Ep 14. Dimmer Switch Troubleshooting, Clothes Rack

In season 21 episode 14 of Ask This Old House, titled "Dimmer Switch Troubleshooting, Clothes Rack," the team tackles two different home improvement projects.

First, the show's resident electrician Scott Caron helps a homeowner troubleshoot a problem with her dimmer switch. The switch is connected to several overhead lights in her living room, but it's not behaving as it should - sometimes the lights dim when they're not supposed to, and sometimes they don't dim when they're supposed to. Scott walks the homeowner through some basic diagnostic steps, like checking the bulbs and the wiring connections, and eventually identifies the problem as a faulty switch. He shows her how to replace the old switch with a new one and tests everything to make sure it's working correctly.

Next, carpenter Nathan Gilbert helps another homeowner who's looking to build a custom clothes rack. The homeowner doesn't have a lot of closet space, so she wants to create a hanging rack that can hold multiple items of clothing in a small amount of space. Nathan guides her through the design process, and they settle on a simple, elegant rack made from some basic plumbing supplies. They take a trip to the home improvement store to pick up the needed materials, and then Nathan assembles the rack on-site in the homeowner's bedroom. Along the way, he explains some basic principles of carpentry and metalworking and offers some advice on how to adapt the design to suit any space or taste.

Throughout the episode, the team offers plenty of helpful tips and tricks for DIYers of all skill levels. Whether you're dealing with a finicky dimmer switch or looking for some creative storage solutions, Ask This Old House has you covered.