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 --> 00:00:11.679 House Whisper on demand on the iHeart Radio app Welcome Home. 3 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:15.960 I am Dean Sharp, the House Whisper. I design custom homes, 4 00:00:16.039 --> 00:00:19.239 I build custom homes, and on the weekends here I 5 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:23.719 am your guide to better understand that place where you live. 6 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:26.760 Today on the show, we are going to continue where 7 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:29.320 we were going yesterday, and that is, of course, with 8 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:34.399 the coverage of the fires that are still burning here 9 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:38.600 in southern California and the greater Los Angeles area. Of course, 10 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:44.280 news coverage will be coming as always from the twenty 11 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:48.640 four hour KFI Newsroom. Where I'm going to focus my 12 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:53.520 attention as I began to yesterday and today will continue 13 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:57.399 to today, is on some subjects of Number one, fire 14 00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:01.880 hardening homes against these kinds of fires. Number two, answering 15 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:05.000 any of your questions that you may have, because we'll 16 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:09.599 be taking calls as always, and we'll also hopefully be 17 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:13.239 able to take calls on a full array of subjects, 18 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:15.319 anything that you actually want to talk about. More on 19 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:19.719 that in just a bit. But most importantly, I want 20 00:01:19.719 --> 00:01:25.280 to talk about what happens next, because slowly but surely, 21 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:30.599 these fires are coming under control. Okay, now, it's not fast, 22 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:34.159 and that does in no way, shape or form means 23 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:37.719 that we are out of trouble when it comes to 24 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:42.560 these fires. The current status we will discuss briefly shortly, 25 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:48.920 The Palisades Fire eleven percent contained. That's up a good 26 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:54.599 three percent from yesterday in terms of containment. That's good news. 27 00:01:55.040 --> 00:02:00.000 Twenty four thousand acres burned, though, that is not good news. 28 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:04.439 And fire is now twenty seven percent contained. That's a 29 00:02:04.439 --> 00:02:08.400 big jump from yesterday. That's good news as well. The 30 00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:11.759 Kenneth Fire that popped up in the West Hills area 31 00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:15.240 on Thursday one hundred percent contained as of this morning, 32 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:19.080 currently reporting, the Lydia Fire one hundred percent contained. The 33 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:23.400 Hurst Fire eighty nine percent contained in the north near 34 00:02:23.479 --> 00:02:30.120 San Fernando. So we're making ground. We're making ground, but 35 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:34.400 nowhere near the finish line for any of these blazes, 36 00:02:34.439 --> 00:02:38.520 and new homes and new areas being threatened. Even now, 37 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:42.599 now that the wind has started to rise back up again, 38 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:46.400 worst wind day that we're anticipating for this week is 39 00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:50.199 going to be Tuesday. Are we going to see gusts 40 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:54.280 in the sixty to eighty mile an hour category? It 41 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:57.599 is not anticipated. It's anticipated that we're just going to 42 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:00.360 see what we would call here in southern California normal 43 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:04.120 Santa Anna wins. But believe me, those are enough, those 44 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:08.919 are enough to become problematic. So that's where we are currently. 45 00:03:10.199 --> 00:03:15.680 Ellie County is reporting I believe I haven't updated this 46 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:19.240 number yet. As of yesterday, Ellie County was reporting eleven 47 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:24.840 fatalities in association with these fires, more than twelve thousand 48 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:30.919 structures damaged or destroyed. And without question, these are now 49 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:35.960 not just the most severe natural disaster in terms of 50 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:40.319 wildfire to hit the Los Angeles area in its history, 51 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:49.120 these are the costliest wildfire disasters in US history, totaling 52 00:03:49.240 --> 00:03:54.439 over right now an estimated fifty billion dollars in damages. 53 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:57.919 So the big question is where do we go from here. 54 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:02.120 I do not mean to make light of the ongoing 55 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:06.719 battling efforts. That's why the KFI newsroom is going to 56 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:09.319 be continuing to update us. But what I wanted to 57 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:12.879 discuss with you this morning is for those of you 58 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:16.439 who have not experienced this yet, how do you defend 59 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:19.560 your house against it? And number two, for those of 60 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:22.720 you who have experienced not just oh there was a fire, 61 00:04:23.160 --> 00:04:27.639 and our house burnt, an area of our house burnt. Now, 62 00:04:27.959 --> 00:04:32.639 what happens when an entire neighborhood, when an entire region 63 00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:37.040 is burnt to the ground? How do we restart from that? 64 00:04:37.439 --> 00:04:40.279 What are some of the factors that you could anticipate, 65 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:42.680 and what are your next steps? We're going to try 66 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:45.399 and cover all of that this morning. I am here 67 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:49.079 with you as always to help in any way that 68 00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:52.000 I can. Of course, we're going to be taking calls. 69 00:04:52.040 --> 00:04:55.279 The phone lines are open now eight three three two 70 00:04:55.839 --> 00:05:00.439 ask Dean eight three three the numeral to ask Dean. 71 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:03.959 We're up on social media. More on that later. Let 72 00:05:03.959 --> 00:05:06.560 me introduce our awesome team. Elmer is on the board. 73 00:05:06.600 --> 00:05:11.879 Good morning, Elmer, Good morning Dean, Good morning everyone. Producer Richie, 74 00:05:11.959 --> 00:05:15.439 I believe is standing near a microphone this time? Is 75 00:05:15.480 --> 00:05:19.519 it true? So true? Good morning guys, Oh my gosh, 76 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:22.439 what a rare occurrence. You've heard it? Yes, I rolled 77 00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:25.079 out of bed this time and came to the studio. 78 00:05:25.959 --> 00:05:28.360 Hey brother, good to hear your voice this morning. Glad 79 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:32.680 to be here with her. Thanks. Eileen Gonzalez at the KFI 80 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:35.519 twenty four hour news desk, how you doing, Eileen? Good morning, 81 00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:39.000 I'm doing great. How are you guys. We're okay, We're okay. 82 00:05:39.240 --> 00:05:41.680 You know, we're just pushing through. I'm not really looking 83 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:43.839 forward to all the stuff that I have to talk 84 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.720 about in the next three hours, but it's important stuff. 85 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:49.680 Sopping people out. You're doing a great service. We're just 86 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:51.920 going to do what we need to do. Of course, 87 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:54.720 sitting across the table from me, my better half, my 88 00:05:54.839 --> 00:05:58.040 design partner, my best friend in the world, Tina is here, 89 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:03.959 my kid, clearing her throat. I was actually waiting for 90 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:07.399 that before I said anything. Welcome home, Good morning, How 91 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:07.800 are you doing. 92 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:10.680 It's been it's been a week. 93 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:12.439 Yeah, yeah, it has been. 94 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:16.279 I I'm really glad we're doing this and hope that 95 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:17.040 it helps. 96 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:21.480 We will do our best, and we will begin with 97 00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:28.439 this very very special subject matter here on Home with 98 00:06:28.519 --> 00:06:30.000 Dean Sharp the House Whisper. 99 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:34.279 Right after you're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on 100 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:36.879 demand from KFI Am six forty. 101 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:40.360 I'm here to help you just hang on to your 102 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:42.120 home so that you can take it to the next 103 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:46.160 level later on. Because of all of the fires that 104 00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:50.519 we're talking about here in southern California, our special content 105 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:53.639 for this weekend not originally what we planned, of course, 106 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:57.279 but that's the way a natural disaster works, right changes 107 00:06:57.319 --> 00:07:02.160 your plans. Our special content for this weekend solely talking 108 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:07.680 about your home and fires and or natural disasters. And 109 00:07:07.720 --> 00:07:12.040 I know we have a lot of listeners nationwide who 110 00:07:12.360 --> 00:07:14.639 listen to the podcast or listen to the live broadcast 111 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:19.439 of the show right here and right now. For you, 112 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:22.480 fire talk is always relevant no matter where you live 113 00:07:22.519 --> 00:07:27.879 on planet Earth. But the discussion specifically of the Los 114 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:31.959 Angeles wildfires right now you may not feel is entirely 115 00:07:32.040 --> 00:07:38.279 relevant to you. But because of the scope of these fires, 116 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:43.639 they are a natural disaster that has affected entire region. 117 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:48.399 And so our response to that the question answering the 118 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:51.360 question how do you rebuild? What does that process look 119 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:54.920 like after an entire region has been devastated by a 120 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:58.480 natural disaster? Hopefully, and I think you will be able 121 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:01.079 to glean a lot of information, a lot of truth 122 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:09.680 from our conversation, regardless of whether it's fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, 123 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:13.120 or what have you that affects the region where you live. 124 00:08:13.240 --> 00:08:19.079 No place on planet Earth is immune to natural disasters, 125 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:22.720 and so knowing what to do and basically what happens 126 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:25.800 after the fact. We have a lot of precedent for it. 127 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:28.439 It is not an unknown, although there are a lot 128 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:31.959 of specific unknowns with every disaster in every situation. So 129 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:35.519 we'll also be going to the phones. Let me give 130 00:08:35.559 --> 00:08:39.159 you the number eight three three two. Ask Dean A 131 00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:42.000 three to three the numeral two. Ask Dean eight three 132 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:47.039 three two. Ask Dean anything that's on your mind that's 133 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:50.679 got you scratching your head about your home today. As always, 134 00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:54.639 I will be prioritizing fire related calls, though, just so 135 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:57.679 you know, and you know, and if we don't have 136 00:08:57.720 --> 00:08:59.639 any of those, I'm still going to the phones. Would 137 00:08:59.639 --> 00:09:01.200 be nice to be able to just kind of take 138 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:03.440 a breather and take a break from all the fire 139 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:07.600 talk as well. So I am wide open to whatever 140 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:10.039 you may want to be discussing about your home today, 141 00:09:10.200 --> 00:09:15.080 as always, eight three three two Ask Dean. Ritchie is 142 00:09:15.080 --> 00:09:18.480 standing by screening calls right now. Phone lines are open 143 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:22.320 and there's a clear path for you. Just to give 144 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:24.759 him a call. He'll tell you everything you need to know. 145 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:27.000 Popy into the queue, and then we'll put our heads 146 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:29.279 together and we'll figure out what's going on with your place, 147 00:09:29.480 --> 00:09:33.919 all right, let's get to it. A quick review of 148 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:36.440 what we covered yesterday. I don't want to recover it. 149 00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:40.039 I just want to make you aware, especially if you 150 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:43.519 are a podcast listener, that there is a previous episode 151 00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:48.000 Part one of this coverage was yesterday's or the previous 152 00:09:48.039 --> 00:09:51.600 episode to this episode. I've not I've got too much 153 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:54.080 stuff to cover with you to do a full review 154 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:57.720 of that, but I am going to repeat this because 155 00:09:57.720 --> 00:10:00.840 this is worth saying every single day. I want to 156 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:04.519 begin today's program with appreciation for all the brave and 157 00:10:04.600 --> 00:10:08.639 dedicated men and women who have been tirelessly fighting these fires. 158 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:13.399 I want to show appreciation for the cooperating out of 159 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:16.919 area fire services who've rushed in to assist. Tina and 160 00:10:16.919 --> 00:10:20.440 I were on PCH at the Zuoma Beach Command Center 161 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:27.120 on Thursday to see firefighting teams and equipment from cities 162 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:33.600 and counties from all over California, as well as states Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Idaho. 163 00:10:34.440 --> 00:10:37.000 If there is a silver lining I said this yesterday 164 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:41.240 to a natural disaster, it is that, in my opinion, 165 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:45.039 for a time at least, the immediacy of the threat 166 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:50.080 and the need sets aside all the other bs that 167 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:53.240 we normally get caught up in and can bring out 168 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:56.679 the very best in human beings. And of course, for 169 00:10:56.759 --> 00:11:00.679 those who have comfortable, safe vantage points. These events are 170 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:05.440 already being criticized and politicized, But for the countless people 171 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:09.200 who are in it on the front lines, the volunteers 172 00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:13.200 with food and water and blankets, the neighbors offering shelter 173 00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:16.320 and open arms and kind words. I mean, we do 174 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:20.480 not live anywhere well, I shouldn't say anywhere near. We 175 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.039 do not live in threat of these particular fires. When 176 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:26.919 the Wolsey Fire happened in twenty eighteen, just a mere 177 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:31.240 six years ago, we were just a few hundred feet 178 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:36.080 away from evacuating. But these fires have not threatened our 179 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:40.840 location this year. And yet this week, nothing but calls 180 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:44.600 coming in from friends, from loved ones saying, hey, are 181 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:47.919 you okay? I've heard, are you guys safe? Do you 182 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:50.159 need anything? If you guys need a break from the 183 00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:53.559 smoke or this, come on over that kind of stuff. 184 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:56.519 That's what I'm talking about that happens a minute for 185 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:00.279 minute during these kinds of situations. And I'm happy to 186 00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:03.000 say I've made some of those calls to to friends 187 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:07.639 who are a lot closer to the fire. So the food, 188 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:11.000 the water, the blankets, the neighbors offering shelter, the open arms, 189 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:14.840 the kind words. It is heartening to see the best 190 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:18.600 of what it means to be human during a natural disaster. 191 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:21.360 That does not make it a happy event. It simply 192 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:28.080 is encouraging, that's all. Okay, all right, let's start with 193 00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:34.159 topically with hardening your home, and then I want to 194 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:37.879 move into Okay, your home is burnt down. Now what 195 00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:41.919 do you do. We've done fire hardening show. I do 196 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:45.399 a fire hardening show at least once a year, okay, 197 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.759 before fire season begins. So for those of you who 198 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:51.080 are longtime listeners of the program, this is not going 199 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:55.240 to be any new information for you. But we always 200 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:58.120 have new people listening, and so I want to give 201 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:03.399 you this information. Start with the most repeated thing on 202 00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:06.879 this program in terms of fire ardening of your home 203 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:11.679 and arguably the most important thing in my opinion, ember 204 00:13:12.039 --> 00:13:16.799 proofing your attic events. Okay, again, I will tell you this. 205 00:13:18.120 --> 00:13:22.039 Even though the fire line, this is a relatively rare 206 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:27.080 occurrence that a fire line because of the perfect storm 207 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:32.120 of high gale winds and the location of let's say 208 00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:35.080 the Palisades, and both the Palisades and the Eaten Fire 209 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:40.440 especially this is a rare occurrence that the fire line 210 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:47.080 blazes through street after street, neighborhood after neighborhood after neighborhood. Okay, 211 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:52.080 what is most common during a wildfire scenario when houses 212 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:55.039 start to catch on fire is that houses that are 213 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:58.600 nowhere near the fire line start to burn. And the 214 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:03.799 question is why is that eighty percent of homes that 215 00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:10.399 ignite as the enduring a wildfire event are not on 216 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:15.720 the fire line. Why is that? It is because our 217 00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:21.840 attics of our homes have a susceptibility to them. They 218 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:29.799 have been by building code vented to circulate airflow. Warm 219 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:33.600 air in the attic rises and cool air is drawn 220 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:37.159 in through lower events. It actually creates a vacuum and 221 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:41.320 embers that can travel miles. We used to say half 222 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:43.600 a mile an ember could trial travel, and then we 223 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:45.120 up to two a mile, and then we up to 224 00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:47.120 it to two miles. I'm just going to say this, 225 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:51.159 embers can travel several miles. And the hotter the fire 226 00:14:51.320 --> 00:14:55.000 is and the more it's engaged in structures, the more 227 00:14:55.039 --> 00:15:00.279 embers there are, and the further it travels. Embers can 228 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:04.440 retain their ability to ignite material and travel for miles 229 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:08.320 and as they in their super light, drifty state pass 230 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:12.000 by a home. Under the eaves of a home, those 231 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:16.200 embers can literally be and are often sucked into the 232 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:21.320 attic space, which becomes at that point the perfect breathing 233 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:27.960 barbecue for igniting and maintaining a flame. Ember proof vents 234 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:32.799 are a newer style event than the classic vent for attics, 235 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:35.600 and they are a vent that has a smaller mesh 236 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:39.120 screen that have baffles built into them that don't allow 237 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:42.440 hot embers to travel directly in, but knock them down 238 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:47.519 as they come through, therefore protecting in the biggest way 239 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:51.200 possible a house from catching on fire if it's in 240 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:54.200 the vicinity of another wildfire. All right, We're going to 241 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:56.200 go to a break and when we come back, we 242 00:15:56.279 --> 00:15:58.360 will continue this conversation. 243 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.159 We're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 244 00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:04.720 KFI AM six forty. 245 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:10.600 Dean Sharp the house whisper with you on this Sunday morning, 246 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:16.519 January twelfth, twenty twenty five. As we still are suffering 247 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:20.799 through southern California wildfires here in the Greater Los Angeles area. 248 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:25.159 That is the topic of our program. Today, not ongoing 249 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:29.080 coverage by me. We have the KFI twenty four hour 250 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:32.360 news team right here helping you with that. I am 251 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:35.759 taking the focus of our program, given my level of 252 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:38.840 expertise with homes, and I'm turning it towards Number one, 253 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:41.759 something that we talk about every year, but I'm going 254 00:16:41.799 --> 00:16:44.600 to talk about again this morning, which is fire hardening 255 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:49.639 your home against the risk of wildfire damage. And number 256 00:16:49.639 --> 00:16:52.919 two something that we haven't talked a lot about because 257 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:56.120 this kind of disaster has not struck in this way, 258 00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:59.200 and that is what is the rebuilding process going to 259 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:02.120 be when not just a home burns down or a 260 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:06.359 couple of homes burned down, but entire neighborhoods or regions 261 00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:10.599 of infrastructure go down because of that. What's that going 262 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:13.000 to look like? And what's the insurance process and the 263 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:16.200 rebuilding process and the expectation all of that coming on 264 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:20.279 the program today. So go nowhere, stick with me. We 265 00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:24.240 were just talking about the number one most important thing 266 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:28.079 in my opinion in regards to prepping your home against 267 00:17:28.440 --> 00:17:32.200 wildfire risk, and that is ember proof vents. It's also 268 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:34.319 happens to be the one thing that most people don't 269 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:38.319 end up doing, so I'm just gonna repeat myself until 270 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:42.519 you're sick of hearing it. Emberproofing the vents around it 271 00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:46.240 that are flow into your attic is a key, a 272 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:51.359 key that gives you a big advantage of not having 273 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:55.680 your home catch on fire during a wildfire situation. Now, 274 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:01.319 let me be clear about this. When a when a 275 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:05.960 forty foot wall of flame is sweeping through your neighborhood 276 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:10.440 and approaches your home with you at somewhere in the 277 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:15.359 area of fifteen hundred plus degrees, okay, the vent situation 278 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:19.839 is not going to make necessarily a huge difference. Okay, 279 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:25.240 But understand the statistic, and it's very very important. Eighty 280 00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:29.640 percent of homes that burn in a wildfire area when 281 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:34.119 a wildfire is raging, eighty percent of homes that typically 282 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:38.279 burn are not on the fire line when they catch 283 00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:43.039 on fire. And those homes, those homes are experiencing ember 284 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:48.480 related ignition happening. And that's why we change out the vents. Okay. Now, 285 00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:51.880 another option that we've talked about just this last year, 286 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:54.960 and I will now continue every year to discuss this 287 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:57.559 not only in terms of fire hardening, but in terms 288 00:18:57.599 --> 00:19:01.440 of remodeling. A new design for home holmes Another option, 289 00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:06.119 now which I am a strongly, strongly an advocate of, 290 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:09.640 is if you are planning on remodeling your home, that 291 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:13.400 you also include remodeling the attic and turning it into 292 00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:18.119 what we call a conditioned attic space. A conditioned attic 293 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:22.599 space simply means this, instead of the attic being outside 294 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:26.880 the insulated envelope of your home. In other words, the 295 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:29.319 attic insulation is on the floor of the attic and 296 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:32.160 that's keeping you know, the home below it cool land 297 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:34.400 or warm, you know, when you need it to be. 298 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:38.319 But the attic itself is technically outside. It's it's not 299 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:43.000 part of the conditioned space. Making the attic part of 300 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:46.000 the conditioned space. That means taking the insulation off the 301 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:49.200 floor of the attic, putting it into the rafters of 302 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:53.200 the roofline itself, so that the roof is the envelope 303 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:57.079 that is insulated, and therefore the attic is going to 304 00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:59.079 be roughly the same temperature as the rest of the 305 00:19:59.079 --> 00:20:02.279 house when you're cool the house. If it's seventy two 306 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:04.440 degrees in the house in the summertime because of the 307 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:07.400 air conditioner, the attic is close to that as well. 308 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:10.119 If it's nice and toasty warm in the house during 309 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:12.759 the cold of winter, the attic is toasty warm as well. 310 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:16.960 What is the point, Dean of doing that. Well, I'm 311 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:19.920 not going to belabor the other designed advantages of that, 312 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:24.759 meaning you could utilize attic space for storage without compromising insulation, 313 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:30.039 or the fact that it is typically a better seal, 314 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:34.559 a better insulating quality, and energy efficiency for the entire house. 315 00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:39.599 That it makes your heating and cooling equipment last longer 316 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:44.119 because they're not freezing and baking in those extreme temperature 317 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:48.519 situations the equipment itself. And there's plenty of other efficiencies 318 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:50.799 about that, But here is the number one reason that 319 00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:53.720 I'm mentioning it this morning. I'm mentioning it this morning 320 00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:59.759 because a remodeled conditioned attic space that is now part 321 00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:07.559 of the regular conditioned house has no vents, no standard 322 00:21:07.799 --> 00:21:11.839 attic vents. Now, there is some vapor weeping vents at 323 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:14.000 the top, but those are not in any way, shape 324 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:19.200 or form vents that are susceptible to embers or wildfire conditions. 325 00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:24.160 So a conditioned attic space home is a home that 326 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:28.359 doesn't need to have its vents changed out to ember 327 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:31.799 proof ens because it doesn't have vents. It doesn't in 328 00:21:31.880 --> 00:21:36.720 any way, shape or form, invite embers into the inside 329 00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:39.319 of your home. And that's why I'm mentioning it today. 330 00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:43.799 So make a note consider you can do a little 331 00:21:43.799 --> 00:21:45.960 bit of an investigating and of course you can go 332 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:50.119 back into our archives of last year's shows and on 333 00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:56.119 the podcast and find my show on the New Attic 334 00:21:56.839 --> 00:21:59.240 in which we discuss all of those advantages. And also, 335 00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:04.720 by the way, pests bugs a non issue with a 336 00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:08.960 conditioned attic space because no vents, no easy form of 337 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:13.400 access into the attic. So food for thought. I dealt 338 00:22:13.400 --> 00:22:17.119 with this yesterday in terms of a caller who called 339 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:20.480 in asking about fire rated windows, what's the mystery of 340 00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:24.200 fire rated windows? Very quickly because it was on yesterday's program, 341 00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:25.880 But I'm going to put it on our list today. 342 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:29.480 There is no mystery about fire rated windows. A fire 343 00:22:29.559 --> 00:22:35.160 rated window is essentially nothing more than a standard window 344 00:22:35.400 --> 00:22:39.119 that instead of having regular what we call annealed glass, 345 00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:42.839 which is regular old, good old window glass, it has 346 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:47.000 tempered glass in its place. And the reason is that 347 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:51.960 tempered glass is produced at incredibly high temperatures in the 348 00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:56.400 factory five thousand degrees plus, and so a fifteen hundred 349 00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:00.440 degree or two thousand degree wall of fire picking up 350 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:04.359 against a tempered glass piece of glass is not going 351 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:08.559 to cause it to shatter and crack and burst open. 352 00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:11.720 And that's the problem with a non fire rated window 353 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:13.960 is that the cool of the inside of the house 354 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:17.279 and the heat on the outside unevenly heats the glass 355 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:19.880 of regular glass and it shatters. And as soon as 356 00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:23.039 it shatters, now the fire has a hole to enter 357 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:28.759 your home through. Okay, So in southern California new construction 358 00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:34.599 and major remodels, it's code requirement now in the state 359 00:23:34.599 --> 00:23:37.920 of California to have fire rated glass. If you are 360 00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:43.960 up against an urban wildfire interface area facing the wilderness area, 361 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:47.519 at least those windows have to be fire rated glass. 362 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:50.000 Your sliding glass door, if you have one of those, 363 00:23:50.039 --> 00:23:53.119 which most people do, is already fire rated in the 364 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:55.319 sense that a sliding glass door has to be tempered 365 00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:57.400 glass because it's glass that goes all the way to 366 00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:02.119 the floor and it's kickable that strength. So not the 367 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:08.200 sliders the windows to change them out. Now, again, what 368 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:10.400 if that's not in your budget right now and you're 369 00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:14.000 concerned about maybe two or three years, Dean before we 370 00:24:14.039 --> 00:24:16.519 get around to switching out those windows. Can I do 371 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:19.279 anything to protect my windows until then? Yes, you can. 372 00:24:19.720 --> 00:24:22.720 We'll talk about that right on the other side of 373 00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:23.440 the news. 374 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:27.440 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 375 00:24:27.559 --> 00:24:31.599 KFI AM six forty. 376 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:34.799 Thanks for joining us on the program today as we 377 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:40.119 engage in our ongoing topical coverage of natural disasters and 378 00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:44.640 wildfires here in southern California. Guess why we're covering this 379 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:48.279 this weekend. Yeah, of course I am in the middle 380 00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:53.240 of first and foremost conversing with you about fire hardening 381 00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:55.920 your home. I know there are a bunch of questions 382 00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:58.839 about it. So we've talked about amber proof ns, We've 383 00:24:58.880 --> 00:25:02.599 talked about remodeling an addic if and remodeled is in 384 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:06.160 your future. So okay, let me pause for a second 385 00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:08.960 and just to get this pushed out of my brain 386 00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:12.079 on most of these here or what I'm trying to 387 00:25:12.119 --> 00:25:18.279 do is offer you number one ultimate long term best solution, 388 00:25:18.599 --> 00:25:23.559 and then if I can offer you short term help, 389 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:29.400 get it better solutions. Okay, So, ember proof addic vents 390 00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:33.680 are a really good idea, and we've covered that. A 391 00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:37.599 better idea in my opinion, if there is a remodel 392 00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:40.359 in your future is to include in your remodel budget 393 00:25:40.359 --> 00:25:43.359 a remodel of the attic space into a conditioned attic 394 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:47.160 so that your attic doesn't have to have vents at all. Okay, 395 00:25:47.720 --> 00:25:51.799 we also, right before the break talked about fire rated windows. 396 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:56.799 Fire rated windows are and they aren't a special manufacturer 397 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:59.200 out there where you got to go, and now you're 398 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:01.680 can have windows look weird and they don't match the 399 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:05.279 rest of your house. Every major manufacturer of window makes 400 00:26:05.640 --> 00:26:09.880 fire rated windows in almost all of their models of windows, 401 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:13.200