WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.080 KFI AM six forty. You're listening to Dean Sharp The 2 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:10.039 House Whisperer on demand on the iHeart radio app. You know, 3 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:13.759 this very program is the House Whisperer podcast that you 4 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:18.960 can listen to anytime, anywhere on demand. Hundreds of episodes 5 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:21.640 I've got for you. We've been doing this now we 6 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:26.320 are beginning our ninth season. Can you believe that hundreds 7 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:29.640 of episodes, all searchable by topic it is or could 8 00:00:29.719 --> 00:00:33.799 be maybe should be your home improvement reference library. And 9 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:35.840 if you're thinking, hey, that's all great, but you know 10 00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:39.560 what we really need is Dean and Tina in our 11 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:43.320 house to looking at our stuff telling us what to do, well, 12 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:45.240 you can do that too. You can book an in 13 00:00:45.479 --> 00:00:48.600 home design consult with me and the tea who's sitting 14 00:00:48.679 --> 00:00:50.759 right across the table from me here. You just go 15 00:00:50.880 --> 00:00:55.840 to house Whisperer dot design. Okay, we are having a 16 00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:58.920 very serious conversation about fire hardening your home, one that 17 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:01.880 I want you to listen very carefully too, because it 18 00:01:01.960 --> 00:01:05.760 is sane and rational, and I want you to be 19 00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:08.879 able to discern and assess the needs of your home 20 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:11.680 and not just go with kind of the fire hardening 21 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:16.439 frenzy that's already begun on in standard media, traditional media, 22 00:01:16.519 --> 00:01:19.879 and especially on social media right now, and we are 23 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:22.239 talking this is I'm going to move on from this. 24 00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:27.159 But the first and foremost threat to homes in any 25 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:31.079 kind of fire condition are the embers that are flying 26 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:33.760 off the fire line the fire. Nowhere near your home, 27 00:01:34.840 --> 00:01:38.120 nowhere near your home, but embers that can fly up 28 00:01:38.200 --> 00:01:42.359 to two miles away and actually start structure fire. Now, 29 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:43.560 how often did that happen? 30 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:43.879 Do you know? 31 00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:49.239 I mean, come on, realistically, yeah, realistically, ninety percent of 32 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:54.319 the homes that ignite in a wildfire event ignite because 33 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:58.599 of embers not on the fire line, do you hear me? 34 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:02.599 And that is why I have my very special guest 35 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:06.359 on the line with me right now, Kelly Berkampas who 36 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:10.280 is the vice president and co founder of brand Guard Vents, 37 00:02:10.360 --> 00:02:13.759 which is my number one recommendation for you for your 38 00:02:13.879 --> 00:02:17.439 enber proof vents. Kelly, We're going to go one extra 39 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:20.280 segment here because I still have a couple of questions 40 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:20.680 for you. 41 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:22.319 Number one, I'm going to start off with this. 42 00:02:22.360 --> 00:02:25.199 I want everybody to realize this, and Kelly is going 43 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:28.280 to lead into our next quick conversation here. 44 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:31.800 Whether you know it or not. Most homeowners wouldn't know this. 45 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:32.520 Why would you? 46 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:38.080 But the California Building Code is updated triannually every three years. 47 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:41.240 Every three years we gather together all the things that 48 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:43.280 are going to be the updates to the building code 49 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.800 and then they are affected in those years. Twenty twenty five, 50 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:48.960 this year that we are in right now is on 51 00:02:49.080 --> 00:02:52.800 that three year cycle. That means that this year things 52 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.360 are going into the California Building Code that will be 53 00:02:55.800 --> 00:03:01.240 applicable and effective as of January first, twoy twenty Okay, 54 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:05.719 this is the year, and we already know, Kelly knows, 55 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:09.919 I know, we already know that for all new construction 56 00:03:10.120 --> 00:03:13.520 and for major remodels all across the state of California, 57 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:21.319 that fire resistant EMBER resistant venting is a from now 58 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:25.199 on in the history of California, a requirement. Just like 59 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:30.080 in earthquakes, earthquake retrofitting, a requirement, ember resist in venting, 60 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:35.000 now a building requirement in the building code. So, okay, Dean, 61 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:38.680 that's fine. That applies to you, know, you know, people 62 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:41.400 who are building new and who are doing a major remodel. 63 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:42.000 That's not me. 64 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:45.039 What does it have to do with me? Well, you've 65 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:47.639 been listening to the news at all. You've been hearing 66 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:52.280 the ongoing conversation that these very, very costly, the most 67 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:58.400 costly fires in US history, are creating for insurance company 68 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:01.159 and insurance coverage out Let me just say this. I 69 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:03.000 don't want to get into the politics of it at all. 70 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:05.240 That's not what I do. But I will tell you this, 71 00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:11.680 if the California Insurance Commissioner pulls off the miracle of 72 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:20.120 keeping or requiring insurers to offer fire insurance for California residents, 73 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:26.600 if he successfully pulls that off, I guarantee you that 74 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:31.399 one of the variables will simply be but you don't 75 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:35.120 have to ensure a home that doesn't have a certain 76 00:04:35.240 --> 00:04:39.480 level of regulated fire hardening by code, and that will 77 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:45.480 include I guarantee you it will include amber proof vents. Kelly, 78 00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:48.000 what have you heard along those lines? 79 00:04:49.879 --> 00:04:54.199 Yeahan, I mean that's correct, You're totally spot on about everything. 80 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:58.959 And in fact, some insurance company is already actually mandate 81 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:03.120 mber resistant. I mean we get calls from homeowners all 82 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:06.560 the time. Over the past I mean some started doing it, 83 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:10.639 you know, as much as ten years ago, but especially 84 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:14.160 over the past year or two, we've seen an uptick 85 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:19.360 for sure where insurance companies are mandating, as a condition 86 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:22.199 of binding a policy or as a condition of renewal, 87 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:26.319 that you have to install ember resistant vents. I think 88 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:29.360 it's what this fire has done is now it's probably 89 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:33.000 going to make it more at a larger scale with 90 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:33.879 more companies. 91 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:37.800 I think, yeah, wow, Okay, So Kelly, before I let 92 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:42.720 you go as succinctly as you can so that we 93 00:05:42.759 --> 00:05:46.120 all understand it and remember it. All right, I'm convinced. 94 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.680 Dean convinced me. Dean and Kelly, you've convinced me. We 95 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:50.839 got to get mber proof fence from my house. How 96 00:05:50.839 --> 00:05:53.240 do I begin? What's the process? What happens? 97 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:53.759 What do I do? 98 00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:58.839 Well? The process is extremely straightforward and easy. If you 99 00:05:58.920 --> 00:06:01.920 were a do it yourself for you know this is 100 00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:05.439 not rocket science. You can call us, go to our website. 101 00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:09.319 You can order the events. You can call us go 102 00:06:09.319 --> 00:06:11.600 to your go to our website. You can tell us 103 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:14.000 what sizes you need, will ship you just events. If 104 00:06:14.040 --> 00:06:16.040 you don't mind getting on a roof, or you don't 105 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:20.199 mind doing it yourself. However, if you need help with 106 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:23.639 the installation portion of it, give us a call. We 107 00:06:23.720 --> 00:06:27.279 have a whole network of professional installers throughout the state 108 00:06:27.319 --> 00:06:33.040 of California and even further east that we will then 109 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:36.759 help you coordinate to send to your house. They'll come out, 110 00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:40.720 they'll take measurements, we'll get you a quote, and then 111 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:43.199 you can have them installed. I mean, installation is like 112 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:46.079 I said, it's very easy, very non intrusive. It does 113 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:48.639 not affect the home you're not going to you know, 114 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:51.040 we're not going to be breaking up your stucco or 115 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:54.240 cutting into the sidewalls or even cutting into your roof 116 00:06:54.279 --> 00:06:57.959 at all. So it's extremely easy and you just need 117 00:06:57.959 --> 00:06:59.759 to give us a call or go to our website 118 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:03.040 and request an estimate, and we got you covered, whether 119 00:07:03.079 --> 00:07:05.399 you're a do it yourselfer or whether you need help 120 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:09.480 with the installation through a contractor right on. 121 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:12.480 All right, Kelly, here's your big shot. Uh who uh? 122 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:14.839 Where do people go to get a hold of you? 123 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:19.879 So you can go to our website, which is brand 124 00:07:19.879 --> 00:07:23.879 guard vents dot com. Brand guard vents dot com. You 125 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:27.480 can also give us a call. We're there Monday through Friday, 126 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:31.040 all day long. The phone number is nine four nine 127 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:35.439 three zero five eight zero five nine. 128 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:38.800 All right, repeat it one more time for us real quick. 129 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:44.120 It's area code nine four nine three zero five eight, 130 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:47.279 zero five nine, and we will pick up the phone 131 00:07:47.319 --> 00:07:48.319 and help you right away. 132 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.839 Fantastic, Kelly, I think thank you so much. 133 00:07:53.160 --> 00:07:55.360 I promised our listeners that I would not only be 134 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:59.920 explaining the vulnerability of their home and explaining the rat 135 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:03.759 sane way to fire harden it, but also handing out 136 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:07.199 resources and everybody who's listening to me Kelly at brand 137 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:11.240 Guard Vents here in southern California, this is your number 138 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:15.519 one house whisper recommended resource, so call them. Go to 139 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:18.560 brand Guardvents dot com. Kelly, thank you so much for 140 00:08:18.600 --> 00:08:21.680 your time this morning, and good luck with everything that 141 00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:22.279 lies ahead. 142 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:25.560 Thank you, Dean, I really appreciate it. 143 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:29.000 All Right, y'all, we're going to move on to the 144 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:31.839 next phase of fire hardening your home. We've talked about 145 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:35.200 when the fire is near and the threat of embers. 146 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:39.639 Now let's turn our attention towards when the flames are here, 147 00:08:40.360 --> 00:08:44.320 and what part or parts of your home do we 148 00:08:44.440 --> 00:08:48.240 really need to focus on and why we'll discuss all 149 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:48.519 of that. 150 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.919 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 151 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:54.519 KFI AM six forty. 152 00:08:56.120 --> 00:09:00.320 I don't take our show very seriously, thank goodness, but 153 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:02.679 I take you in your home very seriously, and today, 154 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:06.720 because everybody is still in the place where you're thinking 155 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:11.679 about the LA wildfires, I am taking yet another weekend 156 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:16.200 to talk to you very honestly, very forthrightly about how 157 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:20.360 to properly assess your home so you can figure out 158 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:23.080 how to harden it. There's all sorts of stuff. Please 159 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:26.120 don't lead out, lead with what you and I are 160 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:29.600 talking about right now. Don't lead out with stuff you're 161 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:34.000 seeing randomly on social media or even in mainstream traditional 162 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:37.759 media formats on TV. And so there's a certain amount 163 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:42.799 of sensationalism that tends to win the day in those places, 164 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:47.240 and with it comes lack of attention to what's actually 165 00:09:47.960 --> 00:09:51.639 actually on the ground happening. Okay, So I'm here to 166 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:56.159 tell you that when it comes to assessing your home 167 00:09:56.240 --> 00:09:59.519 for fireheartening, we're using a very very simple formula. Two 168 00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:04.000 phases when the fire is near, and then phase two 169 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:07.919 when the flames are here. Okay, Now we've spent the 170 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:10.519 first part of the show talking with my very special guest, 171 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:14.799 Kelly Bercompas from Brand Guard Events, about when the fire 172 00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:19.559 is near and how that is statistically actually the greatest 173 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:22.440 threat to your home because that's what ninety percent of 174 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:27.360 homes actually ignite in a wildfire event. But but let's 175 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:33.080 not ignore the fact that flames reach homes. Okay, that's simply, 176 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:36.279 you know, against all of our wishes. That's the truth. 177 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:40.919 So now let's turn and spend a little time talking 178 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:44.200 about when the fire is here. Now, what is the 179 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:47.799 first thing that I want to explain to you. Let's 180 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:54.879 talk about Class A fire rating exterior surfaces. Okay, A 181 00:10:54.919 --> 00:11:00.559 Class A fire rated surface is anything that has been 182 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:06.879 approved by the California Building Code cal Fire and the 183 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:11.519 Uniform Building Code as a material and or a surface 184 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:17.799 that can resist direct contact with heat and flame for 185 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:21.799 an hour one hour burn through time. Okay, it is. 186 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:23.559 It is not. 187 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:27.679 It's not exactly the same as a one hour fire rating. 188 00:11:27.720 --> 00:11:31.039 And I'm not going to get into the differential details there, 189 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:34.320 but just kind of go with that. Now you're like, well, great, 190 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:38.759 that's the best. Yes, that's the best. Okay, so we're 191 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:42.200 all toast. No, No, you're not, okay, And here's why. 192 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:45.240 If you know how fires burn and how they move, 193 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:50.440 especially how they move through neighborhoods, you know, a fire 194 00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:55.399 moves past your home or could move it theoretically past 195 00:11:55.480 --> 00:11:59.799 your home relatively quickly. The idea of a flame just 196 00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:05.960 there burning for an hour on one location, on one 197 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:10.039 bit of fuel, on one surface. There's a reason why 198 00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:13.320 Class A fire rating is in fact a Class A 199 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:17.919 fire rating. It's because that is an unlikely event. So 200 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:20.799 now the big question is this, how much of this 201 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:26.600 Class A fire rating do you have on your home already? Okay, well, 202 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:30.240 let me tell you. If you've got wood siding on 203 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:34.840 your home, you do not have a Class A fire 204 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:38.720 rated wall, okay, And I'm not going to tell you 205 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:40.720 to tear off your wood siding. I am going to 206 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:43.679 tell you that we need to make that a Class 207 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:48.039 A fire rated surface by using a Class A fire 208 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:51.360 rated coating on top of that wood siding. 209 00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:51.799 Okay. 210 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:56.399 There are paints out there that will take the undersides 211 00:12:56.600 --> 00:13:02.279 of decks, structures, decking material wood decking materials themselves, and 212 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:08.039 wood sighting, all exterior kinds of woods and protect them 213 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:13.679 with a Class A fire rated protection service. Now, it 214 00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:17.080 will require maintenance as the years roll on, but they 215 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:22.000 are there and they actually work. If though you live 216 00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:27.000 in a typical southern California home and with a typical 217 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:34.320 southern California stucco exterior and a typical southern California asphalt 218 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:37.639 composition roof. And I say typical because about eighty percent 219 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:40.440 of the homes in Southern California fall into those categories. 220 00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:45.720 Then you are living in a structure that is covered 221 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:49.519 in a class A fire rated surface. All right, one 222 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:53.480 inch thick stucco is concrete on the outside of your wall. 223 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:55.519 Can fire burn through it? 224 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:56.279 Yes? 225 00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:59.960 Absolutely right. If you take a look at the power 226 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:04.279 and the eaten fire destruction, you don't see stucco walls 227 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:08.279 standing in place when everything else is gone. But does 228 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:09.440 it burn through quickly? 229 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.039 No? No, it does not. 230 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:17.039 Will it withstand flame in a you know, in an 231 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:20.519 ideal situation while the fuel that it's using on the 232 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:22.759 ground is exhausted. 233 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:24.879 Yes? Likely? 234 00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:28.360 Okay, So do I need you to go to heroic 235 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:32.879 measures to wet the surface of your house when it's 236 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:38.919 a stucco house painted in exterior weather proof paint, which 237 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:44.120 by definition precludes the stucco getting soaked with moisture. It's 238 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:47.759 not a really the most important thing for you to do. 239 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:48.320 Okay. 240 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:53.879 So the stucco is an adequate surface, fire hardened surface, 241 00:14:54.639 --> 00:15:00.000 you're roofing material. I know you've seen countless, countless video 242 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:05.480 of roofs burning. Let me tell you how that happens. 243 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:09.000 Roofs burn from the attic out, just like we were 244 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:12.240 talking with Kelly Bercompass at Brand Guard Vents about. They 245 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:16.759 burn most likely from the underside of those rafters up 246 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:22.320 through the roofing material, not usually the other way around. Okay, 247 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:27.879 an asphalt composition roof, any asphalt composition roof that you 248 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:31.120 have purchased or has been purchased and installed on your 249 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:36.000 roof in the last thirty plus years, is a class 250 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:38.639 A fire rated roof simply unless you bought it off 251 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:43.000 the black market somewhere in Indonesia and smuggled it into 252 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:44.440 the United States illegally. 253 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:44.720 I mean. 254 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:48.000 The fact of the matter is the manufacturers of these 255 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:51.399 roofs are required to produce this roofing material in this way. 256 00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:53.960 If you've got a Spanish tile roof or a lightweight 257 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:58.080 concrete roof, all the more so. Okay, you have a 258 00:15:58.200 --> 00:16:01.960 roof that is already ember protected in that sense and 259 00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:06.799 flame protected as reasonably as possible. All right, So think 260 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:09.080 of the outside of your house, the envelope of your house. 261 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:12.960 What's left if the walls are Class A. If the 262 00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:15.519 roof is Class A number one, we don't have to 263 00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:18.639 go to heroic measures to keep them all wet. Okay, 264 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:24.440 number two, what's left? What's left is any exposed wood 265 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:29.440 sticking out from the side of your house aka your 266 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:33.360 roof eves, the underneath side of your roof eves. You 267 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:36.039 look underneath your eaves, it's wood up there. Now, if 268 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:39.159 you've got enclosed eves, meaning that the stucco runs up 269 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:44.159 and closes over the then great, fantastic, Okay, But most 270 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:48.639 people don't. Most people have exposed rafters. And I say rafters. 271 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:51.559 Those tails sticking out of your house, those are the 272 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:54.399 rafters that are holding up your roof. They are a 273 00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:58.039 and when they ignite, they climb right into your attic space. 274 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:02.720 So the roof eve area is a highly vulnerable area. 275 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:05.559 It's vulnerable for embers to get up in there. That's 276 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:07.960 why we're changing out the vents. But if the flame 277 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:11.160 has arrived at your house, it's vulnerable because the flame 278 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:14.640 is right down at the base of your wall, burning 279 00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:19.519 up heat, embers, sparks and flame. And guess what's right 280 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:24.480 directly above it the roof eve catching it all. Okay, 281 00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:28.279 this is how these areas catch on fire. So now 282 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:32.279 the question is if that's a vulnerable area, then we 283 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:35.400 should give that attention. We should give that attention before 284 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:38.599 we spend money with limited funds, as we all have, 285 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:42.880 on areas that are already Class A fire rated. I'm 286 00:17:42.920 --> 00:17:45.480 not saying if you've got an unlimited budget that you 287 00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:50.480 shouldn't just coat your dip your whole house in fireproof substances. Great, 288 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:53.480 But if you are like me and you have a 289 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:57.960 limited budget, then we have to address the holes in 290 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:00.960 the boat. Okay, not just it's thick in the hole, 291 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:04.799 but we have to actually patch the holes in the 292 00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:07.039 boat if we don't want to sink. 293 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:08.359 That's what I'm talking about. 294 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:12.519 All right, you're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on 295 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:15.119 demand from KFI AM six forty. 296 00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:19.000 Dean Sharp the house whisper. That's me. 297 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:24.359 We're talking about fire hardening your home, sanely, affordably, rationally, 298 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:28.720 fire hardening your home. For everyone who is listening to me, 299 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:31.240 I don't care if you don't live right next to 300 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:33.599 an open space, if you don't consider your home as 301 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:36.720 a threat from wildfires. Here's the fact that we've already 302 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:43.359 established earlier today, after these mega expensive wildfires. Insurance fire 303 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:48.240 insurance for any home anywhere in the state of California, 304 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:50.799 it's up for grabs right now. It really, truly is 305 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:53.000 a big question mark. I know a lot of people 306 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:54.839 are saying a lot of things, but it is a thing. 307 00:18:55.400 --> 00:19:01.920 If by some miracle we push through and may the 308 00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:04.839 right to have fire coverage on your home, you can 309 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:07.799 be guaranteed that those insurance companies are going to be 310 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:12.240 requiring certain things be in place for a home to 311 00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:16.680 get and receive fire insurance. So hardening and the steps 312 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:19.000 that we're talking about today, not the heroic kind of 313 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:22.279 crazy stuff that you see on DIY and social media 314 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:24.559 right now, but the stuff we're talking about this is 315 00:19:24.599 --> 00:19:27.839 the stuff that will enable you to move down that 316 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:32.000 pathway for the future. So we are at this place 317 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:34.319 now where we're talking about when the fire is here, 318 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:39.200 and I'm talking about plugging holes, Okay, metaphorically and literally, 319 00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:42.240 what we're about to talk about holes in the boat 320 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:45.880 as it were. In other words, your roof with Class 321 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:48.240 A fire rated material on it is not a hole 322 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:52.240 in your boat. Neither is the stucco on the outside 323 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:55.799 of your house. But the roof eves the over lap 324 00:19:56.119 --> 00:20:00.519 the overhang of exposed wood. That's a hole. It can 325 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:03.759 be treated, doesn't have to be all just cut off. 326 00:20:03.799 --> 00:20:06.440 It doesn't have to be covered in stucco. It can 327 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:13.000 be treated with a fire resistant fireproof coatings like fireproof paints. Now, 328 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:16.400 should I just paint the whole house, Dean, Well, you shouldn't, 329 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:20.799 certainly could. But the stuff that I'm recommending that you 330 00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:24.359 use that has again to use this word again into 331 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:29.640 messin qualities to it, Okay, into messin properties. The stuff 332 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:33.480 I recommend you're going to find it from reputable companies 333 00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:39.000 at about four hundred dollars for a five gallon jug. 334 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:42.880 Yeah you heard me right. I didn't say forty. I 335 00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:47.599 said four hundred dollars. So here's the thing. Very few 336 00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:52.519 of us feel comfortable buying enough to cover our entire 337 00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:56.119 home in that material. And what I'm pointing out to 338 00:20:56.119 --> 00:20:59.599 you today is the stucco is okay as it is, 339 00:20:59.640 --> 00:21:03.680 so is the roof, But the eve. I would encourage 340 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:07.200 you to invest in enough of that material to treat 341 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:10.880 your eve because it's the hole in the boat, okay, 342 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:16.039 that will bring you at least up to snuff on 343 00:21:15.640 --> 00:21:19.319 that that class a fire resistance on the outside of 344 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:22.039 the house. So don't think about the whole house. Think 345 00:21:22.039 --> 00:21:25.640 about the eves, think about those vulnerable wood overhangs, think 346 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:29.559 about your wood decks, and and so on. You get me, 347 00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:31.799 You feel me? All right, let's talk about the other holes. 348 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:36.079 Doors and windows. Doors are not an issue if you 349 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:40.519 have a legal house in southern California. Exterior doors, by definition, 350 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:45.599 are class A fire rated exterior doors. Excuse me, Sliding 351 00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:51.440 glass doors are by definition class A fire rated doors. 352 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:54.960 They have tempered glass in them, not just because they 353 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:58.200 were done that way for fire purposes. They have tempered 354 00:21:58.200 --> 00:22:01.240 glass in them a sliding glass door, or because the 355 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:05.599 Building Code states universally across the planet that any glass 356 00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:10.000 that occurs in your house, glazed surfaces below eighteen inches 357 00:22:10.680 --> 00:22:13.680 off the floor are in the kick zone, right, I 358 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:17.359 mean where your feet are running around smashing into things, 359 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:21.599 and so that glass can't be standard annealed glass. It 360 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:25.200 has to be tempered glass strong enough to withstand you 361 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:28.720 kicking it with your foot and it not shattering. So 362 00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:33.119 sliding glass doors not a problem. Standard exterior doors not 363 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:40.720 a problem. The problem is windows. Windows are standard annealed 364 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:45.920 glass unless otherwise specified. What do we want from our windows. Ideally, 365 00:22:46.359 --> 00:22:49.160 this is the most expensive way to go. But ideally 366 00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:52.759 we want fire rated windows. Now, what is a fire 367 00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:56.079 rated window. It's a big ugly thing. No, it's just 368 00:22:56.319 --> 00:23:00.000 your window with tempered glass in it as a part 369 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:05.480 to standard annealed glass. Tempered glass is I explained this 370 00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:08.039 last week. I'll do it really quick again. The problem 371 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:10.440 is that when the heat of a flame from a 372 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:14.440 fire gets on the outside of that window, it raises 373 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:18.359 the temperature to an extreme several hundred degrees, if not 374 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:22.279 over one thousand degrees, depending on the conditions on the 375 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:25.680 inside your seventy degree house. 376 00:23:26.119 --> 00:23:26.480 All right. 377 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:30.319 The temperature differential from the outside of that glass to 378 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:33.319 the inside of that glass causes it to expand unevenly 379 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:37.599 and it shatters. And when it shatters, it falls out 380 00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:42.079 of the window sash and leaves a hole. Now in 381 00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:45.240 your home, an open door, an open window literally for 382 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:51.599 the flames to start intruding into the interior of the house. Okay, 383 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:55.759 so the tempered glass. Tempered glass is manufactured at five 384 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:59.960 thousand degrees fahrenheit. All right, Tempered glass does not get 385 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:04.319 about the heat of a wildfire brushing up against it 386 00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:07.920 because it was manufactured at almost three and a half 387 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:13.799 times the temperature that that wildfire can produce. Therefore, fire 388 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:19.400 rated windows understood. Okay, Now, if you do not have 389 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:22.200 in your budget to replace all the windows of your 390 00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:25.440 home or the side that faces the open, vulnerable space, 391 00:24:25.799 --> 00:24:29.680 you've heard me say, there are some coatings, tinting films, 392 00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:32.759 films like you know, tinting your windows on your car, 393 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:38.960 window films by very reputable corporation like three M. Three 394 00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:44.000 M produces some fantastic fire rated window films. Now, let 395 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:46.759 me be clear on this. The windows are going to shatter. 396 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:51.559 But the point is this, the film will not dissipate 397 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:54.519 and fail you when the flame is licking up against 398 00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:57.359 it and the film, despite the fact that your standard 399 00:24:57.400 --> 00:25:02.000 window glass will shatter, the film holds the glass in 400 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:06.640 place and therefore the opening does not open. Okay, that's 401 00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:10.359