WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:02.279 KFI AM six forty. 2 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:06.240 You're listening to Dean Sharp the house Whisper on demand. 3 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.039 On the iHeart Radio app. 4 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:15.039 Everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. Hey, follow us on social media? 5 00:00:15.160 --> 00:00:19.399 Why don't you? We only do the good kind, uplifting, informative, 6 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:24.320 inspiring social media. We will never chase you down. We 7 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:28.120 will never annoy you, well probably well rarely. We will 8 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:29.199 rarely annoy you. 9 00:00:29.559 --> 00:00:29.960 Anyway. 10 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:33.840 We're on all the usual suspects, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook x, 11 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:38.079 Home with Dean, simple to remember Home with Dean. It's 12 00:00:38.079 --> 00:00:41.119 the same handle for them all. Find us on your 13 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:45.000 favorite social media platform and give us a follow and 14 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:48.119 then share some of the info there. If your home 15 00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:51.920 is in need of some personal house Whisper attention, you know, 16 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:55.200 if you want this weirdo actually standing on your patio 17 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:57.600 telling you what you need to do, then you can 18 00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:00.479 book an in home design consult with me and the tea. 19 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:06.079 Just go to house Whisperer dot design. All right, we 20 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:13.159 are continuing our theme for the weekend of essentially where 21 00:01:13.159 --> 00:01:15.159 to get the most space for the least amount of money. 22 00:01:15.239 --> 00:01:18.760 Yesterday I talked about garages. Today I'm talking about outdoors 23 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:20.719 and we're breaking it down in a way that I 24 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:24.840 hope you've never really thought it through this way before. 25 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:28.040 We're breaking it down to the essentials so that you 26 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:29.920 don't have to spend a lot of money, but you 27 00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:33.359 get the biggest bang for the buck essentially along the way, 28 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:36.079 in other words, what's it gonna take to get you 29 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:40.120 outside to keep your comfy and to enjoy the experience 30 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:44.200 so that you can utilize outside as more space for 31 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:46.159 your living. And we're going to return to that con 32 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:50.040 conversation in just a bit, but right now, top of 33 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:53.879 the hour, time to take some calls. Oh and by 34 00:01:53.920 --> 00:02:00.719 the way, Michelle just producer Michelle handed this to me, 35 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:04.319 She said, a listener asked me to pass on this joke. 36 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:09.960 What is green and stays out all night? Patio furniture? 37 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:12.800 Perfect? 38 00:02:16.039 --> 00:02:16.439 All right? 39 00:02:16.599 --> 00:02:20.159 All right, yeah, it's is that denigrating to the Irish 40 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:24.400 people patio furniture? No, in no way, I don't believe 41 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:28.879 among my people that you can actually insult us when 42 00:02:28.919 --> 00:02:31.719 it comes to those kinds of things, because all we're 43 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:35.919 gonna do is say shrug our shoulders and say yeah, yeah, 44 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:36.599 it's true. 45 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:41.479 It's true, sad but true. All right. 46 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:44.639 Anyway, there you go, there's your stupid joke for the day, 47 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:48.039 but timely because Saint Patrick's Day is just around the corner. 48 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:51.599 All right, let's go to the phones. I want to 49 00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:57.560 talk to Al. Hey, Al, welcome home, Hidine. 50 00:02:57.159 --> 00:02:59.759 Thanks for taking my call. My wife and I moved 51 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:02.639 into a center old home located in the Pacific Northwest 52 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:06.039 spot two years ago. The house came with an unfinished 53 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:09.479 bear stud attached to gar garage with an attached room 54 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:12.800 that I currently use at the workshop. We're looking at 55 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:14.840 a second level to the garage and used it as 56 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:17.560 a studio and office space and then later converted to 57 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:22.000 a just a living space. However, the problem there's only 58 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:24.560 a one and a half foot setback from the proper line. 59 00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:28.360 The county requires a five foot step back for any 60 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:33.520 new or remodeled constructure structures. We submitted the revised site 61 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:38.919 planned and the new setback is byfoot and we've already 62 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:42.479 been interested a permit for the garage assessory unit and 63 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:46.599 our starting to look at construction in a few weeks. However, 64 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:49.159 the general contractor came back out to do a reassessment 65 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:51.879 of the garage and it's recommending a complete tear down 66 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:55.479 of the existing structure for the new build. So here's 67 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:59.879 my question. It's a two parter A. What's the cost 68 00:03:59.879 --> 00:04:03.120 of lumber potentially going up? Is there anything I can 69 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:06.759 do pre construction to salvage any good lumber from the 70 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:09.840 old structure which looks to be in pretty good condition, 71 00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:14.400 especially the four by fourteen solid beam that spans the 72 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:19.040 length of the unit. The rafters themselves and walls all 73 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:22.079 want to be in good conditions. Are there any rules 74 00:04:22.120 --> 00:04:26.360 against using recycled lumber on a new build? The garage 75 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:28.639 itself looks like it well according to you. The previous 76 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:32.480 zoneer was re built about ten years ago. I would 77 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:36.079 like to use some of that lumber for a backyard 78 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:39.360 shed slash tiny home and then later to refinish the 79 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:42.680 basement on the main home. And second part the question, 80 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:46.600 what would you recommend as a procedure for removing the 81 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:49.600 wood from the wall, seatings and the roof without the 82 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:52.920 whole thing collapsing on me? I want to reuse some 83 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:57.959 of the newer windows, the intry door, garage door, electrical wires, 84 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:03.240 and metal roof for that you build and later projects. 85 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:05.360 Why is it all worth it? 86 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:09.079 Okay, gotcha? Well, whether it's all worth it? 87 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:12.319 Has to do with the you know, your time and 88 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:15.879 energy put into it to get it done. You know, 89 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:19.800 that's that's the biggest question. You know, sweat equity is 90 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:24.240 always the question that DI I wires have to contend with, like, ugh, 91 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:26.360 is this worth it? Or should we just let this go? 92 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:30.319 But all right, century homes, So we're talking about something 93 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:34.639 built in the nineteen twenties in the Pacific Northwest, anywhere 94 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:37.079 on the west coast. When something's built in the nineteen twenties, 95 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:41.519 you're talking about old growth wood, very very stable would 96 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:47.560 and now, so to answer the first question of very quickly, no, 97 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:52.600 there are no prohibitions about using older wood versus newer wood, 98 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:56.920 recycled lumber versus new lumber. The only thing that it 99 00:05:57.079 --> 00:06:01.600 the building department or inspects or your structural engineer is 100 00:06:01.639 --> 00:06:04.959 going to be concerned about is the condition of that lumber. 101 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:06.839 And the condition of the lumber. In other words, it 102 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:11.199 can't be dry rotted, it can't be termite infested, and 103 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:14.800 it can't be broken or split or anything like that. 104 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:19.959 So salvaging solid pieces of wood, and you know, and 105 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:23.319 the point is this, the logic extends this way, and 106 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:26.560 I understand that's a very common thing that you know, 107 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:30.079 a century home. Even here in southern California, quite often 108 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.120 a lot of detached garages were built right on the 109 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:36.480 property line. Literally, I've got a project in Studio City 110 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:39.759 right now where the existing garage it was built in 111 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:42.839 the nineteen thirties, is only twenty four inches off the 112 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:45.639 property line. And now some work has to be done, 113 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:48.360 and we're trying to get it around the idea that 114 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:51.079 the new zoning set back and by new I mean 115 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:56.160 like nineteen sixty forward is five feet, which is common right, 116 00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:59.560 and so we're trying to, you know, work massage the 117 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:03.040 city to allow us, and we're not adding a second floor. 118 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:04.680 If we were doing that, it would have been a no, 119 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:08.279 a no from the get go. And that's why, you know, 120 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:11.000 in your jurisdiction it's a it's a no, just a 121 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:13.319 flat out no no. You know, if you were just 122 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:16.680 rehabbing that garage, I'm sure they would allow you to 123 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:19.959 keep it there, grandfathered in place. But a brand new 124 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:22.680 second story on top of it, No, that's going to 125 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:24.879 have to fall within the five foot the new five 126 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:28.040 foot setback. So the point is they would have allowed 127 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:31.519 you to just work with that existing lumber anyway if 128 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:34.920 you were just rehabbing that first floor. And so the 129 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:37.560 logic is the wood has to be in good shape, 130 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:40.519 that's all. It has to be in good shape, and 131 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:47.120 especially century old old growth lumber from the region that 132 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:51.600 you're building in, actually very likely if it's in good shape, 133 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:54.120 it's in good shape and there should be no concerns 134 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:56.279 about it. The only thing that has happened to that lumber, 135 00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:59.920 if it's been protected well from the elements, is that 136 00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:03.319 it has dried out. And that's what we hope will 137 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:05.959 be the case with all lumber in all homes that 138 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:10.680 eventually the kiln dried process removes most of the moisture. 139 00:08:10.759 --> 00:08:14.759 And that's what actually makes wood homes more stable over 140 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:18.800 time is when they eventually, you know, fully dry out. 141 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:21.800 So answer to your first question shouldn't be a problem. 142 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:25.040 Second question, how to get the most out of it. 143 00:08:25.319 --> 00:08:28.240 You want to take your time. You don't want to 144 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:32.720 leave nails in the structure. So my recommendation is not 145 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:37.279 going to be that you saws all the studs loose 146 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:40.799 and things like that that will leave cut nails inside 147 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:45.320 the existing structure. Withdrawing all the fasteners, cleaning all the 148 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:48.519 lumber up, so that there's no residual fasteners in the 149 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:52.519 lumber is probably your best bet, but the overall process 150 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:57.720 of pulling it all down really needs to happen to 151 00:08:57.799 --> 00:09:02.279 do it efficiently in the order, in the reverse order 152 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:05.240 that it went up. And so what this means is 153 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:08.600 is very simply, if there are windows or doors that 154 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:12.480 you're going to salvage, then those need to be removed 155 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:15.360 first because they were the last things to go in. 156 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:18.360 Then you're gonna have to go up onto the roof 157 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:22.679 and start dismantling the roof sheathing and the roof rafters 158 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:25.759 and the ridge beams and work your way back down 159 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:28.879 because the way it was built originally was from the 160 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:31.559 ground up, the roof being the last thing to go on, 161 00:09:32.120 --> 00:09:35.799 and so logically speaking, the safest and best for all 162 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:39.559 of those framing members is to dismantle it from the 163 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:41.360 roof down in reverse order. 164 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:42.320 Does that make sense? 165 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:43.639 Yes? 166 00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:47.720 It is, Yes it is. I'm concerned about the weight 167 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:53.080 of the beam is about twenty four by thirty seven structure, 168 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:56.240 and I don't know if I'm going to be able 169 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:59.399 to remove that beam or just wait till they actually 170 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:05.159 demolish it. See if I can salvage that yeah. 171 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:06.440 I have no doubt. I have no doubt that you're 172 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:08.039 going to be able to remove the beam. It's just 173 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:09.679 a question of whether you're going to be able to 174 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:12.720 do it by yourself. And to remove a beam like that, 175 00:10:13.399 --> 00:10:15.159 what you're going to want to do is you're going 176 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:17.759 to want to temporarily brace it up. You may build 177 00:10:17.799 --> 00:10:21.440 a temporary wall or set of supports underneath the beam 178 00:10:21.559 --> 00:10:26.399 in the open clear space while you dismantle it from 179 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:28.960 its connections to the rest of the house. And then 180 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:31.440 you need to make a clear open slot to be 181 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:33.639 able to lower one end of the beam down while 182 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:37.480 the other one stays supported. That kind of thing, there's 183 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.279 a process for that. If it doesn't seem one hundred 184 00:10:40.279 --> 00:10:42.919 percent clear to you, then have a conversation with your 185 00:10:42.919 --> 00:10:46.480 general contractor about that and about how to most efficiently 186 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:49.480 get that beam out of the wall. But again, with 187 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:52.320 no roof above it, you're leaving yourself a lot of 188 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:55.159 options and a lot more flexibility. And then you can 189 00:10:55.320 --> 00:10:59.120 remove wall around it and keep it temporarily braced in 190 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:02.720 place and then be able to drop the beam down safely. 191 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:09.600 But it's probably not almost guaranteed, not a one man procedure. 192 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:12.440 We often will just FYI and then I got to 193 00:11:12.440 --> 00:11:16.840 go here out. We will often set a beam in 194 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:20.120 place like that if we don't have a huge framing 195 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:26.200 crew around with a motorized electric lift system, and you 196 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:29.279 may want to consider that that may be the easiest way. 197 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:31.759 In fact, in theory, you could do that as a 198 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:35.600 single man show if you got an electric lift in 199 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:40.320 on the slab, got that lift up forked underneath the 200 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:42.720 beam so that it is now the support, and now 201 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:45.679 you can just dismantle the walls around it. The beam 202 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:48.120 is sitting on the lift, it'll transfer its weight onto 203 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:50.559 the lift and then with a click of a button 204 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:53.559 you just lower it down to the ground and now 205 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:56.200 your beam is free and clear. Just a little bit 206 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:01.320 of demolition theory from an old framer. Al thanks for 207 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:04.679 your call. I'm running late, so let's jump into some 208 00:12:04.759 --> 00:12:06.240 news and then we'll take some more calls. 209 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:07.000 On the other side. 210 00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:11.360 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 211 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:12.960 KFI AM six forty. 212 00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:18.480 Always a pleasure and a privilege to spend some time 213 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:21.399 with you on a Sunday morning talking about your home. 214 00:12:21.399 --> 00:12:23.639 We're talking about getting you outside today and we're going 215 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:25.720 to return to that conversation in just a bit. But 216 00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:28.360 right now I'm taking calls, so I want to go 217 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:33.000 back to the phones. Let's talk to Al. I'm sorry, 218 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:37.559 Let's talk to Oscar. Oscar. Welcome home, Good. 219 00:12:37.320 --> 00:12:40.559 Morning, Dean. Thank you for taking my call, Tina, Michelle, 220 00:12:40.600 --> 00:12:45.879 Miss and Zalez. Thank you for being so helpful. I 221 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:53.240 had a leak on a skylight and I called American 222 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:57.639 windows to come out, but they only come out only 223 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:01.360 if Dave installed it. I've had handyman that came out 224 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:06.679 hawked around the windows, around the edges of the window, 225 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:12.679 and now the water is still leaking and it's coming 226 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:19.799 into the house onto my dry wall. So uh, I'm 227 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:22.919 trying to figure out. I've already cleaned out the wheepholes, 228 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:27.159 I've cleaned out the window drain tracks, both vacuum and 229 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:30.000 blowed them. I sent you an email with the pictures 230 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:32.320 on them. I don't know if you have access to that, 231 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:37.080 but desperately seeking Susan for help, I. 232 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:42.320 Mean speaking from all right, hang on just one second 233 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:45.080 you Oh yeah, here's your Oscar, Oscar. 234 00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:45.480 There you go. 235 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:50.679 So this is a weird skylight, Oscar, this is a 236 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:55.320 you got a window sitting out with a little wall 237 00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:58.799 alcove behind it. This skylight is mounted directly to the 238 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:01.120 top of a of a window here. 239 00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:05.399 Yes, that's correct. It's really odd. 240 00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:09.159 Now now is this did you do this? Is this 241 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:13.639 a replacement window? I mean, tell me the story, I 242 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:16.240 mean was it? It looks like the structure has always 243 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:21.080 kind of accommodated it. What is the story behind this? This? 244 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:24.000 This purchased My wife and I purchased our house three 245 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:28.039 eight years ago, and it came along with that. We've 246 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:33.519 just replaced the windows again now and talking to contractors 247 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:35.159 that things should have never been there. 248 00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:38.159 So yeah, yeah, exactly. 249 00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:41.600 Now you replaced the windows again, including this skylight above 250 00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:43.759 or that is still all right? 251 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:45.799 Yeah? 252 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:49.200 And and how how long ago did you replace this skylight? 253 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:49.559 When? 254 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:51.320 When when were these windows replaced? 255 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:53.240 Two thousand and seven? 256 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:56.919 Okay, And it has just started leaking. 257 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:02.679 It started leaking about a year or so. And I've 258 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:06.120 gone up there and I spread against a stucco thinking 259 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:11.720 it's a stucco and it was a repellent so the 260 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:16.120 water would not seep in. And then we did the cawking. 261 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:19.600 That stopped a little bit, but it continues to leak. 262 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:24.639 Yeah, yeah, you're gonna be chasing this one like a 263 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:28.480 dog chasing its tail. My friend, I don't know. Here's 264 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:32.000 here's what I can tell you. Okay, anything is possible. 265 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:34.799 Anything is possible. So I'm not I'm not going to 266 00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:37.240 be the guy to tell you that you cannot have 267 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:40.480 a skylight above this window setting like this. I wish 268 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:43.279 you guys could see this. It's just literally imagined kind 269 00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:46.799 of a kind of a situation where it's almost like 270 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:50.960 a kitchen picture window sticking out from the kitchen sink 271 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:54.840 with glass up above that's horizontal. But the point is 272 00:15:55.480 --> 00:15:59.080 three sides of this is touching stucco. And what I'm 273 00:15:59.159 --> 00:16:03.240 seeing he is that I'm seeing that this retrofit style 274 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:07.799 glass skylight has got it looks like a vinyl and 275 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:13.159 or metal curb that's or flashing. That isn't actually going 276 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:15.759 into the stucco. It's just up against the stucco, and 277 00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:18.559 you're relying on calking to keep that seal. 278 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:19.080 Right. 279 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:25.039 That's problematic in and of itself because water gets inside stucco, 280 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:27.639 and water is going to get down inside past the 281 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:32.240 window flashing eventually. Especially you probably started to notice it 282 00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:35.399 because of the age of the window, and at this 283 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:38.200 point for as long as it's been there, and the 284 00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:41.320 heavy rains that we've had in the last couple of 285 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:45.320 winters now really starting to saturate stucco. The water in 286 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:47.120 the stucco has got to have a place to go, 287 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:50.320 and the water in the stucco is bypassing the window 288 00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:53.759 flashing all together. So I'm just going to tell you 289 00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:57.440 this and so that everybody can understand when it comes 290 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:04.039 to skylights and or any kind of window or element, 291 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:07.319 whether it's a fireplace sticking into a stucco wall, whether 292 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:12.559 it is a skylight that's you know, partially pushed up 293 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:18.720 against stucco, or anything like that. Anytime a plane of 294 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:23.359 sorts is intersecting stucco on a house and we've got 295 00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:27.400 vulnerable room space below it, that thing has to be 296 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:35.440 flashed into and underneath the stucco, into and underneath the stucco. 297 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:39.400 So the thought now retrofit windows. And I can see 298 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:44.319 that you've got retrofit vinyl windows here. Retrofit windows only 299 00:17:44.440 --> 00:17:48.559 work on a house because we're not disturbing the original 300 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:52.480 frame of the original window, which is still flashed into 301 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:55.160 the stucco, and the retrofits slide on top and then 302 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:58.440 a heavy calking seal is sealed around them, so we 303 00:17:58.519 --> 00:18:02.079 kind of glue them to the old window frame that's embedded, 304 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:05.119 and you know, they save money because you don't have 305 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:08.559 to tear up the stucco. But in this situation, this 306 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:12.200 was a mistake from the window stallers who retrofit the windows, 307 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:16.759 because this never should have been a retrofit situation. This 308 00:18:16.920 --> 00:18:21.079 is a situation that needed to have stucco removed around 309 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:25.279 the three sides of that skylight and an actual metal 310 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:30.039 flashing put up underneath the stucco paper, backing up the 311 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:33.319 stucco paper so that all the moisture in the stucco 312 00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:37.960 itself hits that flashing and is transferred to the outside 313 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:42.599 over the lip of the skylight flashing. So the point 314 00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:47.440 is this, everybody flashing is key and not everything. Nothing 315 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:53.440 is ever is ever universally everything fool proof, even retrofit 316 00:18:53.480 --> 00:19:01.119 windows and a horizontally positioned flat retrofit window up against stucco. 317 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:04.599 We never want to rely on just caulking to keep 318 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:08.680 that to surface waterproof because it ain't gonna work, and 319 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:11.960 in this case it is the It is the example 320 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:16.039 that proves the lesson so Oscar you can keep a 321 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:20.880 skylight there. You can have that window there, it may 322 00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:23.680 not be that one in particular, but what you really 323 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:28.000 need is a stucco contractor to come out and remove 324 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:32.160 about six inches of stucco above that skylight around that 325 00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:37.200 three walled area. Get a good roof z bar flashing. 326 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:39.160 We call it Z bar because it's shaped in a 327 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:43.319 Z and get it underneath the stucco paper and out 328 00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:47.480 over the skylight itself, so that all the moisture, not 329 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:50.759 only the rain falling from the outside, but the water 330 00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:54.599 that is collecting inside the stucco itself, all of the 331 00:19:54.759 --> 00:19:57.759 moisture is being channeled to the outside of the house 332 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:02.000 and not dripping down inside. All right, guys, oscar, that's 333 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:03.920 the best I can do with that answer, and I 334 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:08.480 hope that clarifies that it's gonna leak until that fix 335 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:09.759 is put into place. 336 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:12.359 Sorry to tell you that, but it's true. 337 00:20:12.839 --> 00:20:15.039 All right, y'all, We've got to go to a break 338 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:18.160 and when we come back, how about a couple more calls. 339 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:18.839 Sounds good? 340 00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:23.279 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 341 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:24.880 KFI AM six forty. 342 00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:30.799 Dean Sharp, the house whisper, custom home designer and builder, 343 00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:34.759 here to help you transform that ordinary house into an 344 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:38.279 extraordinary home. Here with you live every weekend right here 345 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:42.000 from nine to noon on Sundays and from six to 346 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:45.640 eight on Saturday mornings. We're gonna get back to our 347 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:50.400 topic of the least expensive ways to get yourself a 348 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:54.440 little bit more elbow room, specifically today doing some more 349 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:59.920 outdoor living in the most practical and inexpensive ways possible. 350 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:02.400 We're coming back to that, but right now I am 351 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:06.079 taking calls and I want to get back to the phones. 352 00:21:06.119 --> 00:21:08.880 Let's talk to Dennis. Hey, Dennis, welcome home. 353 00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:16.359 Good mornings. I'm sure I'm like a lot of other people. 354 00:21:16.599 --> 00:21:20.559 The patio is a place where the overflow from the 355 00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:30.799 garage goes. Moving on to the main question, popcorn ceilings. Yes, 356 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:35.519 I have a nineteen eighties house where the cathedrals kind 357 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:40.160 of ceiling. The highest part's probably north of twenty feet tall, 358 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:46.279 and the bedroom is the same way on the second floor. 359 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:52.319 So trying to decide the best way to take the 360 00:21:52.359 --> 00:22:00.240 popcorn ceiling off or putting new drywall center drive all 361 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:06.240 on top and covering out with this new plaster, and 362 00:22:06.359 --> 00:22:10.519 to throw one more thing into it where the house 363 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:19.000 that's old would the would it be worth changing out 364 00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:25.440 the insulation and the ceiling since there's no attic obviously, 365 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:29.240 so would it be worth taking down on the dry 366 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:34.880 wall putting in all new insulation And I'm putting up 367 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.920 drywall from scratch? 368 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:45.079 Gotcha all right, my friend? Well three questions rolled into one. 369 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:50.039 There of actually two. Okay, popcorn ceilings. You have a 370 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:54.160 home built in the nineteen eighties, and that means that 371 00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:58.480 and there's really no reason to mess with this because 372 00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:05.359 asbestos was gone from acoustic ceilings in the late seventies 373 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:08.440 at the that was the tail end of asbestos. So 374 00:23:08.839 --> 00:23:12.519 a home built in the nineteen eighties does not have 375 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:16.799 asbestos in the popcorn ceiling, in the acoustic ceiling mix, 376 00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:21.519 So no need to abate, no need to go to 377 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:25.319 the cost of all of that, safe to say, safe 378 00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:29.559 to say that there's no asbestos in that popcorn ceiling. Also, 379 00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:34.839 the lack of asbestos makes that acoustic popcorn texture very 380 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:37.759 soft as a general rule, unless it's been painted over 381 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:40.759 eight hundred times with paint, at which point it gets hard. 382 00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:46.039 But underneath, underneath, it's very soft. Acoustic ceilings with asbestos 383 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:50.359 in them, asbestos being a fiber in them, tend to 384 00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:53.599 be very very hard and rigid and far more difficult 385 00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:57.759 to remove. If it's a normal eight foot bedroom ceiling 386 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:03.000 with a nineteen eighties or later asbestos coating on it, 387 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:05.759 typically you could just take a room. You could lay 388 00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:08.880 down plastic, empty out the room, lay down plastic on 389 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:13.880 the floor, and take a Hudson's sprayer with a fine 390 00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:17.880 mist of water, dampen that ceiling, and a scraper and 391 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:21.279 you will find that that stuff comes off pretty dang easily. 392 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:25.359 And if you hire an acoustic ceiling removal company, that's 393 00:24:25.400 --> 00:24:27.599 pretty much exactly what they're going to do. They're going 394 00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:31.480 to dampen the acoustic and scrape it off and get 395 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:36.079 that ceiling clear. Probably the least expensive way to go 396 00:24:36.359 --> 00:24:41.079 in your situation. You could also encapsulate, meaning that you 397 00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:43.799 could put up, as you mentioned, another layer of drywall 398 00:24:43.880 --> 00:24:47.599 to just trap that acoustic in there. But in your situation, 399 00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:52.319 I usually recommend encapsulation when we've got asbestos in the 400 00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:59.359 acoustic because encapsulation versus a batement huge cost difference. Encapsulation 401 00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:04.319