We meet host Kevin O’Connor and master electrician Heath Eastman in the shop as they talk about generators. Heath explains that the homeowner’s needs determine the best type of generator for their home. Heath also teaches Kevin about the different sizes, fuel sources, and some battery alternatives.
Next, Kevin meets landscape contractor Jenn Nawada at the shop for a lesson in worm farming. Jenn shows Kevin how to make a three-bucket worm farming setup that will produce rich compost that he can use to feed his garden.
Finally, paint expert Mauro Henrique takes us on a road trip to help a homeowner paint her front door. The two get to work filling holes and patching missing trim before sanding, priming, and painting the door. They use an exterior-grade oil paint for a look that really pops against the home’s brick exterior.
Simple Guide for Selecting a Home Generator
Master electrician Heath Eastman discusses what factors to consider when selecting a generator, such as fuel or electrical load, and the options that are available.
Where to find it?
Portable Generator: a plug-in generator with a gas tank that can be hooked up to the system’s main panel and manually operated during a power outage.
Automatic Standby Generator: a hard-wired unit that permanently lives as a structure next to the house, like an HVAC compressor, and automatically switches over to generator power in the event of a power outage.
For fully electric houses, options include getting a portable generator and keeping it filled and maintained with gas. Another option is getting a solar and a battery storage system.
How to Create a Worm Farm
Jenn Nawada shares how earthworms can contribute to both a compost pile and the overall health of a garden. She shares steps to build a worm composter using three 5-gallon plastic buckets. Worm farming or vermicomposting is the process of using worms to transform organic kitchen waste into an organic fertilizer.
Where to find it?
Start by drilling 3/16-inch holes in the bottom of two of the 5-gallon plastic buckets, roughly an inch apart. The third bucket will act as a catch basin to collect excess moisture. In both buckets that have bottom holes, drill 1/8-inch holes through the top of the buckets around the circumference.
Drill 1/8-inch holes through the bucket lid. These holes provide proper airflow needed to help break down the food scraps. Assemble the vermicompost bin by stacking one bucket with holes inside the bucket without holes.
Build the bedding by adding 3 inches of damp shredded newspaper and/or cardboard. Shredding or ripping the bedding into small pieces makes the digestion process easier for the worms. The bedding material should be soaked in water. Squeeze out excess water until the bedding is damp like a rung-out sponge.
Once the bedding is in, add in the vermicomposting worms and put the lid on the bucket. Red wigglers or red worms are a popular choice because they digest half of their weight in a single day and thrive in a compost environment.
How to Paint a Front Door
Mauro Henrique travels to Oklahoma to help a homeowner paint her old front door without taking it off of the hinges.
Where to find it?
To protect the glass and door hardware, Mauro carefully covers the glass with sheeting and adds painter’s tape over the hardware. To protect the surrounding area, Mauro lays out a drop cloth onto the floor.
Mauro uses a small metal putty knife to fill in large cracks with wood filler. After allowing the wood filler to dry fully, Mauro sands the entire door with 220 fine-grit sandpaper. To remove dust particles, Mauro wipes the door with tack cloth.
Mauro paints on the base tinted primer. To paint the door, Mauro uses an exterior semi-gloss paint. Mauro applies two coats of paint with nylon 2” angled and 4” brushes.
Special thanks to Tulsa Remote and Jasmine Teer.
Original Air Date: Jan 4, 2023, Season 22; Ep. 9 23:42