{"podcast":{"title":"This Old House Radio Hour","slug":"this-old-house-radio-hour-7435754","podcast_index_feed_id":7435754,"rss_url":"https://pdrl.fm/53c558/feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/this-old-house-radio-hour","website_url":"https://www.apmdistribution.org/","image_url":"https://img.apmcdn.org/beea7c996fbe10487314ad67d941c1a77bcbf26b/uncropped/8610bd-20250306-this-old-house-radio-hour-2000.jpg","author":"American Public Media","episode_count":72,"summary":"This Old House has been America’s most trusted source for home improvement, expert renovation advice, and DIY inspiration for over 40 years. Now, that trusted guidance comes to your ears with This Old House Radio Hour—a weekly home improvement podcast designed to help homeowners, renters, and renovators take better care of the places they live. Hosted by This Old House editor Jenn Largesse, and featuring fan-favorite experts like Zack Dettmore (general contractor), Richard Trethewey (plumbing and HVAC specialist), and Jenn Nawada (landscape designer), each episode offers practical, step-by-step solutions to real home improvement problems. Listeners can expect weekly episodes packed with actionable advice on everything from plumbing and electrical upgrades to bathroom remodels, basement waterproofing, HVAC maintenance, flooring installation, window repair, insulation tips, and more. We answer listener questions, break down renovation techniques, and spotlight smart fixes for everyday challenges. Whether you're a first-time DIYer, a seasoned weekend warrior, or just trying to make sense of home maintenance, This Old House Radio Hour is your go-to podcast for trusted home improvement…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-26T06:23:50.076347+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-old-house-radio-hour-7435754"},"episode":{"title":"Plug-and-Play Solar + A Refugee Family’s Blue House + A $39K Historic Steal","slug":"plug-and-play-solar-a-refugee-family-s-blue-house-a-39k-historic-steal","published_at":"2026-03-10T07:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-old-house-radio-hour-7435754/plug-and-play-solar-a-refugee-family-s-blue-house-a-39k-historic-steal","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-old-house-radio-hour-7435754","url":"https://pdrl.fm/53c558/pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/play.publicradio.org/podcast/o/americanpublicmedia/podcasts/this_old_house_radio_hour/episodes/2026/03/10/thisoldhouseradiohour_51_20260310_128.mp3?awCollectionId=apm-TOHRH&awEpisodeId=01KK1S2QBNKXW0622KASXVM3EG","audio_url":"https://pdrl.fm/53c558/pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/play.publicradio.org/podcast/o/americanpublicmedia/podcasts/this_old_house_radio_hour/episodes/2026/03/10/thisoldhouseradiohour_51_20260310_128.mp3?awCollectionId=apm-TOHRH&awEpisodeId=01KK1S2QBNKXW0622KASXVM3EG","summary":"Energy bills are climbing, but a new wave of “plug and play” solar is making it easier for homeowners and renters to start generating their own power without a full rooftop install. Then, author Kao Kalia Yang takes us inside the drafty blue St. Paul duplex that helped her refugee family redefine what “home” could be. Plus, Cheap Old Houses spotlights an 1895 shingle-style Victorian in Arkansas for under $40,000, and the team breaks down what’s charming, what’s risky, and how historic tax credits can help bring a place like this back to life. In This Episode You’ll Learn: * How chain-drive garage door openers compare to belt-drive models, and what’s involved in switching (8:37) * What might cause eerie “whistling” in plumbing after you shut off a faucet, and a simple test to diagnose it (14:19) * Whether salvaging vintage windows for a period home is worth the effort, and how to shop for historically appropriate modern replacements (21:07) * How to prioritize foundation and HVAC concerns when you’re also planning a future addition or major renovation (26:00)","meta_description":"Energy bills are climbing, but a new wave of “plug and play” solar is making it easier for homeowners and renters to start generating their own power with…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3091,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/this-old-house-radio-hour-7435754/episodes/plug-and-play-solar-a-refugee-family-s-blue-house-a-39k-historic-steal/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-old-house-radio-hour-7435754/plug-and-play-solar-a-refugee-family-s-blue-house-a-39k-historic-steal.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}