WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:04.040 KFI AM six forty. You're listening to Dean Sharp the 2 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:06.160 House Whisper on demand. 3 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.039 On the iHeart Radio app. 4 00:00:09.720 --> 00:00:15.119 Dean Sharp the House Whisper Live every Saturday and Sunday morning. Hey, 5 00:00:15.160 --> 00:00:17.640 follow us on social media. We only do the good 6 00:00:17.719 --> 00:00:22.120 kind of social media. I promise you the uplifting, informative 7 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:27.679 and inspiring kind. We're on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, x at 8 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:30.719 Home with Dean on all of them, just straight across 9 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:33.439 the board. That's all you have to remember. Home with 10 00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:38.799 Dean And just another reminder. Today the last day to 11 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:42.640 sign up for next week's Holiday Home Show, a live 12 00:00:42.759 --> 00:00:46.399 audience event that you can be invited to right here 13 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:50.359 at iHeart Studios in Burbank, and we're going to fill 14 00:00:50.439 --> 00:00:53.119 up the helpful Honda Lounge. It's going to be a 15 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:57.159 lot of fun special guests. Al Dick Home is sponsoring it. 16 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:01.240 They're going to decorate one of their acculate Christmas trees 17 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:03.799 right before our eyes during the show and then give 18 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:07.000 it away to a lucky audience member. All of that 19 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:11.480 happening a week from today, and today is the last 20 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:13.879 day that you can enter to win. All you have 21 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:17.719 to do on social media is go to our Instagram 22 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:20.959 or our Facebook page Home with Dean. You'll find the 23 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:23.120 holiday post right at the top. All you have to 24 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:26.400 do is comment and say, hey, I would love a 25 00:01:26.519 --> 00:01:30.000 chance to win a seat you and a plus one. 26 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:32.280 By the way, that's how we give the seats away, 27 00:01:32.359 --> 00:01:34.239 so you don't have to come along, you and your 28 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:39.920 plus one. And if you've already entered, check your messages 29 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:44.439 on Instagram and Facebook, because we very well may have 30 00:01:44.599 --> 00:01:47.879 reached out to you already to notify you, and you 31 00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:50.400 only have till the end of today to get back 32 00:01:50.439 --> 00:01:53.840 to us to confirm that you want to go. So 33 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:56.439 there you go. All right, that's all happening next week. 34 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:00.359 Very exciting. All right, it is time to go to 35 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:06.719 the phones. Let's talk to Let's talk to Rick. Hey, Rick, 36 00:02:07.239 --> 00:02:08.159 welcome home. 37 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:15.400 Hello, and good morning. I have a electrical transformer in 38 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:20.960 my backyard. There's one every five houses. I've had the 39 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:24.840 DWP come out and they did a two week test 40 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:30.439 on it. It does operate within its margins. I also 41 00:02:30.520 --> 00:02:33.240 called eight hundred dig because I want to put up 42 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:36.800 a fence, and eight hundred Dig came out and marked 43 00:02:36.919 --> 00:02:41.759 the ground down where the underground wires and piping is 44 00:02:41.800 --> 00:02:44.400 and for where not the dig So I know that, 45 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:52.560 and I've been googling lots of fabric and material and 46 00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:57.960 using wood and a space put material make a space 47 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:02.520 to absorb the vibration of the coils of this transformer. 48 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:07.680 Speaking to the DWP people, I've expressed that it's not 49 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:14.800 the actual noise, it's the vibration hum that penetrates, and 50 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:18.240 so he recommended. Also, I call my city council person 51 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:23.120 who I'm talking to tomorrow morning, and all the neighbors 52 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:26.599 have this same issue, but nobody's ever done anything about it. 53 00:03:26.599 --> 00:03:29.479 And I'm a new homeowner here, and if I'd known 54 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:31.240 about it, I don't think i would have bought the place. 55 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:37.639 And that's where I'm at. All types of material is 56 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:40.439 out there. A lot of it comes from other states 57 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:45.400 back East though, and I don't know whether to build 58 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:49.439 some type of a dome or you know, how to 59 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:55.680 contain the vibration from the coils the sound. That's my issue. 60 00:03:56.039 --> 00:04:00.560 Okay, all right, So you've got a ground based transformer 61 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:03.400 sitting in the corner of your yard and and it's 62 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:07.599 making it's making noise. And again, now are you feeling 63 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:10.159 the vibration down through the ground or are You're just 64 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:13.199 saying it's the vibration that's making its way through the 65 00:04:13.319 --> 00:04:16.000 yard and becoming a sound factor. 66 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:22.120 Correct. And also my next step is a noise ambient 67 00:04:22.279 --> 00:04:25.079 noise level complaint. That's that's the next thing. But yes, 68 00:04:25.160 --> 00:04:28.199 it's just the humming of it. Also found out that 69 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:32.000 this is a sixty year old unit and where I 70 00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:36.319 used to live was also all electric and they were 71 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:39.839 updated units and they're so quiet. So that's there's a 72 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:44.560 big difference between this ancient device and new gyptology. 73 00:04:45.160 --> 00:04:52.439 Yeah, yeah, exactly. All right, Well, here's my advice. Do 74 00:04:52.600 --> 00:04:56.399 not break the bank. Okay, it's wise. It's first of all, 75 00:04:56.439 --> 00:05:03.160 it's wise to consider a well planned uh sound reduction wall. Okay, 76 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:05.759 it's a good idea. So I'm all for it, and 77 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:09.480 uh and I want to help you understand how you 78 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:11.879 can go about doing it. I I but I also 79 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:16.360 don't want you to break the bank on on the 80 00:05:16.600 --> 00:05:20.360 highly expensive materials to get this done, okay, uh. And 81 00:05:20.439 --> 00:05:23.519 the reason the reason is this, Uh, there are there 82 00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:28.959 are not uh a ton of soundproofing materials. In fact, 83 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:31.560 I'll go so far as to say I know of zero. 84 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:35.040 And this is from somebody who has built sound studios 85 00:05:35.079 --> 00:05:39.279 before recording studios. I mean, soundproofing is part of you know, 86 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:43.360 what we do. I know of no soundproofing material that 87 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:48.519 is specifically explicitly designed for exterior use. Okay, it's all 88 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:53.759 just a carryover of standard soundproofing materials. And the problem 89 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:57.000 with that is that it's never just Soundproofing is a 90 00:05:57.079 --> 00:06:00.439 layered thing, and it's never just about the material. It's 91 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:04.959 never there's no wonder material out there. Sometimes mass loaded vinyl. 92 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:08.720 I'm sure you've researched it and come across some info 93 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:14.279 that sometimes mass loaded vinyl is kind of touted as 94 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:19.160 a wonderkinned material, like the ultimate wonder material when it 95 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:21.759 comes to soundproofing. In fact, when you go to and 96 00:06:21.800 --> 00:06:24.360 I'm giving you this illustration for a reason, when you 97 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:27.959 go to the International Builders and Design Show, there's always 98 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:31.399 a company selling mass loaded vinyl and you walk by 99 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:35.040 their boot and what they've got is a massive speaker, 100 00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:38.480 I mean just a really loud speaker sitting on their 101 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:43.079 counter and there's a box over it. Okay, literally, they've 102 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:46.360 built a box that just sets over this speaker, and 103 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:50.319 the inside of the box is lined with mass loaded vinyl. 104 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:54.360 This incredibly heavy, very thick, very dense material, and it's 105 00:06:54.519 --> 00:06:57.680 very very useful as a soundproofing material. The box sits 106 00:06:57.720 --> 00:07:01.759 over the speaker and it's silent, silent, and then they 107 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:05.279 pull the box off and you realize that the speaker 108 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:09.560 is blaring, I mean, just incredibly loud. But here's the thing. 109 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:15.160 If there was a one inch hole in that box, Okay, 110 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:18.040 all the mass loaded vinyl in the world would not 111 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:19.759 keep that thing. 112 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:23.519 Okay, it has a vent on top. It has to 113 00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:24.480 be vented too. 114 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:27.639 Exactly exactly. 115 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:31.399 So what I'm doing with this illustration is I am 116 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:35.480 adjusting your expectations. I think you are best to build 117 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:39.560 a sound baffling wall, but I think you're also best 118 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:42.560 to continue your efforts with the city. In fact, you 119 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:44.680 know what, Rick, I don't want to go long into 120 00:07:44.680 --> 00:07:46.639 this break and make the next one short. But there 121 00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:48.279 are a couple other things that I want to tell 122 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:50.720 you about this because a lot of people have sound 123 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.160 issues in their backyard. Noise pollution is just part of 124 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:56.839 twenty first century life. So I want everybody to hear me. 125 00:07:57.120 --> 00:07:59.000 Can you hang on and we're going to go to 126 00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:01.519 We're going to here's some news, and we'll come back 127 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:03.360 and I will continue to address this with you. 128 00:08:03.399 --> 00:08:03.800 Is that okay? 129 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:04.040 Rick? 130 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:04.800 Appreciate it? 131 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:05.560 All right? 132 00:08:05.639 --> 00:08:07.800 Rick, I'm gonna pop you on hold. You hold on, 133 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:11.160 and all of you who are listening, who have wrestled 134 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:13.879 with noise pollution in your yards, you hold on too, 135 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:16.120 and we'll hit this thing head on. 136 00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:20.839 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 137 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:22.439 KFI A M six forty. 138 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:26.399 I've got Rick on hold. Let me get him back 139 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:28.040 on the line. Rick, you're still with me, Bud? 140 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:34.960 All right? Rick is there? Okay? So Rick, Rick's got 141 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:35.559 a town home. 142 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:41.600 He's got a an electrical transformer, the transformer for his 143 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:46.840 little klump of houses. And now, in a lot of situations, 144 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:50.480 some of you are thinking, wait, what what's that? Okay, 145 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:52.879 if you happen to if you happen to have poles, 146 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:55.799 you know, like power poles around your house, you'll as 147 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:57.559 you drive around the neighborhood, you look up to the 148 00:08:57.559 --> 00:09:00.440 top of the pole and you'll see every few holes 149 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:03.639 there's what looks like a gray trash can hanging at 150 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:06.960 the top of the pole. That's the transformer that's distributing 151 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:11.559 the power from the main lines to a clump of houses. 152 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:15.600 And it's usually four or five, maybe six houses per transformer. Okay, 153 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:19.039 Rick happens to have a ground based one, an old 154 00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:26.840 one sitting and uh and it's sitting there and uh 155 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:29.759 and it's vibrating and it's making noise, and so uh 156 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:30.679 the question now. 157 00:09:30.840 --> 00:09:33.159 And he's doing he's doing all the right stuff. 158 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:36.679 He's calling a city council, he's talking to water and power, 159 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:40.480 UH to get this because it's a it's annoyingly noisy. 160 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:43.000 So I wanted everybody to hang on because I because 161 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:46.320 I wanted to talk have this conversation about noise pollution 162 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:50.200 in our yards. So in your situation, Rick, I'm telling 163 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:53.440 you about mass loaded vinyl and how you know, Uh, 164 00:09:53.639 --> 00:09:57.440 soundproofing material providers just want to they want to push 165 00:09:57.480 --> 00:09:59.919 their stuff at you. And it's very expensive. I mean, 166 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:04.000 it's expending stuff. And I don't want you to break 167 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:08.120 the bank over it, because if you can't seal down 168 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:12.720 the air space around the thing that's making noise, then 169 00:10:12.919 --> 00:10:16.279 you're not going to silence it. What you are able 170 00:10:16.360 --> 00:10:21.080 to do, though, is you can achieve some buffering and 171 00:10:21.399 --> 00:10:25.799 reflection and baffling of the sound. Okay, I just want 172 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:29.440 to get your expectations set straight. That does that mean 173 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:32.639 that mass loaded vinyl built into a fence around this 174 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:36.080 thing wouldn't help. No, I'm not saying that it wouldn't help, 175 00:10:36.120 --> 00:10:40.919 because mass is important, Okay, mass is important. I'm just 176 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:43.440 want you to be aware that if you you know, 177 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:48.039 you're spending your life savings on this wonder material and 178 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:51.000 you can still you know, it hasn't shut it all 179 00:10:51.039 --> 00:10:54.639 down when it's said and done, because no material, no 180 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:58.799 soundproofing material, when there is still air coming out. 181 00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:02.039 You know, perfect example right here at kfive. 182 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:08.399 You know, uh, millions of dollars get spent soundproofing studios, 183 00:11:08.440 --> 00:11:12.080 recording studios and broadcast studios, and all you have to 184 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:16.240 do to defeat it and is for somebody to leave 185 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:18.960 the door to the studio open, right the door. If 186 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:21.399 the door of the studio is open and we're on 187 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:24.639 the we're on the air talking through our mics, and 188 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:28.679 somebody you know, is talking loudly and walks down the hallway, 189 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:32.720 it's like, well, now there's noise in the studio. It's 190 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:35.759 simply an illustration that if you can't shut all the 191 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:39.039 airflow down, you're not going to completely shut it down. 192 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:43.799 So with that bed stay that being said, the thicker 193 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:48.279 the fence, okay, the better. I would recommend that you 194 00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:51.639 build a fence the like like you're building a wall, 195 00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:54.840 not just a typical Oh, put some posts in the 196 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.960 ground and run flat two eyes and slats on the fence. 197 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:01.360 I would recommen that you build the kind of the 198 00:12:01.399 --> 00:12:04.279 equivalent of an exterior wall, and that is that you 199 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:09.759 build the fence with panels that are as wide as possible, okay, 200 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:13.039 and the transformer isn't too big, And this is going 201 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:15.240 to be a relatively small fence that you're going to 202 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:18.639 build as the enclosure around it. So I would probably 203 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:21.639 build it out of a two by six material with 204 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:26.559 a top plate, bottom plate and studs in between, so 205 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:31.080 that then then you could turn around and fill those 206 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:35.759 empty that the void of the wall itself with mass. 207 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:39.840 With more mass, Now what kind of mass? You could 208 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:44.320 use a layer of mass loaded vinyl. Sure, I wouldn't 209 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:48.799 use much standard insulation because it's out there in the weather, 210 00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:51.080 and I don't want to get wet, moldy and mildew 211 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:53.720 in all that kind of stuff because it's not weather protected. 212 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:58.000 But you could use expanding spray foam insulation that you 213 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:00.320 can get right off the shelf at the hardware store. 214 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:04.320 Let it expand in those cavities. Let it over expand, 215 00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:06.840 you know, sheet one side of the wall, so that 216 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:09.279 you've got a one side solid you can use the 217 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:14.080 expanding foam insulation. Let it expand up, mound up, get 218 00:13:14.120 --> 00:13:15.879 all thick, so you know that it's going to be 219 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:18.960 nice and thick. And it's a MESSI let it harden 220 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:21.279 and then you can just take a knife or a 221 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:24.399 saw blade and slice off the excess so that it's 222 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:27.960 flushed with the backside of the wall, and then encapsulate 223 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.279 that in between, you know, two pieces of sheathing and 224 00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:35.159 then put some you know, attractive wood slats on and 225 00:13:36.279 --> 00:13:38.440 that would be of great use. And you want to 226 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:41.200 build that wall as low to the ground as possible 227 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:44.240 so that there's a minimal amount of air gap underneath 228 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:46.720 it for sound to get through. And you want to 229 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:49.799 build it as tall as possible in front of that 230 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:53.639 transformer so that that sound coming off the top of 231 00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:58.080 the transformer still has something to hit and baffle it 232 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:01.440 and keep it from cross over into your yard. The 233 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:04.519 best thing we can do is muffle what's coming right 234 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:09.120 at you and reflect away from you up over your head. 235 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:15.480 The stuff that we can't control. And honestly, honestly, Rick, 236 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:17.080 that's about as good as we're going to get. 237 00:14:19.080 --> 00:14:21.519 I really appreciate the info, and I wrote it all down, 238 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:25.519 and I was hesitant always. I listened to you on 239 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:28.159 the weekend, and I hesitant to call because the topic 240 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:31.759 is out of bounds of what I thought people might 241 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:35.080 also have that issue. But when you say noise pollution, yeah, 242 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:38.240 if you live in town, everybody's got noise pollution in 243 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:40.600 some way or form. So I appreciate you going over this. 244 00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:44.440 No trouble, Rick, my pleasure. Good luck with that. Let 245 00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:46.919 me know how that turns out. I would be fascinated 246 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:50.279 to know what you especially what you end up accomplishing 247 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:54.720 with your city council and the Department of Water and 248 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:57.240 Power and such. But good luck with that, Rick. But yes, 249 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:01.200 this is why we take calls. You know we take calls. 250 00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:04.279 Of course, I take your call to answer your specific 251 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:06.679 question when you call in. But the other reason we 252 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:09.960 take calls is because you know what what you're struggling with, 253 00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:15.120 thousands of other people who are listening are also struggling 254 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:18.720 with it, maybe not in that one specific not thousands 255 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.759 of other people like Rick will have a transformer from 256 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:25.000 the Department of Water and Power sitting in their backyard humming. 257 00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:30.879 But everybody I know wrestles with noise pollution, unless you 258 00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:32.759 just live out in the country somewhere out in the 259 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:36.720 middle of nowhere. Everybody wrestles with noise pollution. And then 260 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:40.200 the solutions that are offered to you online or in 261 00:15:40.279 --> 00:15:46.039 the marketplace out there are relatively uninformed solutions. They're just 262 00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:50.000 people selling their goods who want you to buy their stuff. 263 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:54.559 And there's nothing more frustrating than to have an expectation 264 00:15:55.240 --> 00:16:00.159 that a very expensive material or component or system is 265 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:02.919 going to solve your problem, and then spend the money 266 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:05.799 and find out that you know it helps, but it 267 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:09.279 didn't solve the problem. So this is all about understanding 268 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:11.679 what we need to do when it comes to outside, 269 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:15.759 my friends, higher the walls and fences the better, the 270 00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:19.960 thicker the better, and then what's left over. This is 271 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:21.559 one of the reasons if you live in a sound 272 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:26.200 pollution area, that I love things like water features because 273 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:29.399 it just so happens. For instance, if traffic is your 274 00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:35.039 noise pollution problem of choice, it just so happens that 275 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:38.519 the sound of falling water covers over about ninety five 276 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:43.440 percent of the exact same frequencies as traffic noise, which 277 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:45.840 is why traffic in the distance kind of sounds like 278 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:49.480 rushing water. You put that rushing water in your yard, 279 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:52.879 you'll still be hearing the traffic noise, but it blends 280 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:53.679 in with the water. 281 00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:54.720 You would your. 282 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:58.279 Mind attributed it to the water, and now it's just 283 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:01.879 beautiful water in your backyard and not water plus traffic 284 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.440 or traffic alone. You see what I'm saying. So we 285 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:08.240 can mask, we can mix. We can't shut it completely down, 286 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:11.759 but if we step wisely, we can help it a lot. 287 00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:14.039 All right, more of your calls when we return. 288 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:18.720 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 289 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:20.839 KFI AM sixty. 290 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:25.519 Your Home with Dean Sharp, the house Whisper. We're talking 291 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:30.319 about stuff you've inherited from previous owners of your house. 292 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:34.319 Mistakes specifically. I don't mean, like, you know, treasure tests 293 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:37.640 full of diamonds and gold, I know, I mean mistakes, 294 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:40.359 things that you don't like, things that you tell me 295 00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:43.240 when we walk through your home. It was like this 296 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.279 when we bought it. I'm sorry, it wasn't us. That 297 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:49.400 kind of stuff. And we're going through a list. This 298 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:52.359 is part three today of our three part series, and 299 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:56.079 most importantly, I'm showing you how you can get it fixed, 300 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:59.519 get it changed. But right now we're taking calls and 301 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:02.680 I want to continue to do just that. So I 302 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:05.559 want to talk to Perry. Perry, welcome home. 303 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:09.480 Oh thank you, sir. I have a quick question about 304 00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:14.799 my HVAC. So we recently had winter service performed and 305 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:18.480 the technician has recommended two upgrades that I really wasn't 306 00:18:18.519 --> 00:18:23.119 familiar with. So one is a surge protector. The second 307 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:26.960 is a UV light to help protect against mold and 308 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:30.440 mildew build up in the unit. So I wasn't sure 309 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:33.799 that these are really necessary, so I told my wife, well, 310 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:35.920 I trust Dean. I'm going to call and ask for 311 00:18:36.039 --> 00:18:37.079 his honest opinion. 312 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:41.240 Oh how very cut. All right, So tell me about 313 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:44.759 this surge protector. What was the justification for the surge protector? 314 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:49.200 Just to protect against electrical damage to the unit? 315 00:18:50.599 --> 00:18:51.680 Oh? I see, I see. 316 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:55.079 So that they're just saying that we're not talking about 317 00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:59.960 another breaker at this point, but literally an incoming surge protector. 318 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:00.799 Okay. 319 00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:01.519 Uh. 320 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:07.880 And and this is a gas furnace, yes, okay. And 321 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:10.880 and they're talking about a surge protector on the gas furnace. 322 00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:18.119 Yes, it's also an electrical air conditioning unit. Okay, so 323 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:20.279 it's a mass of electric and gas. 324 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:22.720 Yeah, but now are they Are they talking about a 325 00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:28.200 surge protector for the outside condenser as well, or are 326 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:31.240 we just talking about the air handler that's you know, 327 00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:32.759 the part that's inside the house. 328 00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:38.160 No, outside of the unit is on the roof, And 329 00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:41.079 he wants to put the surge protector in the unit 330 00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:43.319 up on the roof, the same with the UV light 331 00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:44.559 up there in the unit. 332 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:52.200 Okay, all right, so here's the thing. There's nothing wrong 333 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:54.000 with those options. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it 334 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:55.960 at all. The question has been how long have you 335 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:58.839 guys lived in the house and uh, and how long 336 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:04.160 have you had unit? And how many electrical company power 337 00:20:04.200 --> 00:20:06.200 surges have you received? 338 00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:11.359 Zero power surges? And the unit is seven years old? 339 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:12.400 Okay? 340 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:16.960 Yeah, so you know there, if you've got disposable income 341 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:18.319 and you're like, what the heck? 342 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:22.039 Why not? You know, I mean, surge protectors do just that. 343 00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:28.799 But generally speaking, generally speaking, okay, for instance, the condenser 344 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:32.480 that actually starts up, I mean it is designed to 345 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:37.319 be hit with a ton of electricity, right, it's two 346 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:43.799 hundred and forty volts usually forty sixty amps. That is 347 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:48.640 a lot of electricity that surges into an AC unit 348 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:53.559 when it starts up and goes running. It is virtually 349 00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:59.759 impossible to imagine a little bit of a power surge 350 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:07.279 from the local power lines overwhelming the AC condenser because 351 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:10.880 they're designed to be slammed with a large amount of power, 352 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:16.000 and so does a surge protector potentially could it protect 353 00:21:16.279 --> 00:21:21.880 sensitive electronic equipment out there? Okay, yeah, maybe, but by 354 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:25.000 and large is this is probably just an extra to 355 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.759 be thrown in. 356 00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:28.559 Yeah, And here's my proof. 357 00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:32.279 My proof of concept is this, of all the air 358 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:35.519 conditioning units that exist, let's just take a pool of 359 00:21:35.559 --> 00:21:40.039 southern California, which are hundreds of thousands of them. Of 360 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:44.519 all the air conditioning units that exist, how many of 361 00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:48.400 them have SURG protectors on the main condenser unit? I 362 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:52.359 would say less than a percent of a percent. And 363 00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:56.440 how many of those units constantly are getting hit and 364 00:21:56.559 --> 00:22:01.359 destroyed by power company power surges? You it's just something 365 00:22:01.400 --> 00:22:03.880 you don't hear about, and so I would say the 366 00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:09.279 odds of it happening to you are incredibly, incredibly low, 367 00:22:09.319 --> 00:22:10.759 and so if you don't want to spend that money, 368 00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:13.480 I wouldn't. Now the UV side of things, and this 369 00:22:13.559 --> 00:22:15.880 is going to be in the air handling unit. This 370 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:21.039 is where the air ducts connect UV. If moisture has 371 00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:25.440 been a problem, has been a problem, then sure address it. 372 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:29.000 But here's the funny thing about that. The funny thing 373 00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:34.079 about moisture and humidity is that an air conditioner, when 374 00:22:34.119 --> 00:22:38.759 the AC is running, air conditioners by definition, are dehumidifiers 375 00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:41.559 that they pull moisture out of the air and then 376 00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:44.960 deliver it through a condensate line to the outside of 377 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:49.400 the house. If the heating element, which also by the way, 378 00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:52.839 by definition kind of dehumidifies the air. If if the 379 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:57.200 heating element during the winter is something where there's a 380 00:22:57.240 --> 00:23:00.400 lot of humidity building up in the house and there's 381 00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:03.839 a risk or you've in the past struggled with the 382 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:07.839 mold or mildew build up, then yeah, I'm all for 383 00:23:07.880 --> 00:23:10.799 a technician coming to me and saying, Dean, we saw 384 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:16.920 a little mildew build up around the coil, and I 385 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:21.839 think this homeowner could benefit because of these conditions, you know, 386 00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:26.400 they could benefit from a UV light in there. 387 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:27.880 I'm like, all right, let's do it. 388 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:32.079 But it's one of those things that doesn't come with 389 00:23:32.359 --> 00:23:35.319 every AC unit, doesn't come with every install and for 390 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:38.240 a very good reason. Most of the time they're not needed. 391 00:23:38.599 --> 00:23:41.160 So again I would just ask you if you guys 392 00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:44.839 have had that before, if the technician ever said to you, yeah, 393 00:23:44.839 --> 00:23:46.640 we got a little mold and mildew build up, I 394 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:48.880 think we should knock it down with the presence of 395 00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:49.559 a UV light. 396 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:54.680 Thanks you very much. Yeah, I've never had that issue. 397 00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:58.160 And my thought was if those were so beneficial wire 398 00:23:58.200 --> 00:24:00.240 in our units, but with them to begin with when 399 00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:03.720 they're installed, So I aarreciate your honest opinion. 400 00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:06.920 Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're exactly right, Perry. And and again 401 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:10.480