The This Old House Hour
Season 11
TV-G
The first half hour of the series continues This Old House. The second half hour, Ask This Old House, features host Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook as they address home maintenance and repair questions. Also featured are in-studio demonstrations, new product reviews, "house call" visits, and guest specialists, including master carpenter Norm Abram.
Where to Watch Season 11
26 Episodes
- Cambridge ProjectE1
Episode 1Cambridge ProjectSeason 11 opens in Cambridge, Mass., where the conversion of an 1887 Victorian-era two-family house into a single-family home commences. A look at the yard turns up a few surprises; an energy audit reveals the need for efficiency upgrades; and a deconstruction expert is brought in to help with the removal of old and unneeded house parts. Also: how to customize stock shelving; and install a new washing-machine valve. - Getting Around in CambridgeE5
Episode 5Getting Around in CambridgeKevin O'Connor bikes to work on a vintage bicycle; how the steps to the roof deck were removed. Also: tackling the stump left from the old maple; keeping the ducts out of the roof rafter bays in order to save space for insulation; hiding the air handler in a hall closet. In the second half: planting palm trees; replacing an old heating system-hot water heater with a single, more efficient unit. - Cambridge ProjectE6
Episode 6Cambridge ProjectRepointing the foundation; repairing the front porch; rebuilding a porch railing; detailing the fire blocking and fire caulking. Also: the Community Rowing organization of Massachusetts, which makes rowing on the Charles River available to everyone. In the second half: a visit to New York highlights a scale model of the city in Queens; and shows how to install task lighting in a dark kitchen and add a cable-railing system to a deck. - Old and New in HarmonyE7
Episode 7Old and New in HarmonyThe concrete front walk is replaced with a bluestone design; the modifications to the replacement windows are explained; paint prep begins. In the second half: installing a new kitchen sink and faucet; adding insulated sidelights to a front door. - Melting PotE8
Episode 8Melting PotA visit to Japan Town in Cambridge, Mass.; a look at the exterior trim; how the clapboards are being placed in a way that will let them dry out. Also: creating a staggered shingle pattern; adding floor-warming radiant heat to the first floor; installing a condensing boiler. In the second half: installing a vinyl privacy fence; replacing a clogged shower valve. - Hot StuffE9
Episode 9Hot StuffTinted primer is applied with airless sprayers; the second-floor windows are trimmed; the custom copper half-round gutters are installed; the zero-clearance fireplace insert is examined. In the second half: adding interior window trim; installing a device that will heat a swimming pool using the excess heat produced by a central air conditioner. - Cambridge 2012: Swedish DetailsE10
Episode 10Cambridge 2012: Swedish DetailsThe house is spray-painted yellow; the windows are trimmed with a custom detail; custom copper half-round gutters and a Danish wood-burning fireplace are installed. Also: commercial-grade cooking appliances. In the second half: mulching a garden bed; installing a natural gas line for a barbecue grill. - Cambridge 2012: Window Seat, Stairs, Knee WallsE11
Episode 11Cambridge 2012: Window Seat, Stairs, Knee WallsGranite steps are installed; a window seat is built; MDF doors are disguised as wainscoting; the treads and newel cap on the stairs are worked on; the pine ceiling accents are whitewashed and lacquered. In the second half: using hand planes; repairing a cracked stone walkway. - Cambridge 2012: Rounding the CornerE12
Episode 12Cambridge 2012: Rounding the CornerPlastic dry wells are installed to prevent the yard from flooding during heavy rains; the new cabinets are examined. Also: thermostats that program themselves; deck tiles that go over the previous tiles. In the second half: adding a ceiling fan to a cathedral ceiling; installing a water softener. - Cambridge 2012: Hearthstone, Waterfall Island TopE13
Episode 13Cambridge 2012: Hearthstone, Waterfall Island TopPlants are brought inside despite rain; the hearth and wood box are lined with rustic sandstone; wall-mounted lavatory faucets are installed. Also: fabricating the huge butcher block countertop. In the second half: temporarily moving a mature rose bush; replacing old outdoor lighting with new fixtures. - Cambridge 2012: Secondary SpacesE14
Episode 14Cambridge 2012: Secondary SpacesThe driveway, walk-in closets, home automation and powder-room wallpaper are highlighted; a workbench is built. Also: local glass artist Carrie Gustafson shows how she's making the foyer light. In the second half: restoring terrazzo floors; repairing a cracked floor joist. - Cambridge 2012: The Big FinishE15
Episode 15Cambridge 2012: The Big FinishThe Cambridge project finale highlights the landscape and a vintage doorbell in the foyer. Also: color additions accent the white Scandinavian modern interior. In the second half: installing a toilet; driving eye screws; patching a lawn with grass seed. - Essex 2012-13: A Cottage in the WoodE16
Episode 16Essex 2012-13: A Cottage in the WoodThe conversion of a 1935 Essex, Mass., cottage into a residence for aging parents commences. Included: architect Sally DeGan previews the plan. In the second half: hanging a flat panel TV on the wall and concealing all the wiring; controling insect pests without using pesticides. - Essex 2012-13: Human Centered Design, and DemoE17
Episode 17Essex 2012-13: Human Centered Design, and DemoThe Institute for Human Centered Design in Boston and one of architect Sally DeGan's accessibly designed projects are visited. On the project site, a bad shed dormer is removed and work starts on a barrier-free entry. In the second half: maintaining kitchen appliances; installing a rain gutter, downspout and rain barrel. - Essex 2012-13: One-Level LivingE18
Episode 18Essex 2012-13: One-Level LivingKeeping water out of the house through flashing and water-table techniques; designing the grade for a barrier-free entry. In the second half: building a storage bench for an entryway; soldering copper pipes; maintaining an overgrown perennial garden. - Essex 2012-13: Liquid AssetsE19
Episode 19Essex 2012-13: Liquid AssetsReviving a neglected water feature; drilling for a new water well and geothermal wells; bending a PVC conduit to run the new electrical service underground. In the second half: caring for orchids as houseplants; installing a kitchen wall cabinet. - Essex 2012-13: Cottage StyleE20
Episode 20Essex 2012-13: Cottage StyleGeothermal bore holes are filled and grouted; shingles are woven around a corner for a cottage look; custom PVC window trim is milled and installed. In the second half: harvesting corn; insulating ductwork; and maintaining clothes washers and dryers. - Essex 2012-13: Clam Flats & Lightning RodsE21
Episode 21Essex 2012-13: Clam Flats & Lightning RodsGranite and bluestone are used to finish the barrier-free walk that leads to the house; the standing-seam metal roof is installed, with creative ducting and plumbing minimizing the number of holes that need to go through it. In the second half: installing a ductless heat pump; discussing LED lighting; selecting houseplants for different situations; driving eye screws. - Essex 2012-13: Rustic Plaster, Advanced SepticE22
Episode 22Essex 2012-13: Rustic Plaster, Advanced SepticThe Old World look of the walls is completed with rustic plaster and old beams; a self-contained membrane bioreactor septic system is installed in the basement; the driveway is adorned with a granite and cobble border. In the second half: solving a mystery of melted vinyl siding; conducting a whole-house energy audit. - Essex 2012/13: Wooden Ships & Shiplap BoardsE23
Episode 23Essex 2012/13: Wooden Ships & Shiplap BoardsThe last shipyard in Essex, Mass., is visited; a home with accessible retrofits is toured. Also: building shiplap barn-board walls and a mantel; examining the finished yard; laying out the reclaimed tile hearth. In the second half: safely using ladders; replacing a three-handle shower valve with a single-handle anti-scald valve. - Essex 2012/13: From Our House to Daryl's HouseE24
Episode 24Essex 2012/13: From Our House to Daryl's HouseExterior details help bring the outside into the sunroom; the look of the original cottage is revived with parged plaster, salvaged hearth tile and stained quarter-sawn oak floors. Also: visiting Daryl Hall at his antique home and studio. In the second half: installing surge protectors; cutting and shaping rocks for hardscaping projects. - Essex 2012/13: Design for EveryoneE25
Episode 25Essex 2012/13: Design for EveryoneThe geothermal system's installation is recapped; reclaimed marble tile is used in the foyer; and custom-ordered, hand-painted border tile is used in the kitchen. Also: a tour of the Seattle home of architect Emory Baldwin. In the second half: making and installing custom concrete countertops; making watertight connections without soldering; demonstrated cordless landscape tools. - Essex 2012/13: A Home for Mom & DadE26
Episode 26Essex 2012/13: A Home for Mom & DadThe Season 11 finale tours the cottage after the installation of interior screens and a Dutch door. In the second half: servicing subway trains; painting kitchen cabinets; estimating landscape material by the cubic yard; installing a smart thermostat.