tom Silva: It is difficult to get professionals to alarm aback because anybody is so busy. Acquisition a acceptable guy, and there's a lot of them out there. Meet them and appearance them what you've got and acquaint them you're accommodating to wait. Get some asperous numbers, which can be difficult, abnormally aback ambidextrous with old houses, so it can be difficult to price. Band the guy up and be accommodating to wait.
Bethesda, Md.: Tom, I accept heard that TOH is complex with an exhibition about Do It Yourself at the National Architecture Architecture and that you will be advancing to boondocks abutting anniversary in affiliation with the appearance and with a big do it yourself anniversary on Saturday the 19th. Can you acquaint me added about all this and how I can be involved?
Tom Silva: Let's see. I and Rich Trethewey will be at the architecture on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. and will be giving a one hour presentation on "Lessons Abstruse from This Old House." On the 19th, Tom will be accessory the Anniversary of the Architecture Arts -- which is the aperture day of the do it yourself exhibit. Additional advice is accessible at www.nbm.org.
Silver Spring, Md.: How abundant altered from added projects was the Billerica abode (Dickie's burnt house)? Were you added complex in the accommodation authoritative process? That final abode was one of my favorites, it angry out beautiful.
Tom Silva: The alone affair that fabricated it altered is that it afflicted home because it was family, but the action of filming and the architecture end was the aforementioned -- so there wasn't a desperate aberration at all.
Vienna, Va.: Adulation the appearance and the magazine. How do you accept houses to be adapted for the show? If I capital my abode to be considered, who would I contact? Thanks!
Tom Silva: Well, its like acceptable the lottery. You accelerate all your advice in to the annual and afresh basically they array through all the mail and try to acquisition a activity that is achievable in a breadth we appetite to assignment in. So it's aloof actuality in the appropriate abode at the appropriate time.
Along with the mag, the This Old Abode aggregation helps aces the project.
Gwynn Oak, Md.: I afresh purchased a home congenital in 1922 and it has its aboriginal balk floors. Some of the floors charge to be sanded and refinished.
What questions should I ask angle contractors to ensure that my floors will be adequate to its accustomed beauty? How can I barometer whether the architect is able to administer arch to technique?
Tom Silva: Basically, accomplish abiding you accept an accomplished attic refinisher. References are key, so chase up on them. So abounding bodies get a advertence and don't do annihilation with it. Ask if they were blessed with the job, did he appearance up on time. Appealing general, but that's what you accept to do.
Youngstown, Ohio: Will you anytime assignment on a activity that is absolutely affordable to the majority of homeowners? While interesting, your projects absorb added on adjustment than best bodies absorb on their houses.
In animosity of the question, I still adulation the show.
Tom Silva: Well, the alone acknowledgment to that is, you accept to bethink it is a TV appearance first, and we charge a lot of agreeable to ample it and it is actual difficult to accomplish a TV appearance with a agglomeration of houses. Planning a division about one abode is a lot easier than about 20 houses.
There are a lot of little things that you can aces from that one activity -- ideas, products, techniques -- and you can absorb that in any admeasurement project.
Tom Silva: Anticipate of it as like arcade at the capital -- you're not activity to buy everything, but you windowshop.
With This Old Abode because we can alone focus on one or two projects a season, that's why we've launched "Ask This Old House" so we can focus on added accustomed home adjustment questions.
Skokie, Ill.: I've visited the TOH Web armpit a cardinal of times and anticipate the "Tommy Cam" is a abundant idea. Does it bother you to accept all of us "looking over your shoulder" so-to-speak while you're at assignment every day?
Also, accept you anytime had a homeowner on TOH who was acutely uncoevery week? It seems you all get forth so able-bodied with the homeowners. My dad is in home architecture and it doesn't consistently seems to assignment out as able-bodied for him.
Tom Silva: Well, aboriginal of all, the Web cam I don't anticipate bothers me. It's aloof there and you aloof don't anticipate about it. If you did, you wouldn't get any assignment done.
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Second of all, homeowners are beneath a lot of accent -- whether a TOH job or approved -- aggravating to accumulate them abreast makes a blessed homeowner.
Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Tom,
What is your advocacy for bushing babyish gaps in the adhesive amid artery of old brick houses. The bearings I accept doesn't absolutely alarm for repointing and new mortar, but artlessly some accepted patching of some babyish gaps and additionally some babyish holes in the artery themselves. Is there a acceptable artefact that will suffice?
Thanks.
Tom Silva: Basically, what you appetite to do is if that agency repointing in any way, its acceptable to acquisition out what the mix of the adhesive is. Lots of time it is adhesive adjustable and that is lime, a lot of portland and sand. YOu can get it analyzed if you scrape out some of the adhesive and they'll acquaint you the mix. By application the aforementioned admixture you accept it won't attending like a application aback you abstract it up.
Arlington, Va.: I aloof had to address to extend some praise. As a kid, I watched This Old Abode on weekend mornings with my dad and I abide to watch as my bedmate and I buy our aboriginal abode (yep, it's old). I've abstruse so abundant over the years. Acknowledgment so abundant for such a admirable affairs and accumulate up the acceptable work!
Tom Silva: That's actual nice.
Arlington, Va.: How abounding ability accoutrement does Norm Abrams own? Do you EVER see him application a duke tool?
Tom Silva: The acknowledgment to that is I absent calculation and he uses a pencil and a ruler.
Note: Also, its Norm Abram afterwards an "s."
Winchester, Va.: What should an boilerplate amount per aboveboard basal be to accomplishment a basement?
Tom Silva: That's boxy to say because there are so abounding altered variables.
Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.: I like the appearance and how it has evolved. I adore how you try to save the old with new articles and simple techniques. How do I get my contractors to try the new actuality you do? (i.e. Priming both abandon of the copse afore it is installed, accumulation fibers in cement, adjustable accouterments lines, etc.)
Tom Silva: Basically, you've gotta get them accomplished on things that are advancing out, because there's a lot of actuality out there that are easier to assignment with and will save money -- it's not consistently cheaper, but lots of times it will aftermost longer.
Arlington, Va.: Tom, has This Old House's acceptance been at all afflicted by the ample array of home advance offerings on TV now? There are accomplished networks -- like HGTV -- committed to the affair and lots of shows on added channels. "Trading Spaces" seems to be abundantly popular.
Tom Silva: Basically, you anticipate TOH was consistently the cardinal one and it has consistently been aboriginal and to be affected is a abundant compliment.
Fairfax, Va.: Added than your brother's house, what has been your admired project? Do you anytime get a adventitious to revisit some of the homeowners?
Tom Silva: Actually, we see the homeowners at atomic already a year because they appear the acquisition at the end of anniversary project.
Hard to say which one is my favorite. I acquisition anniversary one altered and fun and adore anniversary one and afresh I move on to the next. The one that all-overs out at me has to be aftermost year's Manchester project. It was so admirable -- its abundant to accompany old houses aback to the way they belong. The breadth was perfect.
Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: I accept a 100-year-old rowhouse, and the floors are hardly asperous in a few spots, including the kitchen. Is it accessible to acclimate the kitchen if the attic is not altogether level? And if not, what will I charge to do to the attic (there is no basement)? Thanks. Adulation the appearance and magazine.
Tom Silva: Well, we acclimate and clean on a lot of asperous floors. I'd advance exploring a little and award out the problem. It could be clammy from below, or abscess of the wood. There's a lot of little altered things that would account they abode to move -- and they do move and abound and compress every day.
Washington, D.C.: Hi, Tom! I've never apparent your show, but I adulation the magazine.
Here's an accessible one for you. I accept a tiny 1940s rowhouse in the city, and am assuredly accepting about to finishing the basement. The accurate attic is absolutely dry. What attic would you acclaim -- added than bank to bank carpeting, which I absolutely hate? Actuality into "green" building, I afresh had our kitchen attic adapted in accustomed linoleum tiles, and it's lovely. Would that assignment able-bodied in the basement? Any added ideas? Thanks!
Tom Silva: Linoleum would assignment well. If it is dry anyway, it'll act as a acceptable breath barrier. It'll accord you a nice attending too. A amphibian attic -- from coat to copse would be good.
Be abiding to analysis your bounded listings and tune in. Watch on WETA, Saturday Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. ET.
Bethesda, Md.: What percent of the abstracts and activity is a donation? What if the homeowners run out money afore completion?
Tom Silva: It varies all the time. The homeowners usually accept a account -- whether it's $50 or $200,000. They do accept actuality -- not absolutely donated -- but we get at a reasonable price. So they get added for their money. A lot of the actuality is bought appropriate from the barge yard.
They've got a activity that will appear in on time with the best abstracts out there and craftsmen that affliction about their job. What added could they ask for?
Marietta, Ga.: You da man, Tom! I adulation it aback you guys pop up on the appearance and explain everything.
Here's my question: I've been attractive to buy my aboriginal house. Naturally I will appoint a home ambassador afore I accomplish annihilation final, but I'd like to be able to atom any approaching problems early. Is there any way I can acquisition out how able-bodied complete a abode is afore I accomplish a bid? What sorts of defects should I attending for or ask about aback I'm seeing houses? Thanks!
Tom Silva: Well, you appetite to attending for sagging, agee windows or doors, agee floors, a dip in the roof, walls that are aptitude bad. Those things jump out at you. There are a lot of houses out there like that. Those are the accessible things. Mildew smells, clammy basements. All those things can account above abode damage.
It's still adamantine for home inspectors to aces up aggregate too.
Alexandria, Va.: Are accomplished TOH homes about added activity able than best all-encompassing restorations/renovations? You consistently use able boiler and cooling systems, forth with energy-efficient windows, insulation, appliances, etc., and all-embracing attention that ensures activity conservation. Has the appearance or the annual anytime appear on the accumulation homeowners adore by advance in high-end appliances, HVACs, etc.? I'd adulation to see an commodity about that.
Tom Silva: Well, the acumen that we do use what we use is because it allows the homeowner to alive added economically and comfortably. And those are the things we try to advise our admirers not to cut on. So abounding bodies do to absorb the money on added arresting things.
Virginia: Aloof capital to acquaint you that years of watching TOH gave me the allurement to try things. Well, that, and a dad who anchored aggregate himself. I aloof appetite to acquaint bodies to NOT be abashed by do-it-yourself. Abounding things such as dry bank repair, abject a switch, installing a ablaze fixture, etc., are not as difficult as abounding bodies imagine. And the achievement of accomplishing it yourself (and extenuative a ton of money!) is huge.
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Tom Silva: Absolutely. It's abundant to anticipate about what you can do on your weekends -- adhere about the abode and refinish a balustrade or fix a window. It's abundant to be able to do those things and its not as difficult as one thinks as continued as you bethink how you took it afar so you can put it aback together. Extra screws, nails and adhesive absolutely help.
Falls Church, Va.: My wife and I accept a abode that will charge a new kitchen floor, new countertops, and refinished metal cabinets soon. Should we accept all this done at once, or should we do it in stages. I agnosticism I'd be able to do abundant myself (If I appetite it done right, anyway). You rock, by the way. You and Norm should accomplish fun of Steve more.
Tom Silva: Well, we can accomplish fun of Steve because he can booty a antic and he can bowl it out, too.
Do what your account allows you to do and accomplish abiding if you do it in stages that it won't baffle with added stages. So, do it in order. Cabinets and painting would be the last. So abounding bodies beach all the floors and afresh they still accept to acrylic and afresh admiration why their floors are all ruined. So adjustment is important.
North Carolina: We alive in a 1928 arts and crafts bungalow. This summer we've developed a lot of cracks in our adhesive walls. My handyman tells me that because they are mostly about doors and windows, that is somehow not a account for concern. Do you agree? (One of my bigger fears is foundation problems, accepting apparent several houses in our adjacency be jacked up and accept foundations rebuilt.) Also, is it bad to let them sit for a while or should we get them repaired quickly? We are not attractive advanced to accepting to repaint afterwards acclimation them. Acknowledgment so much!
Tom Silva: Well, I would absolutely accumulate my eye on the cracks. Do analysis and acquisition out why and breadth its moving. I would go afterwards acclimation some of them and absolution them sit and see what happens. If the foundation is bereft afresh you'll abide to accept cracking.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom!
Thanks for endlessly by today. My catechism is about one of your "competitor" shows. What do you anticipate of "Trading Spaces" and "While you were out"? I accept heard that they are added show, and beneath improvement, but it seems that they are authoritative home improvements "hip" already again.
Interested to apprehend your thoughts. And thanks.
Tom Silva: I anticipate its absorbing to watch. I don't apperceive if I'd appetite my acquaintance to change my abode around, but I anticipate its a acceptable show.
With our show, we apperceive that home advance is a growing trend, but we're blockage accurate to our vision.
Annandale, Va.: How continued do you anticipate afore we see added solar activity articles in new construction?
Tom Silva: Well, I anticipate that you're gonna alpha seeing it appear aback because it's been improved, but its still so big-ticket that bodies don't appetite to advance in it. You'll see added of this, windpower and this is still advancing around.
Alexandria, Va.: What timing! Acknowledgment for actuality here.
I am faced with accomplishing electric assignment on my own this weekend (kitchen architect absolved on that activity -- continued story.) I am affective an aperture and installing under-cabinet lighting. Any assets that I could accredit to for this? My bound acquaintance is replacing ablaze accessories and installing beam fans.
Thanks actual much!
Tom Silva: Well, my bound acquaintance would be to appoint an electrician and accomplish abiding the job is done correct. That's one allotment of advance that I don't absolutely accept homeowners do themselves. If it alteration a switch, or active a wire for a new plug, but a kitchen should be done by a accountant professional.
Laytonsville, Md.: Hi Tom,
The accouterments in our 1930s home is set up so that it takes a minute or so afore we accept hot baptize at the kitchen sink, best for the admiral bathroom. Would a recirculating arrangement be difficult to install and would it be awfully inefficient?
Thanks.
Tom Silva: It would be actual efficient, but a brace problems: Accomplish abiding you accept accessible accessibility to get the activity in. Second, that pump that would be active 24 hours a day should be put on a timer so it comes on aboriginal in the a.m. and afresh off while you're at work. It is account it if you can do it.
New Bern, N.C.: Tom -- Acknowledgment for demography this; I adulation the appearance and all you guys do to advance the adulation of acclimation and abating old and celebrated homes. I've got a catechism about a celebrated home we may buy and restore but we've run into a brace of differing opinions about how to proceed.
The abode is in New Bern (east bank of N.C.) and dates from 1860s. We're activity to accept to abolish asbestos bank balustrade (which are falling apart) and are cerebration about demography all the copse balustrade (which appears to be original) off and afresh careful the walls from the outside, capsule it in Tyvek, and afresh reinstalling the copse siding, painting, etc. The architect seems blessed with this, but the Celebrated State Tax Credit bodies affirmation this is a decay of time and that houses that old won't see any absolute account from careful the exoteric walls, aloof accomplish abiding the windows and all are caulked and closed as able-bodied as careful attic and attic. They affirmation you can never get a acceptable breath allowance on the walls and the insulation will aces up the clammy and over time rot out annihilation else. Can you advice me out? Is it accurate that the abode won't see any absolute benefit? Acknowledgment afresh Tom.
Tom Silva: The abode will see a account if you're redoing the central of the house. Breath barrier paints are accessible for walls and ceilings. There are insulations out there that doesn't crave a breath barrier at all and goes in as a aqueous -- a urethane. They are added costly, but actual efficient. As far as removing the siding, that's unnecessary. Abolish the asbestos siding, and properly. The insulation can be installed by injecting it through a hole. You can abstract in artificial and cilia bottle -- but you'd charge a breath barrier. Acceptable acclimate seal, acceptable caulking. Careful the windows abreast the axle is important.
The added you insulate, the added you charge ventilate.
Fairfax, Va.: What is your admired cast of alliance saw?
Tom Silva: Well, I accept about bristles altered kinds and they're all acceptable and accept a little allotment of them that I don't like, so they're all good. It's accepting acclimated to the saw you like. Buy a acceptable affection tool, because if not, the accurateness and activity of the apparatus won't last.
Alexandria, Va.: Tom,
It would be absolutely accessible if This Old Abode appear added about the costs of the work. That way, aback I see a homeowner add a kitchen/family allowance (and all the assignment it took to do it), I apperceive whether that was a $50,000 change or $150,000 change. Also, aback we see architecture abstracts (slate roof vs. asphalt, cedar agitate etc.), we'd accept a bigger abstraction of what costs what, and what you're accepting for the amount (since there's usually a lot of altercation of how one artefact is technically bigger than another). Sometimes Steve touches on this, but usually alone in actual ample agreement ("so slate is abundant added big-ticket right"), or in a $/ft or added measurement, afterwards cogent us how abounding anxiety they're putting in the Old Abode project, so we get an abstraction of whether a attic amount $5,000 or $10,000. Thanks.
Tom Silva: It's adamantine to do that because prices alter about the country, so if we said a amount in the Boston breadth and you were in Arizona, the prices may be bisected or may be more. So that's why we try to break abroad from the cardinal game.
Mt. Lebanon, Pa.: You guys -- the contractors and affairs producers -- should broadcast a Web armpit assuming off all of the abounding homes you've adequate over the years. You should add little sidebars of the families who were served by your efforts and comments from the blow of us who got to comedy sidewalk superintendent, abounding like me, adherent by lemonade and sandwich while we abiding you on. What a admirable acquaintance it would be to anamnesis the acceptable old canicule again. Acceptable luck. And acknowledgment for the balmy memories.
Tom Silva: The acceptable old days?
Note: Our Web site, thisoldhouse.com, has every activity that was anytime featured on TOH accessible for admirers to analysis out. Feel chargeless to go to the home page.
Washington, D.C.: What are the accomplish to laying the abject of a battery so it slopes bottomward to the drain, and charge I use abate tiles on the abject than the 12x12" accustomed slate with which I'm accomplishing the walls of the shower?
Tom Silva: Well, the abject is basically you appetite to accept a acceptable pan, like a chestnut pan in the stall, afresh mix up a mud or adhesive mix that is almost dry, and afresh basically the attic cesspool would be in the centermost and body up the mud job college than the cesspool so aggregate pitches to the drain, charge it bottomward able-bodied with a trowel, let it set and afresh set your tile. It's easier to use a babyish tile, like a 1x1 because of the abruptness of the floor. If you do a big tile, its added accessible that it pitches.
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Falls Church, Va.: Hi there! We aloof bought a abode with accessible riser stairs, but with a babyish on the way we'd like to abutting them. We are accepting the carpeting replaced, so we'll be demography up the absolute carpeting on the stairs and would like to abutting them afore recarpeting. Is it as simple as nailing a axle to the aback of the basal amount and nailing through the top of the high stair? Seems appealing simple, but that makes me anticipate it's apparently not.
Thanks!
Tom Silva: Able-bodied you accept to amount out what you're activity to do on the ends. As continued as the footstep has abundant overhang afresh you can artlessly do that, but you accept to bethink what you're activity to do on the ends so it doesn't attending funny.
Fairfax, Va.: Our abode is about 25 years old and its age is assuming in the windows. We charge to do something, because in assertive spots you can feel a draft. Would you acclaim accepting an absolutely new window set or for budget's account (and we do accept a budget), get absolutely acceptable storm windows? Is there such a thing?
Tom Silva: Storm windows? Absolutely. The acceptable storm window activated accurately works wonders, but I would additionally acquisition out why the windows started to aperture so bad. Maybe its able to be adjusted. The acclimate stripping may be missing. ALl those things should be looked at first, but windows are a key thing.
Arlington, Va.: Tom,
I've been watching for years, aback I can acquisition your show, and so animated to see that you guys fabricated it to primetime! Aloof one question, what time? You, Norm, Dick, Richard and Steve do an accomplished job of acknowledgment how you do things, a attenuate but generally disregarded talent. Accumulate up the acceptable work!
Tom Silva: Analysis your bounded listings. And who's Dick?
Washington, D.C.: Hi: I don't apperceive if this is the blazon of catechism you'd answer, but I apprehension I'd accord it a go. My ancestor and I aloof installed a beam fan in my accommodation bedchamber breadth an aerial ablaze accoutrement had been. It looks and works great. We'd like to put addition in the active room. The botheration is that there acclimated to be a hardwired (or so I've been told) smoke detector in the average of the active allowance ceiling, not a ablaze fixture. There is a about-face on the wall, but it doesn't ascendancy the affairs blind out of the ceiling. Is there any way to attenuate the hardwiring so that a beam fan could be controlled from the bank switch? Thanks.
Tom Silva: It's difficult to get a wire up there and if you appetite to booty the time and do a little accident in the corners of the room, you could do it. If you could get to the tube, maybe you could cull your three affairs through the old aqueduct and afresh accomplish that live.
Bethesda, Md.: Are you discussing renovations or aloof the show? Abundant appearance by the way, I'm alone 28 but accept been watching it for years in apprehension of the day I can fix up a house.
I'm there now, and I accept a advance question. There was a 2-inch gap amid the bathtub and the vinyl in my bathroom. It was caulked up at some point, but I bare off the barricade to alter the vinyl. Aback I pulled it up, I begin the subfloor was atramentous with cast on the 1/3 abutting to the tub, but it hasn't started rotting. I'm broken amid replacing the absolute subfloor (doable, but it would put the alone bath out of commission) or aloof aggravating to annihilate the cast with achromatize and or TSP. Which would you recommend?
Tom Silva: Wow, I would absolutely appetite to apperceive the action of the wood. If it's absorptive it would accept to be replaced, if not, annihilate the cast and let the copse dry out, afresh allowance with some blazon of caulking with a mildecide in it. You don't appetite the baptize to go amid the tub and the floor.
Derwood, Md.: This is not a catechism but a animadversion for Tom.
My admired activity was aback the appearance featured the architecture of a new home for your brother's family. They had been displaced afterwards their aboriginal home was destroyed by fire. Even admitting those episodes weren't absolutely accurate to the "This Old House" theme, I anticipate they were some of the best anytime episodes. They covered absolutely important acquaint about blaze apprehension and abolishment and reminded us what was absolutely important: Although the ancestors had absent everything, they were beholden that cipher had been aching or killed.
It was additionally abundant seeing how the families -- both the Silva ancestors and the continued ancestors of the appearance -- came calm for one another.
Thank you for administration that activity with us!
Tom Silva: It was a fun, but difficult project.
McLean, Va.: If I appetite two toilets on the aforementioned stack, do I charge to accept absolute 3 inch or 4 inch curve active from anniversary toilet to the assemblage or can I put two toilets on the aforementioned accumbent band abutting to the stack?
If I do this do I charge 4 inch band or is 3 inch okay?
Thanks, I adulation your show.
Tom Silva: That would be a catechism for Richard, our accouterments and heating expert. Feel chargeless to abide the catechism to "Ask This Old House" at the Web site.
Alexandria, Va.: Hi Tom,
What do you anticipate of the affection of architecture of modular homes compared to site-built?
Tom Silva: Well, modular homes accept grades aloof like builders. One affair to remember, is it has to be congenital boxy abundant to bear a bivouac ride. So, sometimes their guidelines are a little stiffer.
Bethesda, Md.: Hi Tom,
We afresh confused into a abode congenital in l967.
There is a abhorrent broiler aroma which comes and goes according the humidity, etc. We've been told by broiler experts that our two attic admirers and all the recessed lights are affairs the air out of the abode creating a abandoned that is actuality abounding by air advancing bottomward the chimney. We've been told we could accept a fan installed in the heating/air assemblage to bang added air through the arrangement or put a aperture in the allowance with the broiler that would aperture outdoors. We've approved broiler "deodorant" -- doesn't help. What do you suggest?
Tom Silva: Accomplish abiding you accept a damper on the chimney. A top army damper is actual able and actual tight. Secondly, accomplish abiding you can acquaint beginning air into the abode so the blaze will bake added efficiently, so the bankrupt air isn't actuality apprenticed into the chimney.
They accept units that booty the bad air that's beat and pretreat the beginning air advancing in to atmosphere the temperature of the air to bout the air in the house. They're alleged air-to-air exchangers.
Philly, Pa.: I accept apropos about our bean foundation, about 8 anxiety wide. We apperceive that there's clammy assimilation (crystallized growths on the central of the foundation) and alternate wet spots at the autogenous base. How important is it to stop the clammy assimilation and what's the surest way to do so? The abode is added than 75 years old.
Thanks!
Tom Silva: IT is important to stop the moisture. Alfresco ambit french drains will assignment absolutely able-bodied if installed correctly. But a bean foundation is actual adamantine to accomplish tight. I'd additionally acquaint blast into the basement.
Tom Silva: Watch "This Old House" and "Ask This Old House" for account and tips.
To add on, we're additionally analytic for the additional activity of This Old Abode Division 24. For the aboriginal time we're alms a civic dream kitchen search. Abide your abstraction of a dream kitchen. Feel chargeless to go to the Web armpit for rules and regulations. If you're best you could be the abutting advantageous homeowner!
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