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 --> 00:00:10.199 House Whisper on demand on the iHeart Radio app. Here 3 00:00:10.279 --> 00:00:14.519 for you, like we always are here to be a mentor, 4 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:18.440 a design mentor for you, because design matters most an 5 00:00:18.519 --> 00:00:22.399 advocate as you wrestle with construction issues in your home, 6 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:26.000 and it's your friend as you take on the noble 7 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:31.719 work of turning your ordinary house into an extraordinary home. Today, 8 00:00:31.879 --> 00:00:33.240 I want to talk to you about what's going on 9 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:35.719 with your house. I have no agenda but to talk 10 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:38.479 with you. Let's talk to Judy. 11 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:42.840 I have a condo in Carlsbad, and I have about 12 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:46.600 a thirty x twenty foot area of grass, and I 13 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:49.640 have acquired two big dogs in the last couple of years, 14 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:52.399 and like my daughter said, my lawn tern in looks 15 00:00:52.439 --> 00:00:55.759 like a cow pasture. Now they're digging, and I've got 16 00:00:55.799 --> 00:00:57.880 straw down where they're digging because it's a lot of 17 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:00.719 mud and I want to replace it with another kind 18 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:03.079 of natural grass, but I don't know what to put in. 19 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:05.680 I'm gonna I'll take a shot in the dark and 20 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:06.719 say bermuda. 21 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:10.000 Bermuda is a is a pretty. 22 00:01:09.719 --> 00:01:17.719 Dang resilient grass and once it takes it forms a 23 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:20.959 good mat, and I think that's one of the things 24 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:26.840 that will help the most because bermuda gets spongy as 25 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:30.200 a mat of grass, and as a result, it's not 26 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:33.760 the easiest thing for them to dig through. Bermuda is 27 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:38.640 self healing, it's drought tolerant. It will put up pretty 28 00:01:38.680 --> 00:01:43.239 well with dogs with pea and the other stuff and 29 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:46.680 a lot of rough housing. Bermuda grass is usually the 30 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:53.079 grass that's used on the outfield at natural grass baseball stadiums, 31 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.879 so it's a it's a sport grass, it's it's it's 32 00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:01.040 better for rough and tumble kinds of things. But again, 33 00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:05.959 I'm not convinced that two large dogs in just a 34 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:07.879 twenty by thirty foot area they got a lot of 35 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:11.759 time on their hands and they got a lot of tools. 36 00:02:12.039 --> 00:02:13.360 Okay, well that's good. There you go. 37 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:16.639 So just taking them on more walks, wear them out, 38 00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:19.479 and then pop them into the backyard. But that that's 39 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:23.520 probably the best off. The cuff suggestion is take a 40 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.159 look at at bermuda as as an opport. But if 41 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:29.719 you're gonna plant there, of course you're gonna have to 42 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:31.919 keep them off of it for a while. Even if 43 00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:35.479 you sawed the yard, you're gonna need Even though it's 44 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:38.080 gonna look great on day one, you're gonna need to 45 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:41.039 give it a few weeks for it to really root 46 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:44.719 in before they get out there and start tearing it up. Judy, 47 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:48.639 good luck with that. I gotta go give Bermuda a shot. Okay, 48 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:54.280 all right, let's talk to Nick. Hey, Nick, welcome home. 49 00:02:55.879 --> 00:03:04.520 Yes, Steve, I have nineteen two storey vaulted ceiling with skylight, cementile, 50 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:09.439 roof and stucckel frame. So had to hold on a track. 51 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:12.639 And my problem is that I haven't lived in it 52 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:14.800 that much since I bought it. I was in the 53 00:03:14.840 --> 00:03:17.280 Air Force, and then I also went to UCLA in 54 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:20.800 nineteen ninety four, came on one weekend and I developed 55 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:25.080 the slow leaks in the suit in the roof. I 56 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:27.800 saved the water and fans and I was able to 57 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:30.840 empty it and it was not livable after a time. 58 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:34.360 And I'm wondering, what in the world can I do 59 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:37.960 and who do I find out? Whether or not, whether 60 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:40.960 it's a contractor whether it's a roof or whatever. What 61 00:03:41.719 --> 00:03:43.280 can the house be saved? 62 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:45.159 Okay? 63 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:48.360 So where is so? Are we talking about the water damage? 64 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:51.280 Inside the house that you're concerned about or up on 65 00:03:51.319 --> 00:03:52.120 the roof itself. 66 00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:55.719 It's the roof that just leaks down on some of 67 00:03:55.759 --> 00:03:59.199 the drywall and also the beam that goes across the 68 00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:05.560 main part just short just underneath the skylight, and of 69 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:07.680 course that was dripping down, but it was dripping down 70 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:09.759 slow way I always connected it, and of course I 71 00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:12.800 was just irresponsible with getting it fixed. 72 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:16.720 So yeah, here's the good news Nick. 73 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:19.680 First of all, you got to get the roof fixed, 74 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:21.680 right because you got a leak, and we got to 75 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:23.920 fix the roof, so we have to fix the leak 76 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:25.319 in the roof. 77 00:04:26.279 --> 00:04:28.519 The good news about that you got concrete tile. 78 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:32.720 Then there's a really good chance that your tile doesn't 79 00:04:32.759 --> 00:04:35.199 have to be replaced. It will have to be removed 80 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:39.120 in order to deal with leaks, and hopefully it's not 81 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:43.160 pervasive all over the roof. But the concrete tiles in 82 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:46.920 most cases are lifetime tiles, so they can be with 83 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:49.079 the right roofer. You got to get a roofer involved, 84 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:54.879 pull up those concrete tiles, readdress the actual waterproofing, because 85 00:04:54.920 --> 00:04:57.439 the concrete tiles aren't the waterproofing of the roof, it's 86 00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:02.759 the membrane underneath readdress that and any flashing, because that's 87 00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:06.639 likely where the actual problems are with leaks. So first 88 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:09.079 of all, we fix the roof, the good news being 89 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:12.839 it's sort of a reroof or a patch and repair 90 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:16.040 job if it's isolated areas, but you're not going to 91 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:20.240 necessarily have to replace your roofing material, just patch up 92 00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:22.560 that membring. Secondly, when it comes to the rest of 93 00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:26.800 the house, general contractor. Now there are specialty contractors quote 94 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:30.079 unquote that work for insurance companies out there, mold remediation 95 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:33.680 contractors and that kind of thing. My first call would 96 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:36.879 not be in that direction because you know, in my opinion, 97 00:05:37.240 --> 00:05:41.000 it's not such a specialized situation for you that you 98 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:44.240 would need that and need to pay the higher price 99 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:49.079 tag which generally accompanies that. But a general contractor to 100 00:05:49.480 --> 00:05:52.439 open up the drywall in the areas where there has 101 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:55.279 been leaking. We got to open that up. We got 102 00:05:55.319 --> 00:05:57.319 to expose the wood. We need to see if there's 103 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:00.800 any actual damage to the wood itself, dry or anything 104 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:04.439 like that. There probably isn't, not after just a decade 105 00:06:04.600 --> 00:06:07.279 or so. There might be, it depends on how pervasive 106 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:09.319 the leaks have been. But we got to open that 107 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:12.839 all up. Make sure that there's no mold growing underneath 108 00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:15.600 the drywall and back of the drywall. Once the drywall 109 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:20.120 has been pulled off and stud walls and ceiling rafters 110 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:23.439 and ceiling joysts have all been exposed, that's where we 111 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:25.879 can get to the mold really easily, spray it out, 112 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:28.879 kill it, bleach it, do whatever we need to do, 113 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:32.319 and then after the roof has been repaired, we rebuild 114 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:37.360 new drywall and whatever wood repairs are necessary. So you've 115 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:40.600 got some work ahead of you, but not necessarily the 116 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:43.439 end of your home or having to bulldoze it over 117 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:47.720 the key is a forensic examination of where the real 118 00:06:47.800 --> 00:06:49.600 damage is, and for that we just need to pull 119 00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:53.279 the drywall off in most situations, and drywall is inexpensive 120 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:56.040 to replace in the big scheme of things, So pull 121 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:58.120 it off. Let's take a look at where the damage is, 122 00:06:58.199 --> 00:07:00.439 let's address it, and then pop the skin back on, 123 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:04.519 close the patient up as it were, and we should 124 00:07:04.519 --> 00:07:09.000 be off to happiness for the rest of your ownership 125 00:07:09.079 --> 00:07:12.560 of this home. Thanks Nick for the call. I appreciate it, buddy, 126 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:15.079 really good question and good luck with that. Don't worry, 127 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:19.319 it's not likely as extensive or crazy as you might think. 128 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:22.279 How about some more of your calls when we return. 129 00:07:22.439 --> 00:07:25.399 You are listening to Home with Dean Sharp the House Whisper. 130 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:29.800 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 131 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:31.399 KFI AM six forty. 132 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:35.800 Let's talk to Lou. Lou welcome home? 133 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:37.839 Yes Hi? 134 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:38.399 Can you hear me? 135 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:42.120 Okay, Dean, I can. You've been helping me a lot 136 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:46.560 doing a remodel of a condo I have, and I 137 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:48.959 just have a simple It seems to me like a 138 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:53.199 stupid question. The person who's doing it, who's not a 139 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:57.240 registered general contract or anything like that, but he's honest 140 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:02.560 and he's good. We want to there's a toilet in 141 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:07.079 one of the bedrooms that he's suggesting that we replace. 142 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:12.040 The inside mechanism needs certainly needs replacing, but the outside 143 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:16.319 looks high. My wife says it's old fashioned because it's 144 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:19.199 a low I don't know, a lowrider. 145 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:23.360 Okay, yeah, that's yeah, low seat toilet. Yeah, gotcha. 146 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:26.399 He's saying that it's going to cost just as much 147 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:31.000 to replace the toilet as it is to just replace 148 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:33.360 the mechanism. And this guy's honest, so I don't think 149 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:34.960 he's trying to get extra money. Out of me. 150 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:37.879 All right, So very simple answer to your very and 151 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:41.480 it's not a stupid question at all now unless there 152 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:44.519 is some bizarre configuration going on. I mean, if this 153 00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:48.879 is an ancient toilet, like it's a sometimes we run 154 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:53.039 into toilets that, you know, because we do restoration stuff, 155 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:56.200 sometimes we'll use a toilet that literally is one hundred 156 00:08:56.279 --> 00:09:01.159 years old and because of the configuration it, you know, 157 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:03.600 we have to do special things inside and we can't 158 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:06.320 just use the standard replacement stuff on the inside. It 159 00:09:06.360 --> 00:09:09.399 doesn't sound like that, like that's the case here. If 160 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:11.759 this is a twenty year old toilets, if it's a 161 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:15.840 thirty year old toilet, anything in that range there, then 162 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:21.279 then no the guts, the flapper ball, the overflow, the 163 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:24.519 water supply, the valve, the float, all of that stuff 164 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:27.159 that goes inside a toilet. I mean we're talking maybe 165 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:31.840 twenty thirty dollars to change that out. And so yeah, 166 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:36.039 people ask all the time, Hey, this toilet's really really old, 167 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:40.159 so probably it's not going to work right anymore. And 168 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:46.360 my point is there are two really dividing line parts 169 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:49.480 or sections of parts in a toilet. One is the 170 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:53.600 shell itself, a porcelain toilet is just that, and you 171 00:09:53.679 --> 00:09:55.919 know it could last for three hundred years. And then 172 00:09:55.960 --> 00:09:59.480 there's the mechanics on the inside, and most of the 173 00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:02.120 time the stuff that you can buy at the hardware 174 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:05.679 store will pop right in and make the interior brand new. 175 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:08.039 It's like keeping the great old body of a car 176 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:11.200 and putting a new engine inside. And no, that's not 177 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:14.000 going to cost you one hundred or two hundred dollars 178 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:16.320 to do. It should cost you thirty or forty bucks 179 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:16.519 to do. 180 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:16.879 So. 181 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:19.480 I don't know why. I mean, he's an honest guy. 182 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:23.639 Maybe he hasn't taken a look at the cost of 183 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:26.759 those replacement parts yet, or ask him, is there something 184 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:32.200 bizarre going inside that don't that will preclude using the 185 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:34.720 standard replacement parts. So I don't want to impugne him, 186 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:37.600 but I'm just telling you, ninety nine times out of 187 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:40.120 one hundred, we can replace the guts of a toilet 188 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:43.799 for like thirty bucks and boom, it's brand new and 189 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.840 ready to go. Lou, thanks for your question, buddy, really 190 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:48.120 really good question. 191 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:50.600 All right, let's talk to Anna. 192 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:54.679 Welcome home, Anna Hidan, Thank you so much for taking 193 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:58.120 my call. I had a question about tiles. I have 194 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:01.879 these beautiful. I think they're called Turkish tiles, and they 195 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:06.759 have these lovely crevices and dents and just little talk 196 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:09.559 marks and holes in them, and I love the look, 197 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:11.759 but I'm thinking of putting it in the kitchen, and 198 00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:15.200 I don't want my food and everything else getting stuck 199 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:17.879 in those holes. And I don't know what to do. 200 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:20.679 So when you say Turkish tile, were we just talking 201 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:21.799 about the shape of the tile? 202 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:24.000 I was looking them up online. I think another name 203 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:25.080 is travertine. 204 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:29.360 Oh, okay, so they're made out of travertine. Okay, so yeah, 205 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:31.240 this is a pit and you were thinking about using 206 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:32.759 them on the countertop. 207 00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:35.840 No, on the floor, Oh, on the floor of the kitchen. Okay. 208 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:40.679 Travertine is a gorgeous material. Okay. 209 00:11:40.759 --> 00:11:44.960 Travertine is kind of a stone, that is it is, Well, 210 00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:50.200 I'm not going to get all crazy scientific. Travertine is 211 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:53.799 kind of a fossilized limestone. It kind of bridges the 212 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:56.440 gap between limestone and marble. And there's a lot of 213 00:11:56.440 --> 00:12:01.679 fossilization in travertine. It's what gives its its it's attractive nature, 214 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:05.919 but it also is what creates all the pitting in travertine. 215 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:09.159 It is a very highly textured surface, as you know. 216 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:11.720 So you only have a couple of choices when it 217 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:14.440 comes to travertine and maintenance. 218 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:16.240 You either a. 219 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:21.799 Purchase a travertine in which the pitting has been filled 220 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:26.320 with resins epoxy resins, so that there really isn't any pitting, 221 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:29.840 but that's not really common with travertine, and it's not 222 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:33.120 the easiest thing to do in your case. Your choice 223 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:38.519 is this A you just keep that floor sealed like crazy. Now, 224 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:42.799 ceiling is going to keep stains from developing, but it's 225 00:12:42.840 --> 00:12:44.919 not going to keep food and dirt out of the pits, 226 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:49.320 because that's just called gravity and that's just going to happen. 227 00:12:49.399 --> 00:12:53.360 The other option you've got, though with travertine is that 228 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:55.919 when you actually have your tile set or set it, 229 00:12:57.240 --> 00:13:00.200 they can not only grout the joints in between the ale, 230 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:03.559 but they can do a swash of grout across the 231 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:06.480 surface and fill the pits in with the grout that 232 00:13:06.519 --> 00:13:07.919 you're using in the grout joints. 233 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:10.600 That will at least like. 234 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:12.720 Level the pits the look. 235 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:16.279 Yeah, So that's the thing. If you like the holes 236 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:18.960 and you like the pits, and that's the that's the 237 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:22.399 paradox of travertine. You're gonna have to put up with 238 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:25.240 a little bit more annoyance when it comes to cleaning. 239 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:27.519 That's all there is to it. If you're gonna have 240 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:31.279 pitted areas in your floor tile, you keep it vacuumed, 241 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:33.799 you keep it swept, and keep it clean. And it's 242 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:36.399 going to require some more maintenance. And you know that's 243 00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:39.919 that's not me discouraging you from using it. Because Tina 244 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:44.440 and I quite often we will explain thoroughly to a client. Listen, 245 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:46.960 we would love for you to use this material, but 246 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:50.960 this is going to require more maintenance than not. That's 247 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:55.600 not a deal breaker. It should never be a deal breaker. 248 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:57.799 It should simply be something that you go into with 249 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:00.799 your eyes open, fully aware. You know, I don't want 250 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:05.120 people to put in artificial turf. Here's a perfect analogy. 251 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:07.200 I don't want people to put in artificial turf to 252 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:10.519 replace their front lawn or their backyard. I don't mind 253 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:12.759 artificial turf you have, like a little putting green or 254 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:16.120 a sport cord or something, but not to replace your lawn. Now, 255 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:20.799 I get it. Artificial turf requires zero maintenance. It's also 256 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:24.279 look okay, I'm not gonna comment anymore on artificial turf, 257 00:14:24.360 --> 00:14:28.120 so I want you to have grass there instead, But 258 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:32.919 grass needs watering and fertilizing and weeding and mowing. Is 259 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:37.159 it worth it to me? Absolutely, no question whatsoever. So 260 00:14:37.399 --> 00:14:40.360 are there hard scape materials that we put inside the 261 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:42.919 house sometimes which need more maintenance than others? 262 00:14:43.320 --> 00:14:46.200 Yes? Is the beauty and the look and the effect 263 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:46.799 worth it? 264 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:52.240 Absolutely And I can't use an epoxy myself. Can I 265 00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:55.440 use the epoxy like you mentioned, if I already bought 266 00:14:55.480 --> 00:14:58.559 the tiles with the holes, can I use epoxy to 267 00:14:58.600 --> 00:14:59.279 fill the holes? 268 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:01.159 You can. 269 00:15:01.720 --> 00:15:04.279 You've got to do it super carefully, though, because anybody 270 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:06.440 epoxy residue that you get on the surface of the 271 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:09.000 travertine is going to mar the finish of the rest 272 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:11.480 of the travertine. But it sounds like to me when 273 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:13.720 I even suggested you filling it up with grout, which 274 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:15.399 is the easier way to do it, to fill up 275 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:17.559 those holes with grout, If you're going to fill up 276 00:15:17.559 --> 00:15:19.519 the holes with epoxy, you're still filling up the holes, 277 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:23.080 so you're losing that pitting effect that you want so much. 278 00:15:23.480 --> 00:15:26.840 So the main issue I think, Anna is that is 279 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:30.279 that you're going to have to decide do you want 280 00:15:30.279 --> 00:15:34.000 the look and is it worth the maintenance to deal 281 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:38.039 with the pitting or do you just not so whether 282 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:40.720 you fill it with epoxy resin or whether you fill 283 00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:42.840 it with grout. Either way you're going to fill up 284 00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:45.120 the holes. That's going to change the appearance of the tile. 285 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.399 How about some more of your calls when we return. 286 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:51.519 You are listening to Home with Dean Sharp the house Whisper. 287 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:55.840 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 288 00:15:55.960 --> 00:15:57.759 KFI AM six forty. 289 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:00.759 Brent, welcome home. 290 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:02.679 Hey, how you doing? 291 00:16:02.759 --> 00:16:02.960 Dan? 292 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:04.240 Good good? 293 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:10.799 I have a question about the safety handrails in bathrooms. Okay, 294 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.720 I've noticed at the home depot and stuff that they 295 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:21.399 don't come in sixteen in intervals, like the studs. 296 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:21.480 In the wall. 297 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:26.080 Yes, how would I attach those to the wall without 298 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:27.600 breaking them off if I fall? 299 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:36.000 That's a really good question. Yeah, questions. Yeah, you've got 300 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:40.519 two choices here. Number One, whenever we rig out a 301 00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:46.600 bathroom for potential handrail safety rails, whether present or future, 302 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:50.759 safety rails will when we frame the bathroom out, we 303 00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:53.519 will locate where we want those rails and we put 304 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:58.519 solid blocking in between the studs at the height and 305 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:01.279 at the width of where we want those future rails 306 00:17:01.320 --> 00:17:03.039 to be. That way, we don't have to depend on 307 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:07.000 the studs all by themselves. Uh and uh, and we 308 00:17:07.079 --> 00:17:10.720 simply uh, we've got all wood there, so a flat 309 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:14.720 two by block in between studs all the way across. Now, 310 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:18.480 if you're really serious about mounting your rails appropriately there 311 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:20.799 wherever you want to mount them, than what you want 312 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:22.559 to do is you're going to want to remove a 313 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:25.359 little dry wall and uh and actually put in that 314 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:29.039 solid blocking so that you can screw those rails in 315 00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:32.039 exactly where they need to go. The other option is, 316 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:36.440 and sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't, is you can 317 00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:39.359 put a you know, a sloped angle on a grab bar. 318 00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:42.440 Sometimes it's actually convenient if there's one adjacent to a 319 00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:45.240 toilet or adjacent to a shower, to actually put a 320 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:48.599 little slope on it. In some ways it's easier to access, 321 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:51.839 especially if the angle is kind of facing you, and 322 00:17:51.880 --> 00:17:54.200 by by putting a little bit of angle on the 323 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:59.279 grab bar. Now understand when I say this that that 324 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:03.480 that this is a This is not the recommended American 325 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:08.240 Disabilities Act methodology for doing this, but there is no 326 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:14.400 direct requirement in a residential bathroom for ADA compliance to 327 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:17.400 grab bars. So the point is you're free to put 328 00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:19.559 the grab bars anywhere you want, because you're not talking 329 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:23.839 about a commercial bathroom. There are the recommendations horizontal in 330 00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:26.880 certain locations, but if you need to angle it that way, 331 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:30.880 you can actually get a grab bar sometimes that is 332 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:33.920 longer than a stud a couple of stud bays to 333 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:37.880 actually hit the stud left and right, because by angling 334 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:41.039 it you're shortening the overall width of the of the 335 00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:44.880 bar application. But the primary method for doing it is 336 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:45.960 to solid block the wall. 337 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:51.200 Well, I don't really want to tear apart my bathroom, right, 338 00:18:51.799 --> 00:18:55.119 but I thought about using the angles, but I wasn't 339 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:58.880 quite sure of that. Now can the bars themselves be 340 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:00.279 cut to fit? 341 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:02.720 Some bars can? 342 00:19:02.920 --> 00:19:06.519 And yet another good point here there are some bars 343 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:09.359 that you can find, whether or not they're available at 344 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:13.279 your local hardware store. You can find some bars who's 345 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:17.240 radius right at the end is actually an insert, okay, 346 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:20.640 into the main tube. They have to be careful. These 347 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:23.559 can't just be any cheap old towel bar situation. But 348 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:29.200 there are bars ADA approved that have reinforced ends inserts, 349 00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:31.720 and that means that the actual curve back or return 350 00:19:31.799 --> 00:19:33.839 to the wall is separate than the main tube, and 351 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:36.519 that way you could take that main tube, cut it 352 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:39.720 to size as necessary to fit your stud bay, and 353 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:43.079 get at least a couple of those main anchoring screws 354 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:45.920 right into the studs. But you got to find those online. 355 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:47.680 Do a little searching around, but they're there. 356 00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:51.359 Okay, Well, I thank you so much for helping me. 357 00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:55.720 You are so very welcome, sir, and have yourself a 358 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:57.079 great Sunday. 359 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:00.319 Let's talk to Gary. Hey, Gary, welcome home. 360 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:03.279 Moved into a new house, and my dryer is not 361 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:04.160 drying the clothes. 362 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:05.240 Check it out. 363 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:07.319 That's all fine. 364 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:10.920 It goes through the wall, forty five goes up eight feet, 365 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:15.079 another forty five goes out ten feet, so that puts 366 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:17.559 me at about twenty eight feet, and I've read that 367 00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:23.079 it should be at thirty five feet. But it's just 368 00:20:23.160 --> 00:20:24.000 not getting enough. 369 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:25.240 I don't know. 370 00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:29.920 I've run a camera the garden blower through their vacuum cleaner, 371 00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:33.640 so it's clean. What are your ideas other than put 372 00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:34.559 it in a booster fan. 373 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:37.720 I have no ideas other than putting in a booster fan, 374 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:39.839 because putting in a booster fan is what you should 375 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:43.880 do when they give you ratings about how far a 376 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:48.599 dryer vent can go. You know, you take that, you know, 377 00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:52.039 with a grain of salt, because a dryer is not 378 00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:55.400 a high pressure air blowing scenario. And you got to 379 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:58.319 think you got all that humidity, all that moist air 380 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:00.880 in there, and now we're asking it not only to 381 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:04.119 travel twenty plus feet away from the dryer, which is 382 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:08.240 enough on some dryers to just shut down their effectiveness 383 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:10.960 right there, even if it was purely horizontal, but in 384 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:13.640 addition to that, you're asking it to turn a couple 385 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:17.359 of corners and go up eight feet vertical all at 386 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:21.359 the same time. In my opinion, it is absolutely too 387 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:24.519 far to ask that moist are to go on the 388 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:26.519 part of the dryer. But the good news is, as 389 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:30.960 you are already aware, there are these things that when 390 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:34.440 we run an extra long dryer vent out of necessity 391 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:37.640 from design or the access in a laundry room and 392 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:41.759 or a garage area, there are dryer vent booster fans, 393 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:45.480 and they are air activated or switch activated along with 394 00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:47.559 the dryer. They turn on when the dryer's on, they 395 00:21:47.559 --> 00:21:50.759 turn on when the dryer's off. And yeah, so what 396 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:55.319 you need is a mechanical boost to the air flowing 397 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:57.480 so that you get the moisture out of the dryer. 398 00:21:57.559 --> 00:22:00.960 Bottom line, booster fan is the way to go. Unfortunately, 399 00:22:01.400 --> 00:22:06.920 that's the only proper solution in that situation. But fortunately, 400 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:09.599 you know, they don't necessarily break the bank to install them, 401 00:22:09.640 --> 00:22:11.799