This Old House

East Boston | Local Heroes

Master carpenter Norm Abram and host Kevin O'Connor open the show steps away from the project house at a little-known monument to a local pilot who sacrificed his life to save the neighborhood in 1954. Kevin helps general contractor Tom Silva pull up the second floor front deck to examine the structure and make the necessary repairs. They find extensive rot, colonies of active carpenter ants, and insufficient structure due to years of misguided repairs. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs new thermostatic valves that will allow the homeowners greater flexibility and control of their heating systems. Norm shows homeowner Chris Flynn how to remove a broken stained glass window, while Kevin visits the Brookline studio of stained glass artist and restorer Emanuel Genovese to see how the window is repaired. Landscape contractor Roger Cook brings in certified arborist Matt Foti to prune the street tree both up and down, in order to allow more light and water views into both the first and second floor apartments.