Bob Vila and project architect Michael Pierce brainstorm ideas for this small condo with a great view of Biscayne Bay. The condo, a collection of closets and closed spaces, is a pearl in the oyster, just waiting to be opened up. The interior is dark because of the closed space and the navy carpeting that absorbs rather than reflects the light that enters. Pierce suggests bringing the outside in and creating an open loft appearance if the tenant board allows. He also advises flattening the popcorn ceiling to make it smooth like the roof of the balcony so it will reflect more light. Pierce's outlook for this small space is a theme of light and views.

Jack Murdock from RMI and Craig Ryans from Vermont Castings of Mississauga, Ontario, demonstrate how simple it is to have gas appliances and heat in a rural location. With a 500 gallon underground or exterior tank, enough fuel is stored on site for most common uses and requires just a few fill ups a year. The stove being installed, a Vermont Castings product, uses a direct vent technology that draws no interior air to aid in combustion. The unit pulls air in from outside through a cylinder pipe and releases exhausts outside as a typical furnace would. Gas appliances and heat function during power failures, although electric fans that circulate the heat will not work without an auxillary power supply. The fireplace installed in the Modular Mountain Retreat project home will provide 30,000 BTUs of heat. A realistic ceramic grate burner and ceramic logs enhance the fireplace�s look.

Bob meets a project manager to discuss the repairing of the U.S.S. Constitution, �Old Ironsides�, dry-docked in the Boston Harbor. The old masts are being replaced with laminated Douglas fir. All of the material used in the repairs is from Native American stock. Much of the wood is milled on site including 40-foot oak hull timbers. The rigging is also being replaced and additional hull supports are being added to increase longitudinal strength. They review the 21-inch thick hull walls, the timbers in the keel and the copper plating on the outside of the hull.

Bob talks with Dan Driscoll of Rinnai about the new on-demand water heater being installed. Driscoll explains that the heater is a whole-house system sized for a three-bathroom household, laundry, and cleaning. An on-demand, tankless water heater is energy efficient because it does not store hot water. Eliminating the tank also saves basement space. The unit can run three showers simultaneously with a flow rate of 5.3 gallons per minute and no drop in hot water delivery. The water heater has a moveable controller on the side so that the temperature of the hot water can be adjusted from anywhere in the home. Driscoll opens up the water heater to show how the system works. Once the water is turned on, sensors detect the amount of water being used and the temperature of the incoming cold water. The system adjusts the gas burner to meet the set temperature. Driscoll shows Bob the dual-chamber sealed-combustion PVC pipe that brings combustion air through the outside chamber and exhausts fumes through an inner tube. The on-demand system is about 40% more efficient than gas-fueled tank water heaters and 70% more efficient than electric tank water heaters.

…heat, water and weather conditions. Outside, it can help protect areas around windows…
…temperature extremes so they perform well outside. White Lightning® Caulks and Sealants…
…caulk windows & doors on the inside AND outside. Check around your home's foundation…

…installed in an attic, flush with the ceiling of the house. When outside temperatures are cooler than inside temperatures (usually…
…morning hours, a whole house fan operates by bringing cooler outside air into your home. Traditional whole house fans are noisy…

…the cellar, for the stars of summer often look pretty ratty during winter. One trick when bringing in houseplants from outside is to douse them well with insecticide before you bring them in. (It helps to put a b! ig plastic dry cleaners bag over…

…drafty windows and doors, don t just fill the gaps on the outside, says home renovation and remodeling consultant Dean Bennett…
…Raddenbach of Chimney Balloon suggests clearing the lint from the outside dryer vent. Make sure the flap closes completely when the…

…dirt being tracked into the house by putting mats inside and outside your entrances and encouraging family members to take off their…
…polishing to rejuvenate the surface. Cleaning Exterior Stone Outside, stone is exposed to natural elements and traffic. Stone…

…the molding along the line. Cut just outside the scribed line with a table saw or jig…
…wall is just slightly higher than the outside line. The idea is to have a smooth…
…of the molding and cut the molding just outside of the line. Later, we ll trim the cut…