WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:05.080 I am pick forty live dreaming you make Dean everywhere 2 00:00:05.240 --> 00:00:09.240 on the iHeartRadio app. Hey, Dean Sharp. The House Whisper 3 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:13.000 here with you live every Saturday and Sunday morning. Hey, 4 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:15.519 don't forget follow us on social media. We're up there. 5 00:00:15.560 --> 00:00:19.199 We're getting some stuff done on social media. Home with 6 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:24.679 Dean is the handle for all of the usual suspects Instagram, TikTok, 7 00:00:24.760 --> 00:00:28.079 Facebook x. You know, Home with Dean and of course 8 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:31.760 you know this very program is also the House Whisper Podcast. 9 00:00:31.879 --> 00:00:36.119 You can listen to it anytime, anywhere on demand. Hundreds 10 00:00:36.119 --> 00:00:40.200 of episodes, all searchable by topic. It is a home 11 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:43.240 improvement reference library that we've been building for you for 12 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:46.600 years and years now. And if your home is in 13 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:49.719 need of some more personal house Whisper attention. If you 14 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:51.880 think to yourself, you know what we need? Those guys 15 00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:54.600 standing in our living room staring at the problem, well 16 00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:56.479 you can do that too. You can book an in 17 00:00:56.679 --> 00:01:00.920 home design consult with us. Just go to how Whisperer 18 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:04.079 dot design for more information. 19 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:05.519 All right, it is. 20 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:09.439 Saturday morning, Saturday Morning live, as we do here, and 21 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:12.439 as we do we are taking your calls. The number 22 00:01:12.439 --> 00:01:16.159 to reach me eight three to three two, ask Dean 23 00:01:16.319 --> 00:01:19.680 eight three three the numeral to ask Dean. We've got 24 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:22.799 room on the callboard for you. It's a light traffic 25 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:26.640 morning this morning. Eight three three to ask Dean. Whatever 26 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:29.319 you got to scratch in your head about your home, 27 00:01:29.799 --> 00:01:38.159 design questions, architectural issues, construction issues, DIY concerns, you name it. 28 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:41.799 If it's got you in a quandary, give me a call. 29 00:01:41.879 --> 00:01:44.519 We'll put our heads together and we will figure it out. 30 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:49.000 Producer Michelle standing by, ready to take your calls. All right, 31 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:51.200 let's go back to the phones. I want to talk 32 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:53.840 to JJ AYJJ welcome home. 33 00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:55.959 Hi. 34 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:56.879 How are you? 35 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:00.000 I am well, how are you? 36 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:00.439 Oh? 37 00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:06.159 Sorry, I'm great. So I have a question about putting 38 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:08.879 some installation into my house. I have an older home 39 00:02:09.639 --> 00:02:12.719 and it has no insulation in it whatsoever. It does 40 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:16.840 have that blown installation in the attic. It's about, you know, 41 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:22.719 maybe an answer to now, but I was wondering, can 42 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:27.599 you put the insulation in the walls from the top 43 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:30.919 of the attic? Can you just like remove the plywood 44 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:33.479 at the path and just like blow it down, or 45 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:37.240 put some of that styrophone installation and just slide in there? 46 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:38.400 Is that. 47 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:40.000 Done? 48 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:40.879 I don't even know. 49 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:43.840 It's a really good question. 50 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:48.479 Let me ask you, JJ, just just before I get 51 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:52.159 to a more thorough answer about that, what kind of 52 00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:54.560 what's on the outside of your home? 53 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:56.360 Is it stucco? Is it sighting? 54 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:56.719 What you? 55 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:01.639 Yeah, stuck, I have stucco and in the very very front, 56 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:02.599 not a lot, but. 57 00:03:02.759 --> 00:03:04.919 Okay, some siding all right. 58 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:09.360 So generally the answer is no, we don't want to 59 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:18.319 approach insulating retrofit insulating through the attic because we don't 60 00:03:18.360 --> 00:03:24.319 want to disturb because back up retrofit insulation involves drilling 61 00:03:24.360 --> 00:03:27.840 a lot of holes in the house. Okay, we got 62 00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:31.159 to get into those wall cavities, every single wall cavity, 63 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:35.039 every single stud cavity in the home on the exterior wall, 64 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:38.120 we need access to to get insulation in there. Now, 65 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:41.800 it used to be we used to blow in cellulose insulation. 66 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:44.439 There are still companies that do that. The one that 67 00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:48.159 I recommend more than anything, though, is to pump in 68 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:54.039 expansing foam insulation for the walls. It is just absolutely 69 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:57.159 the best. The best. It ends up you end up 70 00:03:57.159 --> 00:04:00.400 with a home that's better insulated than a home got 71 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:05.639 insulated first time around with regular fiberglass bat insulation. It 72 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:09.639 just is well worth the effort and the trouble. But 73 00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:12.639 we don't want to do those holes through the top 74 00:04:12.680 --> 00:04:15.919 plates of the walls, because those top plates of your 75 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:20.600 walls are what is holding your house together. It's a 76 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:23.680 band that it already has some holes in it for 77 00:04:24.519 --> 00:04:28.560 plumbing vents and drain lines and some water lines. But 78 00:04:28.600 --> 00:04:32.600 we're talking about putting a good hole in every single 79 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:36.240 stud bay, which means every sixteen inches along that and 80 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:38.480 we don't want to compromise the top plates of the 81 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:43.079 house that much. So very rarely do you find anybody 82 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:46.839 recommending going that way. What we typically do is we 83 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:50.079 start on the exterior the wall, or, if you're more 84 00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:53.439 comfortable with it, on the interior with holes in the 85 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:57.480 dry wall. So either we're keeping the interior attacked and 86 00:04:57.519 --> 00:05:00.800 we're putting holes in the stucco small holes, small like 87 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:04.800 one inch holes in the stucco, or we're taking off 88 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:08.560 a piece of horizontal siding. That's usually optimal if you've 89 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:10.639 got siding on your house, we can take off one 90 00:05:10.680 --> 00:05:14.120 strip of siding, drill the holes underneath it, patch them up, 91 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:16.800 and then put the siding back on. Either way, it 92 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:19.199 gets a little messy at some points, but it is 93 00:05:19.399 --> 00:05:23.560 well worth doing the insulation for the exterior of the home. 94 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:26.160 We just don't go through the top plate, that's all. 95 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.079 Oh okay, I got it. 96 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:31.959 What about the flooring. 97 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:38.240 Do you recommend anything to do in insulate like the 98 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:40.480 flooring the bottom Yeah. 99 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:44.399 No, if you've got a raised foundation house. In other words, 100 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:46.920 if you're not on a slab and you're on a 101 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:49.639 crawl space underneath your house, that can be gotten to 102 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:52.839 very easily by an insulation company. And yes, I do 103 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:57.519 recommend insulating your subfloor as well, that you can just 104 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:00.839 buy bats for and get somebody under there, crawling under 105 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:03.959 the house, getting those things put up into place. That 106 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:08.079 doesn't require any kind of disruption of the house, and 107 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:10.720 it's easy to get to and it's well worth it. 108 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:12.759 A lot of people are like, well, why you know 109 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:15.800 he goes up Dean. No, no, no, no, no. The 110 00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:18.560 entire envelope of the house is what we want to 111 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:22.560 try and insulate to maintain energy inside the house, whether 112 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:27.439 it's heating or cooling either way. So yeah, the subfloor situation, 113 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:29.399 if you're on a slab, there's nothing can be done 114 00:06:29.399 --> 00:06:31.920 about that. But if you have a crawl space underneath 115 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:34.560 your house, then get somebody under there and putting bats 116 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:37.360 up into place. That's the easy part. That's the easiest 117 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:42.399 part of insulating of everything that you've mentioned by way 118 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:46.160 of retrofit insulation, no mess, and it can be done 119 00:06:46.279 --> 00:06:47.079 very very quickly. 120 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:47.480 JJ. 121 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:51.319 Thank you for your call and your question. Thanks for 122 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:54.399 holding on as long as you have, and good luck 123 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:57.879 with that. Get two or three different bids from insulating 124 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:02.240 companies when it comes to that, and mostly be concerned 125 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:04.600 about what they're putting in and how they're going to 126 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:07.560 patch you up after the fact. It can be totally done, 127 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:11.279 totally totally done at the hands of a company that 128 00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:14.959 knows what they're doing, and it is well well worth it. 129 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:18.800 You'll pay for it in heating and cooling costs in 130 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:22.000 a very very short a matter of time. All right, 131 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:24.560 when we come back, more of your calls. The number 132 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:27.639 to reach me, it's an all calls Saturday morning eight 133 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:31.839 three three two Ask dean eight three three the numeral two. 134 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:34.360 Ask dean say. 135 00:07:34.199 --> 00:07:37.439 If I teen sharp the house whisper. 136 00:07:37.079 --> 00:07:40.720 At your service as I am every Saturday morning from 137 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:43.959 six to eight for you early risers who are looking 138 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:49.240 to get the edge on getting your honeydew list done 139 00:07:49.319 --> 00:07:53.639 for the weekend, staring at your home thinking, oh my goodness, 140 00:07:53.800 --> 00:07:55.920 what are we going to do at this place? We 141 00:07:55.959 --> 00:07:58.800 need some help. We better call Dean. That's why we 142 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:01.959 take calls on Sat. Any mornings. The number to reach 143 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:05.639 me eight three three two. Ask Dean eight three three 144 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:10.399 the numeral two. Ask Dean eight three three two, Ask Dean. 145 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:13.560 It just rolls off the tongue. It's that simple, all right. 146 00:08:13.639 --> 00:08:16.839 Back to the phones we go. Let's talk to John. Hey, John, 147 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:24.000 welcome home. Hello, Hello sir, How can I help you? 148 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:34.159 Yes, I had a leaking roof, and so I have 149 00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:39.399 a lot of water spots in the ceiling. I mean 150 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:43.039 a lot of you know, something close to probably about 151 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:47.440 ten percent of the ceiling. And now, of course I've 152 00:08:47.480 --> 00:08:54.039 replaced the roof. How do I deal with the water spots? Oh, 153 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:58.399 it's very white, pop white popcorn type roof. Best ceiling. 154 00:08:58.399 --> 00:08:58.960 Excuse me? 155 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:02.679 Okay, right, so you've got acoustic ceiling up there. All right, 156 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:06.000 So two things, just to be sure you've had a 157 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:09.960 lot of water damage, and so before you do the 158 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:12.639 easy thing, and it is a very easy thing to 159 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:15.320 deal with water spots on the ceiling. I just want 160 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:19.000 you to make sure that you either you yourself get 161 00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:22.559 up there, or whoever's inspecting this or doing the work 162 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:25.279 for you, gets up there and poke around a little 163 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:29.000 bit with your finger, just to make sure that none 164 00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:35.600 of those water stains are indicative of a failure in 165 00:09:35.639 --> 00:09:37.480 the drywall. In other words, you've had a lot of 166 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:41.000 water up there. Sometimes water can do more than just 167 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:43.639 make a stain on the ceiling. Sometimes it can actually 168 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:46.720 begin to really affect the integrity of the drywall. And 169 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:49.759 the drywall is soft and mushy, and if that's the case, 170 00:09:49.799 --> 00:09:53.000 then some of that drywall needs to be replaced and 171 00:09:53.120 --> 00:09:56.159 changed out. Now I'm not saying that's the case in 172 00:09:56.200 --> 00:09:58.759 your situation. I just want you to make sure that 173 00:09:58.759 --> 00:10:00.600 that isn't the case, because I don't want to put 174 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:06.200 you know, makeup on something that is systemically a deeper problem, 175 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:09.879 all right, And it's not like drywall replacement where water 176 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:13.600 damage has happened is all that expensive. I just want 177 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:15.759 to make sure that you're addressing it the right way. 178 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:20.840 So assuming, assuming that we've got no drywall damage, we 179 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:24.200 just have staining, then it's a very simple solution, and 180 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:27.840 it's very simply that you start the repainting effort with 181 00:10:28.200 --> 00:10:33.519 a stain capturing or a stain covering primer, and they're 182 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:38.120 out there. The ones that I recommend probably the most 183 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:43.600 often are made by zinzer Zi in s s Er 184 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:50.720 and Kills k I l Z great primers before you paint. 185 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:54.000 I think I recommend the Zinser more often than anything 186 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:56.360 because we've just had really good luck with it. And 187 00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:00.519 it is literally called cover stain. It is a stain 188 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:03.919 blocking stained ceiling primer and it's not just for water 189 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:07.840 spot stains, by the way. It's the kind of primer 190 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:11.720 that are used by restoration companies when they come in 191 00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:18.159 after a disaster. It covers over nicotine and tar, it 192 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:22.120 covers over smoke damage, it seals out odors as well. 193 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:24.399 You don't need it for those purposes. You just need 194 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:26.879 the water spot to go away. And so for you, 195 00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:31.000 my friend, it's going to be just cover stain and 196 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:35.000 then paint the room or the ceiling whatever color you 197 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:37.639 plan on painting it, and you are good to go. 198 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:42.240 My friend, John, thank you for your call. Sometimes the 199 00:11:42.279 --> 00:11:47.440 solution is very very simple, but as I said at 200 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:51.200 the beginning, sometimes you need to just make sure you 201 00:11:51.240 --> 00:11:54.879 do your deal due diligence, make sure that the damage 202 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:59.879 isn't just visible, or make sure that the damage is 203 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:02.759 just visible. So when you've got water stains on your 204 00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:05.480 ceilings or your walls, I just want you to feel around, 205 00:12:05.559 --> 00:12:07.279 and you don't have to be an expert at this. 206 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:07.720 You'll know. 207 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:09.919 You'll know as you're feeling around the drywall, you know 208 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:12.799 what normal drywall feels like. And as you're poking around, 209 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:14.279 all of a sudden, you're like, wow, it's kind of 210 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:18.200 soft and bubbly here. It just doesn't feel right. That 211 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:23.960 would be water getting too too saturated into the drywall. 212 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:27.879 Drywall is made out of gypsum, which is a very 213 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:31.679 very soft mineral, and once the paper and the saturation 214 00:12:31.799 --> 00:12:34.960 has gone too far, then what we end up with 215 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:38.559 is a bailed drywall. And we don't want to just 216 00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:41.080 paint over that. We want to actually cut that out 217 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.320 and replace it. Not that big of a deal, but 218 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:47.000 it's worth doing, all right. When we return more of 219 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:49.080 your calls, The number to reach me a three to 220 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:52.720 three two. Ask Dean A three to three the numeral 221 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:56.919 two Ask Dean. You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp 222 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.840 on demand from KFI AM six forty. 223 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:02.279 Can I. 224 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:08.399 Dam pits forty like streaming and eighth everywhere on the 225 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:11.600 iHeartRadio app. If you didn't know that, you don't have 226 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:15.159 to listen to us in AM. You can listen to 227 00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:18.679 us in HD. Just listen to us through the iHeart 228 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:26.000 Radio app on your smartphone or mobile device everywhere in HD. 229 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:27.320 You're home with. 230 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:31.159 Dean Sharp the house whisper Saturday morning. We are taking calls. 231 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:33.360 I want to go back to the phones. The number 232 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:36.600 to reach me eight three three two, Ask Dean eight 233 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:41.240 three three the numeral two ask Dean eight three three 234 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:46.039 to ask Dean. Let's talk to James. Hey, James, welcome home. 235 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:49.600 Hey, get to talk to you. 236 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:54.240 How can I help you, sir? Yeah, yeah, yeah, we 237 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:56.600 can hear you. Just mine, all right. 238 00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:00.799 I have a house. I've boned it over to twenty five years. 239 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:06.399 I'm retired now, and there are a lot of options 240 00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:10.200 out there for rewriffing. But at the same time, I 241 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:14.600 do not have solar and things have changed in the 242 00:14:14.639 --> 00:14:19.279 past few years, and you can't tell your excess electricity 243 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:22.240 back like you used to be able to. And I 244 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:26.559 have a garage that I could put a grandmother apartment 245 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:30.600 on top of but I don't know which direction to go. 246 00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:34.000 I don't know if the solar's can save me enough 247 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:39.519 money to help me build the addition, or if I 248 00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:43.159 should just not do solar and worry about the addition. 249 00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:47.679 I'm confusing. I figure you've been in the business, you 250 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:51.919 could give me the straight scoop on whether to install solar. 251 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:54.600 I gotcha, gotcha. 252 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:59.159 It's a good question, James, And in your situation, I 253 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:01.559 can tell you you are a little bit confused about it. 254 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:06.600 They really are kind of apples and oranges, those two subjects. 255 00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:11.080 But if we're talking about bottom line money savings, let 256 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:15.399 me be clear about this. Yeah, solar has changed a 257 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.759 lot over the years that it has, and it's not 258 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:23.720 that solar has changed so much as it is. I 259 00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:26.440 don't know how to describe this best. It's as if 260 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:30.559 we want to move forward with something good, and at 261 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:35.360 the same time, utility companies don't want to lose profits, 262 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.480 and they have a lot of They've got a lot 263 00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:43.559 of leverage with state and local governments, and so you know, 264 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:46.720 it's like two steps forward, one step back. It just 265 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:50.000 it's it's kind of a pain in the booty when 266 00:15:50.039 --> 00:15:53.960 it comes to that butt is solar still worth it, 267 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:57.519 and can you still save money with solar? Yes, the 268 00:15:57.559 --> 00:16:01.720 answer is yes. Okay, everybody has to get a quote 269 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:05.120 and evaluate this for their own home, get a couple 270 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:07.279 of quotes from different solar companies. But the fact of 271 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:10.440 the matter is solar saves you money on your energy 272 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:11.200 costs period. 273 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:11.600 Right. 274 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:15.919 It's not as simple and straightforward as it used to be. 275 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:18.919 As far as it just used to be. You know, 276 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:21.159 you would you would get in on a level plan 277 00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:25.960 and you would sell back to the utility company, you know, 278 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:30.279 your over production amounts. That is still the case. Okay, 279 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:35.480 it's still the case. But the situation now is that 280 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:40.320 everybody is on a timed tiered plan and so a 281 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:44.519 solar set up these days in California, at least a 282 00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:50.960 solar setup it absolutely must come with backup batteries, intelligent 283 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:54.360 backup batteries as a part of the system, because what 284 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:57.000 we want to be doing is in order to make 285 00:16:57.080 --> 00:17:01.399 up the savings, we've got a store that energy into 286 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:06.319 the batteries and discharge the batteries at the right time 287 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:09.400 during the day so that it knocks it so that 288 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:12.799 we're selling our energy back to the energy company, the 289 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:16.720 utility at the right time, and we're using the power 290 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:19.480 in our backup batteries to buffer that at the right 291 00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:23.480 time during the day. So it's more confusing, it's more 292 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:26.279 complex than it used to be, but it's still totally 293 00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:30.960 totally doable. The key is a smart solar system with 294 00:17:31.079 --> 00:17:33.880 backup batteries, and then you get the added benefit of 295 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:36.279 having a backup battery, which means that you've got the 296 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:40.000 backup power when the power goes out or during disasters 297 00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:42.799 or what have you. So is solar still worth it? 298 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:45.559 Can you still put in a solar system that is 299 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:49.559 what we call net zero solar, meaning at the end 300 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:54.039 of the year that your energy bill has been neutralized 301 00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:57.440 taken out. And the answer to that question is yes, 302 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:02.160 absolutely now based on that, that's the goal, okay of 303 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:08.240 solar James is to is to neutralize your energy to 304 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:11.480 get rid of your your electric bill. Okay, whether or 305 00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:15.880 not getting rid of your electric bill is the kind 306 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:20.160 of money savings that you're looking for. If that's enough 307 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:23.640 for you, then that's something you're gonna have to you 308 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.839 know evaluate. Okay, Now I'm comparing that now to the 309 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:30.920 you know, building an ADU. In fact, you know what 310 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:33.440 I want to give it a couple of more thoughts. 311 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:36.519 So James, you hold on. I'm going to pop you 312 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:39.200 on hold, and then we're gonna have this conversation on 313 00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:41.839 the other side, because James asked a very interesting question. 314 00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:44.640 Should he go solar and save money that way or 315 00:18:44.680 --> 00:18:48.200 should he invest in uh, you know, an a du 316 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:53.440 uh And basically I'm assuming collect rent from it uh 317 00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:56.279 And should he find savings that way or should he 318 00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:59.000 do both or should he do neither. So let's talk 319 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:01.279 about that. I'm gonna par that out a little bit more, 320 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:03.400 but we'll do it right on the other side of 321 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:07.880 the break. So James, you hang tight, and my card 322 00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:11.839 for House Whisper Welcome home. Thanks for joining us on 323 00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:15.279 the program today. It is a privilege and a pleasure 324 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:18.720 as always to be invited into your home and into 325 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:24.000 your headspace to talk about all things home. Saturday morning, 326 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:28.079 we've been taking nothing but calls, as we do on 327 00:19:28.119 --> 00:19:32.480 a Saturday morning, and I've got James on the line, 328 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:37.559 and James had an interesting question. He wanted to know. 329 00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:39.599 It's his roof is kind of at the end of 330 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:41.799 its life, so he's thinking about reroofing he's gonna have 331 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:44.279 to reroof and the question is should he do solar 332 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:47.400 right now? Is that how he's gonna save the most money, 333 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:52.720 or should he potentially build a grandma unit an ADU 334 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:55.440 on top of the garage. Is that a better investment? 335 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:59.119 And James, So we talked about solar before the break, 336 00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:02.839 but all ultimately, my friend, this is a matter of 337 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:06.039 doing the math, because they really are apples and oranges. 338 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:07.799 If you were to ask me to just shoot from 339 00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:10.720 the hip, I would tell you long term that your 340 00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:13.880 biggest money maker is going to be an ADU and 341 00:20:13.960 --> 00:20:19.319 acessory dwelling unit, you know, a casita, a guesthouse, a 342 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:22.200 gramma flat, whatever you want to call them. They are 343 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:25.799 known in the industry as ADUs, accessory dwelling units. They're 344 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:30.240 easy to permit these days in California because California wants 345 00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:36.279 them as a resolve of the housing crisis, and ADU 346 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:39.799 permits are by and large the biggest permit that is 347 00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:43.640 getting pulled by way of quantity at the local building 348 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:48.720 department wherever you live. ADUs ultimately are going to be 349 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:52.559 after the initial investment, and the initial investment is significant 350 00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:55.440 because you know you got building to do. But at 351 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:59.039 the end of the day, with California housing prices, especially 352 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:04.119 in California mental prices especially, you're going to be making 353 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:07.400 passive income. That, of course, is if you are willing 354 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:10.119 to and it works with you to rent out a 355 00:21:10.279 --> 00:21:13.079 unit in your home. And a lot of people are like, well, 356 00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:15.480 that sounds like a lovely idea, but I don't want 357 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:19.640 strangers on my property, and you know that's totally acceptable 358 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:24.079 as well. So it really comes down to a personal choice, James, 359 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:28.039 whether or not you are into the idea of supplementing 360 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:32.960 your income assively by having a renter in your home. Ultimately, 361 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:35.640 I will tell you there's no question that that's going 362 00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:38.680 to make you the most money versus solar. Solar is 363 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:41.799 going to neutralize your electric bills, so whatever that is, okay. 364 00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:45.119 So you know solar, you know, let's say you've got 365 00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:47.640 five hundred dollars a month that you're paying an electricity 366 00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:49.920 when you're all done with solar, and that's a great thing. 367 00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:53.119 Solar will knock out that five hundred dollars a month. 368 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:57.039 But you know, as well as I do that, try 369 00:21:57.119 --> 00:22:00.720 renting anything for five hundred dollars a month in California. 370 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:03.599 You might be able to rent a closet in an 371 00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:07.559 apartment for five hundred dollars a month. So the point 372 00:22:07.720 --> 00:22:12.160 is past your initial investment, the ADU, the Grandma unit, 373 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:15.400 that's going to be the biggest money maker long term 374 00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:18.839 for you. The question though, is you know, when you 375 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:21.519 have solar knocking out your electric bill, maybe that's enough 376 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:24.440 and you don't have to put up with renters versus 377 00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:27.880 the other. So it's kind of an apple an orange 378 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:33.640 is thing. But financially, ADUs make people money. Solar saves 379 00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:37.039 people money, and that's how you have to kind of 380 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:39.559 look at it. James, thank you for your call. Do 381 00:22:39.640 --> 00:22:41.920 I have time to squeak one more in here? I think, 382 00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:44.720 so let's talk to Cameron. Hey, Cameron, welcome home. 383 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:47.519 Hey, happy Saturday bean. 384 00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:50.039 Thank you, thank you very much. 385 00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:54.839 You're welcome. I am calling. We are painting the exterior 386 00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:58.839 of our home and I have an accent color that's 387 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:01.240 going to be used for the front door and then 388 00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:03.720 for the vent frames up by the roof that are 389 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:06.839 kind of like a hexagon shape. But I have a 390 00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:09.880 man's door in between my garage doors, and then I 391 00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:12.839 have a door on the other side of the garage 392 00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:15.200 that goes out to the pool in the front and 393 00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:18.519 My question is do I save the accent color for 394 00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:21.599 the front door and the vent frames? Is it too 395 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:24.240 much if I put them on the other two doors? 396 00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:28.759 Oh, a design question. I love design questions, especially right 397 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:33.160 here at the end of the show. Okay, so obviously 398 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:35.960 I can't look at your house right now and to 399 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:39.319 give you a definity of answer, but I will tell 400 00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:41.720 you this. If I have to default, I'm going to 401 00:23:41.799 --> 00:23:44.200