Tech Radar’s Lance Ulanoff reveals the one smart home upgrade that truly changes how your house functions—and it’s not what you think. Plus, Daryl Hall gives a tour of his 1787 farmhouse, and our experts answer your calls on noisy windows, wobbly railings, and cracked concrete floors.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The one smart home upgrade worth investing in—and how it actually works (1:00)

What to do if your stair railing is wobbly and unsafe (09:05)

How to block out highway noise with an interior storm window (20:16)

The best way to fix and seal a powdery, cracked concrete floor (26:11)

How Daryl Hall restored his 1787 farmhouse—and what it taught him about (32:49)

Keywords: #SmartHomeUpgrade #SmartThermostat #SmartHomePrivacy #DarylHallHouse #ThisOldHousePodcast #HistoricHomeTour #DIYHomeRepair #NoisyWindowsFix #CrackedConcreteFloor #StairRailingRepair

Designer Stacey Lapuk shares how to reinvent your home post-divorce—creating spaces that reflect who you are now, not who you used to be. Plus, we dig into generator basics, haunted house tales from cartoon voice legend Billy West, and DIY fixes for rusted beams, drawer upgrades, and countertop repairs.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How to redesign your home after divorce or heartbreak (0:55)
What to know before buying a generator (portable vs. standby) (40:21)
Whether rust on steel beams is a structural issue—or just cosmetic (8:05)
If soft-close drawers can be added to existing cabinetry (17:43)
The best way to fix chips in cultured marble countertops (23:07)

#breakupdesign #postdivorcehome #generatorbuyingguide #rustrepair #softclosedrawers #culturedmarblefix #BillyWest #ThisOldHouseRadioHour #hauntedhouse #billywest #futurama #renandstimpy

All of this, plus we’re answering your home improvement questions at 877-This Old House Radio Hour! — That’s (877) 864-7460.

This week on This Old House Radio Hour, we’re talking about something you can’t see but definitely feel: the air inside your home. Kenneth Mendez, president of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, shares the smartest, science-backed ways to improve indoor air quality—from high-heat laundry to HEPA vacuums—and explains why your bedroom might be the most important place to start.

Then, The Splendid Table’s Francis Lam takes us back to the New Jersey home of his childhood. With vivid stories of birthday parties, incense-filled kitchens, and Hardy Boys books read in a mirror-covered living room, Francis reflects on how homes carry our deepest identities and contradictions.

We also help callers tackle squeaky floors, stubborn drafts, mismatched temperatures, and that infamous 1970s gold bathtub. Plus, a fresh edition of House Rules and a real estate segment from Cheap Old Houses featuring a tiny Gothic summer cottage and a quirky Kansas gem for under $55,000.

All this, plus a “Simple Fix” from Tom Silva that will stop your window drafts cold.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

How to reduce indoor allergens room-by-room (0:55)

Where to place air purifiers for maximum impact (3:56)

Tips for dealing with uneven heating in split-level homes (17:13)

How to fix squeaky wood floors with a DIY plug-and-glue method (22:49)

When that faint stain on your drywall means trouble—and when it doesn’t (27:53)