February 2, 2025 • 29 mins
Dean talks about wood flooring that tends to trap moisture and how it could create a cupping/lifting effect and shares what to do to fix the problem. Dean talks about the many amounts of new and techy Televisions on display over at the C.E.S. including a wireless TV. Dean talks about an electric spoon that stimulates the tongue to make believe that the food one is consuming with the spoon has salt when it doesn’t... providing a healthier alternative.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
You're listening to Dean Sharp the House Whisper on demand
on the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Thanks for joining us on the program. Today.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We're talking about the best of the Consumer Electronics show
that just took place in Las Vegas a couple of
weeks ago, and that we all kind of skipped over
because of all the wildfire activity. Well, I haven't let
that go unnoticed, so we're hitting it now. But right now,
as is our custom, top of the hour, it is
time to go to the phones. I want to talk
(00:32):
to Alexis. Hey, Alexis, welcome home. Do I have Alexis?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Hello?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Hi, buddy, you're doing I'm good.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
I'm good? How can I help you?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Okay? So I'm going to consolidate this if I can.
About eighteen years ago, I had a renovation and an
addition added to my bedroom, extending at about three hundred
square feet. I have it's on a slab and I
have two inch hardwood floors. On top of that, I
(01:07):
have a French door on one wall that leads out
to a patio. And everything was fine for about until
about four years ago, and I noticed the floor was
cupping and then it got I think with the rains,
it got really worse, and I looked around. It started
buckling too in certain spaces, so I looked around for water.
(01:31):
There was no water, no signs of water on the floor,
nothing on the walls, nothing coming through the doors. And
when the rains stopped, I had the floor replaced and
told the flooring guy the whole situation, and we took
the floor out, and I had a contractor come and
checked for rain, for water. He checked the roof, he
(01:55):
checked the gutters. He felled the whole exterior of that
side of the wind of the French doors and the
sides near the gutters, just in case. And I had
the floor replaced and it started cupping again. So I
suspect that I'm going to have the floor redone, but
(02:16):
I don't want to have it redone again until I
can try to figure out what do I look for.
I bought a moisture meter and I've been doing readings,
although I don't know what I'm talking about or what
they mean. And the highest that it got was on
to a fourteen, but usually they averaged probably twelve. And
(02:41):
the place that they replaced the floor was the length
of the room, but probably two two and a half
feet out. They didn't do the whole room because the
rest of the room is fine, and even parts of
the replacement floor had been fine. So I don't know
what to do.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Okay, my friend, it's a tough situation, but you are
you're headed in the right direction.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Now I'm not going to speak to all the ceiling
of the outside. Here is your situation. It doesn't sound
like you've got a leak. It doesn't sound like you've
got anything from up above. It is groundwater. Somehow, something
about the slab when it was originally poured is not
resisting moisture coming up from underneath. Okay, the slab is
(03:30):
too moist. Okay, So you are correct in saying having
you know, having been hit twice by this. Now you
are correct in being gunshy to put anything else down
there until this problem is resolved. There are steps that
can be taken to help resolve the issue, but it
(03:54):
has to be done very very intelligently as we move forward,
other otherwise you're gonna end up with the exact same
problem again.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So the we're talking about moist and a lot of
southern California. California homes have experienced an increase of slab
moisture because of these heavy rains that we've had over
the last couple of winters. Not so much this year clearly,
but uh, but prior to so that's been an issue.
(04:24):
And uh and and I have to say, I'm not
pointing fingers, because this can happen even when that everything
is done. Well, Uh, I'm not pointing fingers immediately at
a contractor, but I will tell you this. I have
seen bits of slab prep for homes slip over the
last few years because it's like, well, you know, do
(04:45):
I have to get all the viscuins stretched out just
perfectly or do you know so that it really is
holding back moisture of vapor barrier underneath your slab before
it was poured, you know, because it's been so dry,
and you know, climate change and everything's just going to
be super dry from here on out. So what's the
(05:07):
big deal? That's not proper thinking. The change that we're
seeing climatically here in California is basically, from what we
can tell, is going to point us toward climate extremes.
We're going to have some very dry years and then
some really wet years, and so on and so forth,
kind of ping ponging back instead of you know, the
(05:28):
mildness and the averages that we're used to. But the
point is this, when it comes to your slab, if
you're now, are you using a moisture meter that you
can actually make contact with the slab and you're getting
readings off of that.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Here, According to the instructions and the description of it,
it does, and it has it has different modes. One
is for masonry, one is for dry wall, one is
for hardwood floor, softwood floor. So I can't remember what
it was.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
You got a good meter and you're using it for masonry,
you know, or for concrete. I'll tell you right now.
The the the general accepted level, and every wood manufacturer
is going to tell you this in the fine print
of their actual literature, But the generally accepted level is
that the ideal moisture content. Well for you know, Hey,
(06:25):
I'm sorry, alexis I'm up against a break. I was
just alerted that I shouldn't go along here. Let me
pop you on hold and we're going to pick this
up right on the other side, okay, because I've got answers, Oh, all.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Right, you hold tight. Everybody else, hold tight.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
We're going to see if we can solve this slab
moisture problem your Home with Dean Sharp, the house Whisper.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from
KFI a M six forty.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I'm taking calls right now at this moment.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Then we're going to get back to talking about the
best of the Consumer Electronics Show for Homes twenty twenty five.
But right now I've got Alexis on the line, got
her on hold, Alexis, are you still there?
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I am okay.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So Alexis had a bedroom addition made to her house
a few years back, and she's had two different hardwood
floors laid down and they've cupped, they've buckled. She's had
contractors come out check for roof leaks and seal the
concrete on the outside of the house all around. She's
(07:33):
got a moisture meter that she's been using to try
and figure this out. And she's kind of just working
this problem on her own very intelligently. I could use
some help, and so Alexis, So, here's the thing. A
couple of questions real quick. Number one, the kind of
hardwood that you've been laying down. You said, did you
say two inch strip hardwood? Is this engineered hardware or.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Is it solid?
Speaker 3 (07:56):
No? It's solid solid?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, okay, so this is solid oak hardwood. Is that
because you're trying to match the existing house?
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Correct?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Okay? The most vulnerable houses.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
I'm sorry, go ahead, no, no, go ahead, no, no, fine,
the house was built when nineteen twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Okay, that's what I thought. All right, So we're matching
the existing solid oak strip flooring. So we've got to
be super super careful because solid oak floor solid meaning
just one piece of wood from top to bottom, not
a plywood kind of situation, which is an engineered wood floor,
are the most the most vulnerable to moisture because they
(08:44):
have nothing. There aren't other layers of wood underneath the
finish layer that are set at, you know, at varying
angles to each other to resist cupping and buckling and
all of that kind of stuff. So yours is it
is not an possible situation, but it is the most
sensitive situations. We've got to be really careful about it.
(09:06):
Checking moisture in the slab and what'd you say? Your
readings were.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
The highest I got was fourteen, but they averaged around twelve.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Okay, so that actually isn't high, very high for most
slab readings. But here is the thing, and I don't
know if you've been doing this. I'd be surprised if
you had been, so don't feel bad about it. But
it can be deceiving. Checking moisture in a slab can
(09:39):
be deceiving because it is part of the interior condition
space of our home. Whether you're using your air conditioner
which dries air it's a dehumidifier, or whether you're using
your heater to keep the space warm. The point is
there could be more moisture coming up through that slab
than your re Your moisture gauge is perceiving because the
(10:04):
surface of your slab is constantly being dried out by
the condition of the air inside the space. So in
other words, you may be getting a false read on
that to a certain degree. So here's how we resolve
that is you get yourself a small roll of a
thick viscuen plastic right like heavy duty, like six mil
(10:29):
four mil six mil plastic. You can find this at
the paint tile at the big box store. And a
small roll you don't need a you know, one hundred
foot long roll, just the smallest role you can find,
but I wanted to be heavy duty, so it lasts
for a while. And you're gonna cut let's take two
or three readings in the room. You're gonna cut yourself,
(10:49):
maybe a twelve by twelve or a twenty four by
twenty four square of this plastic, three of them. And
you're gonna get some heavy duty ducked tape, okay, and
you're gonna tape the on the edges. You're gonna tape
this plastic down to the slab, okay, in these three
or four locations, and then we're gonna wait a few days.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
What the plastic is gonna do. It's gonna keep the
air temperature and the dryness of the air inside your
house from flashing off the moisture that's really in the slab.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
In other words, it's gonna hold whatever moisture is in
that little one or two foot square area there.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
It's gonna keep it there.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
And then after you know, three or four days, maybe
even give it a week, then you're going to pull
back the plastic and test that slab right then, and there. Okay,
with that level, and we're gonna get the right reading
this time. Okay, Uh, that's gonna so it's gonna it's
gonna prevent the air from drawing out the slab.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So and that's all well and good.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
I'm supposing that it's gonna be higher than you know,
fourteen plus percent. But the point is this, it is
still not a lost cause. We have installed very sensitive
wood floors on slabs that are very problematic. But this
is what it takes, and this is what I've the
only time I've got left for you now is to
tell you what it's going to take. There are there's
(12:19):
a process out there in which the very first thing
we want to do is we want to apply a
surface sealer and primer to the slab. Okay, a surface
seiler in primer. Now, this is not just any old
like oh, a concrete seiler like you know, like you
(12:41):
would find in the aisle the concrete out Now we're
talking about a professional hardwood prep sealer that actually is
designed to form a moisture barrier on the surface of
the concrete. It grabs onto the surface of the concrete
for we put it on nice and thick and it
forms a moisture barrier, but also it's a primer, meaning
(13:03):
that it is a special substance that is ready for
hardwood adhesive to grab onto it, because any other kind
of stuff out there could actually make the hardwood adhesive,
you know, do a worse job. So step one is
going to be used like Bostic. Bostic makes are hard
(13:24):
famous hardwood glue manufacturer. They make a product called roll Coat,
roll dash Coat, Cote. That's the kind of thing that
I'm talking about. It's not the only brand out there,
but it's the kind of thing I'm talking about. We
roll this out onto the floor, the whole floor, and
then we let it cure completely. And then I want
(13:45):
you to do that plastic test again and we're going
to see that the moisture content drops significantly, Okay, and
if necessary, we'll put two coats on, okay, of this
vapor barrier and moisture seal, and we'll retest it again.
But I guarantee you you're gonna get to the point
unless there's just water literally bubbling up through which it
(14:05):
doesn't sound like there is, you're going to get to
the point where we have got that moisture locked into
the slab not coming up and through, and then we're
gonna feel safe to lay down that sensitive hardwood floor,
but only with an adhesive that is in fact also
its own vapor barrier. And there are a lot of
(14:26):
hardwood floor adhesives out there that aren't vapor barriers. The
more expensive ones are great adhesives and also waterproof at
the same time. So by the time we get done
with this, we're gonna have three layers of vapor barrier
underneath your hardwood floor, and we're not gonna find cupping
(14:48):
a buckleg anymore.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Oh okay, okay, that is a process.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
It is a process, but that's what has to happen.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Well, yeah, no, I have to do. I have to
do whatever it takes to make sure it's not going
to happen again. It's ridiculous to have the floor torn
up and put back down in the same situation.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, I'm going.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I'm thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Use the plastic test first to get a better reading.
Then get your hands on talk to a contractor or
flooring contractor get your hands on some roll coat or
an equivalent process, get a couple of good layers down, retest,
and then only use a vapor barrier, waterproof flooring adhesive
when the time finally comes for your floor. All right,
(15:39):
my friend, I just wanted to take the extra time
to make sure you were in good shape, because that's
how we treat people around here.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
All right, you're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on
demand from KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Your Home with Dean Sharp, the house Whisper.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
We are talking about the consumer Electronics show that just
wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. Normally we'd get
to it right after it finishes up, but we've had
a few things on our mind here in southern California,
like wildfire disasters happening. So now that a little bit
(16:16):
more calm in the air, of course, we will continue
to cover all things related to these fires. The fact
of the matter is it's time for us to catch
up with some of these other items for the rest
of us. So the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas, huge, huge,
huge thing that happens every year. This was a banner
year some years. Admittedly, I think we're just kind of
(16:39):
cruising off the momentum of other changes, but this is
kind of a sea change show, or at least we're
starting to see it because of AI, which we've already
talked about some things. I told you that when we
got back to this, we're going to talk about a TV.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Now.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yeah, there is like eight gabillion televisions on every year
at CEES, and I think in general, I don't know,
for me at least, and believe me, I'm all about
the tech, okay, but for me at least, it's we
get to a point where things are so good that
(17:17):
the micro infinitesimal changes or seemingly so or even big leaps,
they just don't seem that big anymore. I mean, we
saw six K, eight K TVs on display, and the
fact of the matter is we're really kind of approaching
the point where we're at retina level, meaning it doesn't matter,
(17:39):
like a twenty K television isn't going to look any
different to you and me than like a five K
television because our eyes just can't see all the rest
of that detail. It's just too small. In other words,
we've got it to the point where, yeah, yeah, I
don't see any pixels. I got my nose pressed up
against the screen and see any pixels. So you know,
(18:02):
and I'm not drawing a technical line. I'm sure you
Techi's out there are like, well, Dean, actually it's gonna
have to get to this low Okay, but you understand
the spirit of what I'm saying. For most of us
who are looking for a high definition experience on in television,
we're there and we've been there for an awful long
time now. So those little changes not so you know,
(18:26):
captivating for me, interesting but not captivating. But there is
a TV that was at the show that that I
do find very very interesting for other reasons. It's made
by Displace.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Now you're like, that's not a major manufacturer. That is correct,
and and I'm not telling you to run out and
get it. Displace is a is not one of the
big television electronic manufacturers. They're one of the young newcomers
to the game. But they're doing some smart stuff and
their emphasis when it comes to a TV, the one
(19:04):
that we just saw, the Displaced TV a totally wireless television. Okay,
now wireless meaning no cables attached to it. It's communicating
via Bluetooth and Wi Fi for speaker systems when necessary.
It has its own speakers that can attach to it.
(19:26):
Speaker accessories like a soundbar accessory. It comes in two sizes,
A twenty seven and a fifty five. Now you're like, well,
twenty seven is very very small by today's stand that's
like large monitor size, but very very small. TV fifty
five is respectable. So what's the point about this. This
(19:47):
is a television that is literally designed to just be
laying around the house, not attached to any particular wall,
not permanently mounted anywhere. This is a television screen that
is designed for you just grab and set up wherever
you are because it's wireless and it can do that. Okay,
(20:08):
so now what features does it have that allows it
to do it other than its internal battery system, other
than active vacuum suction cups four suction cups on the
back of this television that aren't that aren't just like, oh,
you know, lick them and stick them to the wall
and hope that your very expensive television doesn't fall.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
No, no, no, no.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
This is kind of the active suction tech. You know,
you've seen glass professionals use those little suction cup things
where they actually have to press the buttons in in
order to keep and maintain the vacuum. Well, this is
a television that has those kind of suction cups, and
it actively continues to put a vacuum under those cups.
It sticks to flat surfaces incredibly securely and really really
(20:56):
well and safely. Okay, So that means, oh, you want
to bring this TV into the den for now? Yeah,
just bring it on in and just pop it on
the wall, watch TV in here. Oh I'm to do
it in the bedroom, a bedroom that doesn't have a TV.
Bring it in, pop it on the wall, pop it
on a window pane, on a sliding glass door, or
(21:18):
and here's what got my attention, just the applications for Hey,
you want to watch TV out side under the patio cover,
we can just bring this TV out and put it
there instead of all of the hubbub about bringing wiring
and cabling outside, setting up a television screen that's going
(21:39):
to be exposed to moisture and weather, you know, twenty
four to seven building cases around it to protect it,
all of those kinds of things. And I'm not saying
that those aren't appropriate. Things that can still happen in
certain situations where you know, that's just how we normally
do things. But this is a TV that challenges that
(22:00):
that kind of thinking, because it's so dang easy just
to go to the hall closet, pull the screen out
and bring it outside with you when you're planning on
watching a show or something or you know, the game
outside there it is. Carry it outside for when you
need it, stick it to whatever for however long you
need it, and bring it back inside. That's that's a
(22:23):
useful device. This thing also has a built in stand.
It comes out the bottom, so if you don't if
you're not going to attach it to something, you activate
the stand and these two little legs come out from
each side down below and then spread out and boom.
The TV is standing on its own built in and
if you want a bigger experience, I already said it
(22:44):
has soundbar assessories that can be attached. But you can
join this TV with three other screens together and then
they all unite for a large composite screen.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
That's kind of cool. So anyway, here's one of those things. Now,
am I saying that this is the one?
Speaker 3 (23:01):
No?
Speaker 2 (23:01):
But what I keep my eye out for at shows
like this are where we've turned a corner and somebody
is thinking about something that is common in a very
very different way.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
And so the idea that.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Television technology, battery technology has got to the point where
we could have Wi Fi and Bluetooth based screens that
are lightweight, that don't have to be a permanent mount
in the house, that you can just kind of take
it wherever you want to go, use it wherever you
want to use it, and then store it away safely
somewhere when you're not using it. That's kind of game
(23:36):
changing thinking. So kudos for the Displaced TV. You should
check it out all right. More when we return your
Home with Dean Sharp the house whisper.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Welcome home.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
We are having a conversation today about the Consumer Electronics
show that just wrapped up a couple of weeks ago
in Las Vegas and the things that we've discovered there
that are home related, things that may affect the way
we function with our homes. Tech in our homes, smart
home technology, and like I said at the top of
(24:16):
the show, a lot of AI this year, a lot
of AI kind of seeping its way into familiar devices
and unfamiliar ones as well. Let me get back to
my list, all right, I got it. I have to
share this one with you. And you're gonna ask Dean,
what does this have to do with my home? It
just doesn't really. I mean, I mean, you do this
(24:38):
in your home, but other than that, it doesn't. I
just I could not stop thinking about it, and so
I had to share with you because it's interesting. And
that is Kieran. Kieran the Japanese beer company. Yeah, that Kieran.
They make a lot of stuff, but beer for sure.
They introduce at CES twenty twenty five. I don't know
(25:03):
what exactly the official name of it is a I'm
just calling it the salt spoon, okay. It is an
electronic spoon that you use to eat food with and
it has these little sensors on the surface of the
spoon and when you put it in your mouth, here
(25:26):
is the claim from Kiiran, When you put it in
your mouth, it electronically stimulates the proper parts of your
tongue in order to give your brain the impression that
what it is that you're eating is saltier than it is,
or it has more of a umami taste than what
(25:48):
it does. And yeah, right, that's a little okay. So
the issue driving this is excessive salt intake concerns among
Japanese people and the general public dissatisfaction with the alternative,
which is the taste of low sodium food. And if
(26:09):
you know anything about salt, you know that salt is
not just a regular spice like you know other things
that you know, you you know, sprinkle onto your food,
but salt actually has the ability to molecularly kind of
boost the flavor of food. And that's why salt is
in everything because it's a flavor booster. It's not salty
(26:31):
until there's too much salt, and then you taste the salt,
but at some point salt, when it's below it's too
salty level, is just amplifying food flavor. That's why it's
so important to cooking. So this the alternative of not
using salt is you know, less tasty food because it's
you know, instead of it being cranked up to you know, ten,
(26:55):
the flavor of the food is down at three.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
So the idea is that this spoon, if you use
this spoon to eat I guess foods that you eat
with a spoon, you can have less or no salt
in those foods and your brain still feels like you
are tasting an adequate salt level because it's doing this
electronically to your tongue.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
There you go. I just had to bring that up
to you. Is this gonna sell a million? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
It's interesting though, wouldn't it be interesting that the day
comes when just our utensils basically we just programmed them
to make, you know, just plain old mush taste like
anything we want.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Right there you go.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
And then maybe there's a calorie intake potential, transformative potential
about this as well. But right now, Karen has introduced
the salt spoon so that you don't have to put
as much salt on your food. There you go, all right,
now on to stuff for your home. I just had
to say that a lot of manufacturers introducing better presence
(28:01):
sensors in rooms now. Motion detectors have been a part
now of a lot of light switches in rooms for
quite a while because they're energy safers right as they
as long as they detect motion in the room, they
keep the light on, and when there's no more motion
in the room, the light goes off. The problem is
if you're planning on coming in the room and sitting
(28:23):
you know, sitting down and relaxing and reading a book.
Most traditional motion sensors are just going to think, oh,
you're not here anymore, and so they turn the light off.
Presence sensors are different, not motion presence sensors a whole
different level of detection and AI intelligence discerning the combination
(28:45):
of the two means that now, really somebody really is
kind of watching the room and knows you're in it,
even if you're completely motionless and still, and only turns
off the light once you leave. It's just a higher
level of accurate. See when it comes to that. All right,
when we come back, let's talk about robots, Elmer's favorite subject.
(29:07):
We're going to talk about robots. Right after Eileen Gonzalez
gives us the news. You are listening to Dean Sharp
The House Whisper on KFI. This has been Home with
Dean Sharp, the House Whisper. Tune into the live broadcast
on KFI AM six forty every Saturday morning from six
to eight Pacific time, and every Sunday morning from nine
(29:28):
to noon Pacific time, or anytime on demand on the
iHeartRadio app.
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
You're listening to Dean Sharp the House Whisper on demand
on the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Thanks for joining us on the program. Today.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We're talking about the best of the Consumer Electronics show
that just took place in Las Vegas a couple of
weeks ago, and that we all kind of skipped over
because of all the wildfire activity. Well, I haven't let
that go unnoticed, so we're hitting it now. But right now,
as is our custom, top of the hour, it is
time to go to the phones. I want to talk
(00:32):
to Alexis. Hey, Alexis, welcome home. Do I have Alexis?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Hello?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Hi, buddy, you're doing I'm good.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
I'm good? How can I help you?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Okay? So I'm going to consolidate this if I can.
About eighteen years ago, I had a renovation and an
addition added to my bedroom, extending at about three hundred
square feet. I have it's on a slab and I
have two inch hardwood floors. On top of that, I
(01:07):
have a French door on one wall that leads out
to a patio. And everything was fine for about until
about four years ago, and I noticed the floor was
cupping and then it got I think with the rains,
it got really worse, and I looked around. It started
buckling too in certain spaces, so I looked around for water.
(01:31):
There was no water, no signs of water on the floor,
nothing on the walls, nothing coming through the doors. And
when the rains stopped, I had the floor replaced and
told the flooring guy the whole situation, and we took
the floor out, and I had a contractor come and
checked for rain, for water. He checked the roof, he
(01:55):
checked the gutters. He felled the whole exterior of that
side of the wind of the French doors and the
sides near the gutters, just in case. And I had
the floor replaced and it started cupping again. So I
suspect that I'm going to have the floor redone, but
(02:16):
I don't want to have it redone again until I
can try to figure out what do I look for.
I bought a moisture meter and I've been doing readings,
although I don't know what I'm talking about or what
they mean. And the highest that it got was on
to a fourteen, but usually they averaged probably twelve. And
(02:41):
the place that they replaced the floor was the length
of the room, but probably two two and a half
feet out. They didn't do the whole room because the
rest of the room is fine, and even parts of
the replacement floor had been fine. So I don't know
what to do.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Okay, my friend, it's a tough situation, but you are
you're headed in the right direction.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Now I'm not going to speak to all the ceiling
of the outside. Here is your situation. It doesn't sound
like you've got a leak. It doesn't sound like you've
got anything from up above. It is groundwater. Somehow, something
about the slab when it was originally poured is not
resisting moisture coming up from underneath. Okay, the slab is
(03:30):
too moist. Okay, So you are correct in saying having
you know, having been hit twice by this. Now you
are correct in being gunshy to put anything else down
there until this problem is resolved. There are steps that
can be taken to help resolve the issue, but it
(03:54):
has to be done very very intelligently as we move forward,
other otherwise you're gonna end up with the exact same
problem again.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So the we're talking about moist and a lot of
southern California. California homes have experienced an increase of slab
moisture because of these heavy rains that we've had over
the last couple of winters. Not so much this year clearly,
but uh, but prior to so that's been an issue.
(04:24):
And uh and and I have to say, I'm not
pointing fingers, because this can happen even when that everything
is done. Well, Uh, I'm not pointing fingers immediately at
a contractor, but I will tell you this. I have
seen bits of slab prep for homes slip over the
last few years because it's like, well, you know, do
(04:45):
I have to get all the viscuins stretched out just
perfectly or do you know so that it really is
holding back moisture of vapor barrier underneath your slab before
it was poured, you know, because it's been so dry,
and you know, climate change and everything's just going to
be super dry from here on out. So what's the
(05:07):
big deal? That's not proper thinking. The change that we're
seeing climatically here in California is basically, from what we
can tell, is going to point us toward climate extremes.
We're going to have some very dry years and then
some really wet years, and so on and so forth,
kind of ping ponging back instead of you know, the
(05:28):
mildness and the averages that we're used to. But the
point is this, when it comes to your slab, if
you're now, are you using a moisture meter that you
can actually make contact with the slab and you're getting
readings off of that.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Here, According to the instructions and the description of it,
it does, and it has it has different modes. One
is for masonry, one is for dry wall, one is
for hardwood floor, softwood floor. So I can't remember what
it was.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
You got a good meter and you're using it for masonry,
you know, or for concrete. I'll tell you right now.
The the the general accepted level, and every wood manufacturer
is going to tell you this in the fine print
of their actual literature, But the generally accepted level is
that the ideal moisture content. Well for you know, Hey,
(06:25):
I'm sorry, alexis I'm up against a break. I was
just alerted that I shouldn't go along here. Let me
pop you on hold and we're going to pick this
up right on the other side, okay, because I've got answers, Oh, all.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Right, you hold tight. Everybody else, hold tight.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
We're going to see if we can solve this slab
moisture problem your Home with Dean Sharp, the house Whisper.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from
KFI a M six forty.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I'm taking calls right now at this moment.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Then we're going to get back to talking about the
best of the Consumer Electronics Show for Homes twenty twenty five.
But right now I've got Alexis on the line, got
her on hold, Alexis, are you still there?
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I am okay.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So Alexis had a bedroom addition made to her house
a few years back, and she's had two different hardwood
floors laid down and they've cupped, they've buckled. She's had
contractors come out check for roof leaks and seal the
concrete on the outside of the house all around. She's
(07:33):
got a moisture meter that she's been using to try
and figure this out. And she's kind of just working
this problem on her own very intelligently. I could use
some help, and so Alexis, So, here's the thing. A
couple of questions real quick. Number one, the kind of
hardwood that you've been laying down. You said, did you
say two inch strip hardwood? Is this engineered hardware or.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Is it solid?
Speaker 3 (07:56):
No? It's solid solid?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, okay, so this is solid oak hardwood. Is that
because you're trying to match the existing house?
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Correct?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Okay? The most vulnerable houses.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
I'm sorry, go ahead, no, no, go ahead, no, no, fine,
the house was built when nineteen twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Okay, that's what I thought. All right, So we're matching
the existing solid oak strip flooring. So we've got to
be super super careful because solid oak floor solid meaning
just one piece of wood from top to bottom, not
a plywood kind of situation, which is an engineered wood floor,
are the most the most vulnerable to moisture because they
(08:44):
have nothing. There aren't other layers of wood underneath the
finish layer that are set at, you know, at varying
angles to each other to resist cupping and buckling and
all of that kind of stuff. So yours is it
is not an possible situation, but it is the most
sensitive situations. We've got to be really careful about it.
(09:06):
Checking moisture in the slab and what'd you say? Your
readings were.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
The highest I got was fourteen, but they averaged around twelve.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Okay, so that actually isn't high, very high for most
slab readings. But here is the thing, and I don't
know if you've been doing this. I'd be surprised if
you had been, so don't feel bad about it. But
it can be deceiving. Checking moisture in a slab can
(09:39):
be deceiving because it is part of the interior condition
space of our home. Whether you're using your air conditioner
which dries air it's a dehumidifier, or whether you're using
your heater to keep the space warm. The point is
there could be more moisture coming up through that slab
than your re Your moisture gauge is perceiving because the
(10:04):
surface of your slab is constantly being dried out by
the condition of the air inside the space. So in
other words, you may be getting a false read on
that to a certain degree. So here's how we resolve
that is you get yourself a small roll of a
thick viscuen plastic right like heavy duty, like six mil
(10:29):
four mil six mil plastic. You can find this at
the paint tile at the big box store. And a
small roll you don't need a you know, one hundred
foot long roll, just the smallest role you can find,
but I wanted to be heavy duty, so it lasts
for a while. And you're gonna cut let's take two
or three readings in the room. You're gonna cut yourself,
(10:49):
maybe a twelve by twelve or a twenty four by
twenty four square of this plastic, three of them. And
you're gonna get some heavy duty ducked tape, okay, and
you're gonna tape the on the edges. You're gonna tape
this plastic down to the slab, okay, in these three
or four locations, and then we're gonna wait a few days.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
What the plastic is gonna do. It's gonna keep the
air temperature and the dryness of the air inside your
house from flashing off the moisture that's really in the slab.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
In other words, it's gonna hold whatever moisture is in
that little one or two foot square area there.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
It's gonna keep it there.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
And then after you know, three or four days, maybe
even give it a week, then you're going to pull
back the plastic and test that slab right then, and there. Okay,
with that level, and we're gonna get the right reading
this time. Okay, Uh, that's gonna so it's gonna it's
gonna prevent the air from drawing out the slab.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So and that's all well and good.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
I'm supposing that it's gonna be higher than you know,
fourteen plus percent. But the point is this, it is
still not a lost cause. We have installed very sensitive
wood floors on slabs that are very problematic. But this
is what it takes, and this is what I've the
only time I've got left for you now is to
tell you what it's going to take. There are there's
(12:19):
a process out there in which the very first thing
we want to do is we want to apply a
surface sealer and primer to the slab. Okay, a surface
seiler in primer. Now, this is not just any old
like oh, a concrete seiler like you know, like you
(12:41):
would find in the aisle the concrete out Now we're
talking about a professional hardwood prep sealer that actually is
designed to form a moisture barrier on the surface of
the concrete. It grabs onto the surface of the concrete
for we put it on nice and thick and it
forms a moisture barrier, but also it's a primer, meaning
(13:03):
that it is a special substance that is ready for
hardwood adhesive to grab onto it, because any other kind
of stuff out there could actually make the hardwood adhesive,
you know, do a worse job. So step one is
going to be used like Bostic. Bostic makes are hard
(13:24):
famous hardwood glue manufacturer. They make a product called roll Coat,
roll dash Coat, Cote. That's the kind of thing that
I'm talking about. It's not the only brand out there,
but it's the kind of thing I'm talking about. We
roll this out onto the floor, the whole floor, and
then we let it cure completely. And then I want
(13:45):
you to do that plastic test again and we're going
to see that the moisture content drops significantly, Okay, and
if necessary, we'll put two coats on, okay, of this
vapor barrier and moisture seal, and we'll retest it again.
But I guarantee you you're gonna get to the point
unless there's just water literally bubbling up through which it
(14:05):
doesn't sound like there is, you're going to get to
the point where we have got that moisture locked into
the slab not coming up and through, and then we're
gonna feel safe to lay down that sensitive hardwood floor,
but only with an adhesive that is in fact also
its own vapor barrier. And there are a lot of
(14:26):
hardwood floor adhesives out there that aren't vapor barriers. The
more expensive ones are great adhesives and also waterproof at
the same time. So by the time we get done
with this, we're gonna have three layers of vapor barrier
underneath your hardwood floor, and we're not gonna find cupping
(14:48):
a buckleg anymore.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Oh okay, okay, that is a process.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
It is a process, but that's what has to happen.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Well, yeah, no, I have to do. I have to
do whatever it takes to make sure it's not going
to happen again. It's ridiculous to have the floor torn
up and put back down in the same situation.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, I'm going.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I'm thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Use the plastic test first to get a better reading.
Then get your hands on talk to a contractor or
flooring contractor get your hands on some roll coat or
an equivalent process, get a couple of good layers down, retest,
and then only use a vapor barrier, waterproof flooring adhesive
when the time finally comes for your floor. All right,
(15:39):
my friend, I just wanted to take the extra time
to make sure you were in good shape, because that's
how we treat people around here.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
All right, you're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on
demand from KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Your Home with Dean Sharp, the house Whisper.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
We are talking about the consumer Electronics show that just
wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. Normally we'd get
to it right after it finishes up, but we've had
a few things on our mind here in southern California,
like wildfire disasters happening. So now that a little bit
(16:16):
more calm in the air, of course, we will continue
to cover all things related to these fires. The fact
of the matter is it's time for us to catch
up with some of these other items for the rest
of us. So the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas, huge, huge,
huge thing that happens every year. This was a banner
year some years. Admittedly, I think we're just kind of
(16:39):
cruising off the momentum of other changes, but this is
kind of a sea change show, or at least we're
starting to see it because of AI, which we've already
talked about some things. I told you that when we
got back to this, we're going to talk about a TV.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Now.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yeah, there is like eight gabillion televisions on every year
at CEES, and I think in general, I don't know,
for me at least, and believe me, I'm all about
the tech, okay, but for me at least, it's we
get to a point where things are so good that
(17:17):
the micro infinitesimal changes or seemingly so or even big leaps,
they just don't seem that big anymore. I mean, we
saw six K, eight K TVs on display, and the
fact of the matter is we're really kind of approaching
the point where we're at retina level, meaning it doesn't matter,
(17:39):
like a twenty K television isn't going to look any
different to you and me than like a five K
television because our eyes just can't see all the rest
of that detail. It's just too small. In other words,
we've got it to the point where, yeah, yeah, I
don't see any pixels. I got my nose pressed up
against the screen and see any pixels. So you know,
(18:02):
and I'm not drawing a technical line. I'm sure you
Techi's out there are like, well, Dean, actually it's gonna
have to get to this low Okay, but you understand
the spirit of what I'm saying. For most of us
who are looking for a high definition experience on in television,
we're there and we've been there for an awful long
time now. So those little changes not so you know,
(18:26):
captivating for me, interesting but not captivating. But there is
a TV that was at the show that that I
do find very very interesting for other reasons. It's made
by Displace.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Now you're like, that's not a major manufacturer. That is correct,
and and I'm not telling you to run out and
get it. Displace is a is not one of the
big television electronic manufacturers. They're one of the young newcomers
to the game. But they're doing some smart stuff and
their emphasis when it comes to a TV, the one
(19:04):
that we just saw, the Displaced TV a totally wireless television. Okay,
now wireless meaning no cables attached to it. It's communicating
via Bluetooth and Wi Fi for speaker systems when necessary.
It has its own speakers that can attach to it.
(19:26):
Speaker accessories like a soundbar accessory. It comes in two sizes,
A twenty seven and a fifty five. Now you're like, well,
twenty seven is very very small by today's stand that's
like large monitor size, but very very small. TV fifty
five is respectable. So what's the point about this. This
(19:47):
is a television that is literally designed to just be
laying around the house, not attached to any particular wall,
not permanently mounted anywhere. This is a television screen that
is designed for you just grab and set up wherever
you are because it's wireless and it can do that. Okay,
(20:08):
so now what features does it have that allows it
to do it other than its internal battery system, other
than active vacuum suction cups four suction cups on the
back of this television that aren't that aren't just like, oh,
you know, lick them and stick them to the wall
and hope that your very expensive television doesn't fall.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
No, no, no, no.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
This is kind of the active suction tech. You know,
you've seen glass professionals use those little suction cup things
where they actually have to press the buttons in in
order to keep and maintain the vacuum. Well, this is
a television that has those kind of suction cups, and
it actively continues to put a vacuum under those cups.
It sticks to flat surfaces incredibly securely and really really
(20:56):
well and safely. Okay, So that means, oh, you want
to bring this TV into the den for now? Yeah,
just bring it on in and just pop it on
the wall, watch TV in here. Oh I'm to do
it in the bedroom, a bedroom that doesn't have a TV.
Bring it in, pop it on the wall, pop it
on a window pane, on a sliding glass door, or
(21:18):
and here's what got my attention, just the applications for Hey,
you want to watch TV out side under the patio cover,
we can just bring this TV out and put it
there instead of all of the hubbub about bringing wiring
and cabling outside, setting up a television screen that's going
(21:39):
to be exposed to moisture and weather, you know, twenty
four to seven building cases around it to protect it,
all of those kinds of things. And I'm not saying
that those aren't appropriate. Things that can still happen in
certain situations where you know, that's just how we normally
do things. But this is a TV that challenges that
(22:00):
that kind of thinking, because it's so dang easy just
to go to the hall closet, pull the screen out
and bring it outside with you when you're planning on
watching a show or something or you know, the game
outside there it is. Carry it outside for when you
need it, stick it to whatever for however long you
need it, and bring it back inside. That's that's a
(22:23):
useful device. This thing also has a built in stand.
It comes out the bottom, so if you don't if
you're not going to attach it to something, you activate
the stand and these two little legs come out from
each side down below and then spread out and boom.
The TV is standing on its own built in and
if you want a bigger experience, I already said it
(22:44):
has soundbar assessories that can be attached. But you can
join this TV with three other screens together and then
they all unite for a large composite screen.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
That's kind of cool. So anyway, here's one of those things. Now,
am I saying that this is the one?
Speaker 3 (23:01):
No?
Speaker 2 (23:01):
But what I keep my eye out for at shows
like this are where we've turned a corner and somebody
is thinking about something that is common in a very
very different way.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
And so the idea that.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Television technology, battery technology has got to the point where
we could have Wi Fi and Bluetooth based screens that
are lightweight, that don't have to be a permanent mount
in the house, that you can just kind of take
it wherever you want to go, use it wherever you
want to use it, and then store it away safely
somewhere when you're not using it. That's kind of game
(23:36):
changing thinking. So kudos for the Displaced TV. You should
check it out all right. More when we return your
Home with Dean Sharp the house whisper.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Welcome home.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
We are having a conversation today about the Consumer Electronics
show that just wrapped up a couple of weeks ago
in Las Vegas and the things that we've discovered there
that are home related, things that may affect the way
we function with our homes. Tech in our homes, smart
home technology, and like I said at the top of
(24:16):
the show, a lot of AI this year, a lot
of AI kind of seeping its way into familiar devices
and unfamiliar ones as well. Let me get back to
my list, all right, I got it. I have to
share this one with you. And you're gonna ask Dean,
what does this have to do with my home? It
just doesn't really. I mean, I mean, you do this
(24:38):
in your home, but other than that, it doesn't. I
just I could not stop thinking about it, and so
I had to share with you because it's interesting. And
that is Kieran. Kieran the Japanese beer company. Yeah, that Kieran.
They make a lot of stuff, but beer for sure.
They introduce at CES twenty twenty five. I don't know
(25:03):
what exactly the official name of it is a I'm
just calling it the salt spoon, okay. It is an
electronic spoon that you use to eat food with and
it has these little sensors on the surface of the
spoon and when you put it in your mouth, here
(25:26):
is the claim from Kiiran, When you put it in
your mouth, it electronically stimulates the proper parts of your
tongue in order to give your brain the impression that
what it is that you're eating is saltier than it is,
or it has more of a umami taste than what
(25:48):
it does. And yeah, right, that's a little okay. So
the issue driving this is excessive salt intake concerns among
Japanese people and the general public dissatisfaction with the alternative,
which is the taste of low sodium food. And if
(26:09):
you know anything about salt, you know that salt is
not just a regular spice like you know other things
that you know, you you know, sprinkle onto your food,
but salt actually has the ability to molecularly kind of
boost the flavor of food. And that's why salt is
in everything because it's a flavor booster. It's not salty
(26:31):
until there's too much salt, and then you taste the salt,
but at some point salt, when it's below it's too
salty level, is just amplifying food flavor. That's why it's
so important to cooking. So this the alternative of not
using salt is you know, less tasty food because it's
you know, instead of it being cranked up to you know, ten,
(26:55):
the flavor of the food is down at three.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
So the idea is that this spoon, if you use
this spoon to eat I guess foods that you eat
with a spoon, you can have less or no salt
in those foods and your brain still feels like you
are tasting an adequate salt level because it's doing this
electronically to your tongue.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
There you go. I just had to bring that up
to you. Is this gonna sell a million? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
It's interesting though, wouldn't it be interesting that the day
comes when just our utensils basically we just programmed them
to make, you know, just plain old mush taste like
anything we want.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Right there you go.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
And then maybe there's a calorie intake potential, transformative potential
about this as well. But right now, Karen has introduced
the salt spoon so that you don't have to put
as much salt on your food. There you go, all right,
now on to stuff for your home. I just had
to say that a lot of manufacturers introducing better presence
(28:01):
sensors in rooms now. Motion detectors have been a part
now of a lot of light switches in rooms for
quite a while because they're energy safers right as they
as long as they detect motion in the room, they
keep the light on, and when there's no more motion
in the room, the light goes off. The problem is
if you're planning on coming in the room and sitting
(28:23):
you know, sitting down and relaxing and reading a book.
Most traditional motion sensors are just going to think, oh,
you're not here anymore, and so they turn the light off.
Presence sensors are different, not motion presence sensors a whole
different level of detection and AI intelligence discerning the combination
(28:45):
of the two means that now, really somebody really is
kind of watching the room and knows you're in it,
even if you're completely motionless and still, and only turns
off the light once you leave. It's just a higher
level of accurate. See when it comes to that. All right,
when we come back, let's talk about robots, Elmer's favorite subject.
(29:07):
We're going to talk about robots. Right after Eileen Gonzalez
gives us the news. You are listening to Dean Sharp
The House Whisper on KFI. This has been Home with
Dean Sharp, the House Whisper. Tune into the live broadcast
on KFI AM six forty every Saturday morning from six
to eight Pacific time, and every Sunday morning from nine
(29:28):
to noon Pacific time, or anytime on demand on the
iHeartRadio app.
Home with Dean Sharp News
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