ion_avenger
09-28-2009, 06:47 PM
'Ask This Old House' solves local couple's plumbing problem
By WALT BELCHER | The Tampa Tribune
Published: September 24, 2009
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/sep/24/ask-old-house-solves-davis-islands-homeowners-plum/news-breaking/
When James Huang submitted an online question to the "Ask This Old House" Web site about clogged water lines in his house, he expected an e-mail answer.
"I never expected that they would come to my house," says Huang whose plumbing problems will be featured on the PBS series.
Richard Trethewey, the plumbing and heating expert on the how-to home repair program, and a five-
member film crew spent several hours Wednesday at Huang's Davis Islands home.
"We are so grateful because they really helped us," says his wife Grace H. Yang.
Huang is a surgeon at Tampa General Hospital. Yang is an attorney. They say they are fans of the long-running series.
Huang says he probably would have eventually solved the problem or hired professional help but this was a pleasant surprise.
The problem at their home turned out to be a malfunctioning water softener that was leaking resin into the pipes. The toilets were backed up and some pipes were packed solid with resin.
"And the problem was getting serious; we had the resin coming out of the faucets and the toilets wouldn't flush," says Yang.
Prior to taping the segment, the "Ask This Old House" producers contacted a local water softener company to make a diagnosis. Rick Johnson of Culligan Water Systems helped with the repairs and will be seen on the program.
Trethewey, who owns a plumbing consulting firm near Boston, was in Tampa this week as part of the series occasional road trips.
"We do most of the programs in the Boston area but every season we make 'house calls' and we picked Tampa because the PBS stations here WEDU and WUSF are good supporters of our productions," Trethewey said.
On Tuesday, Trethewey made a public appearance on behalf of WEDU, Channel 3, at a Home Depot on North. Dale Mabry Highway. "We had a good crowd, about 200, and they all kinds of questions," he said.
Trethewey says the Huang-Yang home was picked by the producers and it probably was selected because they wanted to do a segment on water softeners.
"We get all kinds of requests, hundreds of them, and people will send candy, flowers and everything else to get us to come to their homes," he says.
Trethewey and crew also installed a ductless air conditioner in a garage in Gibsonton for a homeowner. "I can see why he wanted to cool off because it's a lot hotter in Tampa than it is in Boston," he says. "And working in a 100 degree garage was not easy."
Both segments will probably air early in 2010, says producer Jason White. It took most of the day to film the water softener segment.
"It takes us twice or three times as long to make a repair because we have to get the sound and lighting just right and we will do a scene over and over until it's right," he says.
A new season of "Ask This Old House" debuts on Oct. 17 at 11:30 a.m. on WEDU, Channel 3.
"Ask This Old House" also features host Kevin O'Connor and landscape contractor Roger Cook and various guest experts.
The program is a spin-off of the long-running "This Old House" which began in 1979.
Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813) 259-7654
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/sep/24/ask-old-house-solves-davis-islands-homeowners-plum/news-breaking/
By WALT BELCHER | The Tampa Tribune
Published: September 24, 2009
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/sep/24/ask-old-house-solves-davis-islands-homeowners-plum/news-breaking/
When James Huang submitted an online question to the "Ask This Old House" Web site about clogged water lines in his house, he expected an e-mail answer.
"I never expected that they would come to my house," says Huang whose plumbing problems will be featured on the PBS series.
Richard Trethewey, the plumbing and heating expert on the how-to home repair program, and a five-
member film crew spent several hours Wednesday at Huang's Davis Islands home.
"We are so grateful because they really helped us," says his wife Grace H. Yang.
Huang is a surgeon at Tampa General Hospital. Yang is an attorney. They say they are fans of the long-running series.
Huang says he probably would have eventually solved the problem or hired professional help but this was a pleasant surprise.
The problem at their home turned out to be a malfunctioning water softener that was leaking resin into the pipes. The toilets were backed up and some pipes were packed solid with resin.
"And the problem was getting serious; we had the resin coming out of the faucets and the toilets wouldn't flush," says Yang.
Prior to taping the segment, the "Ask This Old House" producers contacted a local water softener company to make a diagnosis. Rick Johnson of Culligan Water Systems helped with the repairs and will be seen on the program.
Trethewey, who owns a plumbing consulting firm near Boston, was in Tampa this week as part of the series occasional road trips.
"We do most of the programs in the Boston area but every season we make 'house calls' and we picked Tampa because the PBS stations here WEDU and WUSF are good supporters of our productions," Trethewey said.
On Tuesday, Trethewey made a public appearance on behalf of WEDU, Channel 3, at a Home Depot on North. Dale Mabry Highway. "We had a good crowd, about 200, and they all kinds of questions," he said.
Trethewey says the Huang-Yang home was picked by the producers and it probably was selected because they wanted to do a segment on water softeners.
"We get all kinds of requests, hundreds of them, and people will send candy, flowers and everything else to get us to come to their homes," he says.
Trethewey and crew also installed a ductless air conditioner in a garage in Gibsonton for a homeowner. "I can see why he wanted to cool off because it's a lot hotter in Tampa than it is in Boston," he says. "And working in a 100 degree garage was not easy."
Both segments will probably air early in 2010, says producer Jason White. It took most of the day to film the water softener segment.
"It takes us twice or three times as long to make a repair because we have to get the sound and lighting just right and we will do a scene over and over until it's right," he says.
A new season of "Ask This Old House" debuts on Oct. 17 at 11:30 a.m. on WEDU, Channel 3.
"Ask This Old House" also features host Kevin O'Connor and landscape contractor Roger Cook and various guest experts.
The program is a spin-off of the long-running "This Old House" which began in 1979.
Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813) 259-7654
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/sep/24/ask-old-house-solves-davis-islands-homeowners-plum/news-breaking/