Heating & Cooling How To & DIY
Improve the value of your home by discovering our heating & cooling step-by-step tips & ideas.
How to Install DIY Radiant Floor Heating
Use a specialized foam panel to lock the PEX tubing in place, cover it with a sand-and-cement mix, and tile away.
How To Zone a Forced Air Furnace and Air Conditioner
Control temperatures in different rooms according to comfort level by following our guide and instructional video to zoning your HVAC system.
How to Install a Whole House Humidifier
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how a professional would install a whole-house humidifier.
How to Repair a Frozen Air Conditioner
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how to prevent ice buildup from shutting down an air-conditioning system.
How to Insulate HVAC Ductwork
Watch as This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner insulate his exposed HVAC ductwork.
How To Install a Ductless Heat Pump
This Old House's Richard Trethewey and Kevin O'Connor install a ductless heat pump to heat and cool a 700-square-foot room.
How To Diagnose Leaks in a Steam Boiler
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps locate the leak on a steam boiler that's losing water.
How to Smartify Your Home
Better to buy a hub or stand-alone devices? Sign up with the cable company? Get a Wi-Fi dog camera? Find answers to these and other questions in our connected-home guide of picks and expert advice
How To Install an Electric Whole-House Fan in Your Home
A whole-house fan is an AC alternative that can cool your home. Our guide and video explain how to install one in your house.
How to Heat a Swimming Pool with an Air Conditioner
Are you looking for an affordable way to heat your swimming pool year-round? Here's how you can use your HVAC system to do so.
How to Clean a Window Air Conditioner
Stay cool and save money with five simple tasks—most done just once a year—that ensure your unit keeps working efficiently.
How to Install a Combination Boiler and Hot Water Heater
Replace two devices, your water heater and boiler, with a single combi boiler unit that’s more efficient and compact.
How To Install a Wireless Thermostat
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner install a wireless thermostat to control one zone of heating.
How To Clean a Humidifier
Protect your health and improve humidifier efficiency by learning how to clean and maintain your device properly. Read on to learn more.
Step By Step Guide to Installing a Mini-Split AC Heat Pump
Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains the process of installing a mini split heat pump in your home to save money and energy.
How to Install a Wood-Burning Fireplace Insert
Richard Trethewey and an expert installer show you how to install a fireplace insert that increases heat output and decreases cost.
How To Replace a Direct Vent Water Heater
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how to install a new water heater without a chimney.
How To Install a Pellet Stove
In this guide, we show you how to add a pellet stove as a supplementary, efficient heat source to your house step-by-step.
How To Create Zones in a Forced-Air HVAC System
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how to control the temperature in every room of the house.
How To Install a Fiberglass Entry Door
This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows how to upgrade an entryway with a brand-new, low-maintenance, energy-efficient door.
How To Seal Windows and Doors for Winter
Keep your family warm this winter. Tom Silva shows you how to stop cold air from coming through windows and doors.
How to Install Weather-Sensitive Heating Controls
Save energy and stay cozy by linking your system to the outside temperatures
How to Weatherstrip a Front Door
This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shares his fast fixes for a drafty door
How To Choose a Thermostat for Home Automation System
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains how home automation delivers comfort, convenience, and energy savings.
How to Weatherstrip an Exterior Door
Drafty doors are no match for new weatherstripping. Learn how to remove and replace old weatherstripping with This Old House's Tom Silva.
How to Quiet a Noisy Baseboard Heater
Silencing a rattling metal heating unit with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey
How to Install a Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioner
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains how the pros retrofit a compact cooling unit.
How To Vent a Bath Fan Through the Roof
A good bathroom vent fan can help cut down on moisture and poor air quality. Here's everything you need to know to install one yourself.
How To Repair a Whistling and Leaky Steam Radiator
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how to fix a leaky, squeaky steam radiator.
How To Install Radiant Heat
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how to retrofit an old home with new under-floor heat.
How To Repair Radiator Air-Vent Threads in 5 Simple Steps
Watch as This Old House plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey shows how to cut threads for a new radiator air vent.
How to Manage Heat Gain and Loss Year Round
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shares tips for saving energy throughout the year.