Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada takes us on the road to solve a homeowner’s gutter drainage issues. With the same issue in the front and back of the home, Jenn comes up with separate solutions to ensure the homeowner’s yard stays dry and their water runoff is under control.

Next, we talk to a carpenter who believes in giving back to his trade by helping apprentices reach their goals. We talk with him, his employer, and some of the apprentices he’s teaching, highlighting the difference he’s making all around him.

Finally, we head out on a road trip with master electrician Heath Eastman so he can help a homeowner with her ceiling fan issue. Growing tired of the existing ceiling fan, the homeowner would like an updated model, but the existing fan supports are undersized. Heath helps the homeowner by offering a few options and ultimately beefing up the support to install a brand-new, modern ceiling fan.

How to Control Gutter Runoff

Stormwater runoff can be hard to manage with gutters and downspouts alone. And a saturated, soggy yard that soaks the foundation is not a good time. When a homeowner called Ask This Old House for help, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada knew just what to do. Together, they install two gutter runoff control options that will easily control these water challenges and divert water from the foundation.

Where to find it?

Jenn could have tied both gutters together and sent them both to a dry well, but she didn’t want to disturb the homeowner’s garden. She also used the opportunity to show two different solutions:

First, call 811 before you dig. They will mark out any buried utility lines in your work area.

Dry well

Jenn used an NDS downspout adapter to connect the downspout to the extender. The downspouts are different sizes, so make sure you have the correct measurements. She used a piece of 4 in. drainpipe to extend the downspout. Then a 4 in. PVC 90-degree elbow fitting to connect the downspout extension to a 10ft. PVC solid schedule 40 pipe. A perforated pipe can also be used but with the light water runoff, Jenn felt comfortable using a solid pipe. Dig a trench starting at the downspout, about 10 in. and pitch down towards the dry well until it’s about 3 ft. deep.

Popup Emitter

10 feet away from the house, Jenn installed an NDS Flo-Well kit. The PVC pipe goes directly into a 4 in. side panel port on the barrel. They dug a hole that was about 4×4 ft. and 4 ft. deep. She layered about 8-10 inches of ¾ in. crushed stone at the bottom and around the dry well for drainage. Landscape fabric was added on top of the lid of the barrel. A 4 in. NDS surface drain inlet with a grate was added to the top of the dry well.

Celebrating Craftsmanship | Lasana Harper

We celebrate Lasana Harper: A lead carpenter at Kevin Cradock Builders, Inc. While being a craftsman, he also fulfills a more important role: a mentor to other budding carpenters.

How to Replace a Ceiling Fan

Ceiling fans are significantly heavier than the average light fixture. This is due to their motors and controls as well as different wiring, fan blades, and other parts. They can’t hang from a simple light fixture bracket, as they’re too heavy and vibrate during use. When a homeowner faced this issue during a ceiling fan upgrade project, master electrician Heath Eastman knew just what to do.

Where to find it?

After shutting the power off to the ceiling fan, disassemble the fan and blades with a screwdriver. Disconnect the wires from the fan—the hot, the neutral, and the ground. From the attic, while wearing gloves, pull back any insulation over the joist bay.

Using a hammer and a pry bar remove the bar box. You may need to use a drill driver depending on how secure it is.

To install the replacement ceiling fan, slide the fan box into place from below. Pull the NM cable through the opening in the fan box. Hand tighten the bars until the arms of the fan box are firmly secured to the joists. Using screws and a screwdriver wire the new fan and secure it to the fan box. Assemble new fan blades.

Original Air Date: Oct 31, 2024, Season 23; Ep. 6 23:42

Products and services from this episode

• Special thanks: Kevin Cradock Builders, Inc.