Shows / UnBuild It Podcast
UnBuild It Podcast
THE GOOD news: our homebuilding industry is jam-packed with new materials, new techniques, and new systems, and it’s so easy to get information online in an instant. THE
BAD news: How do we know what we can trust, what will work, and under what conditions? Where do we turn to separate the spin-and-hype from the true-and-square? We’ve got you covered! The UnBuild It Podcast is an industry-leading opportunity to get good information. UnBuild It podcast is a three-member team – Peter Yost…
Episodes
- UnBuild It Podcast
167 - Vented Over-Roofs & Double-Stud Walls: Building Science Tradeoffs
Are vented over-roofs and double-stud walls worth the added complexity? Steve, Jake, and Pete debate two high-performance building assemblies where moisture…
- UnBuild It Podcast
166 - Why Is Steve So Angry? High-Performance Building Frustrations
Why is building a high-performance home so frustrating? Steve Baczek has some strong opinions about the challenges facing architects and builders who are…
- UnBuild It Podcast
165 - High-Performance Homes: Do They Really Cost More?
Do high-performance homes have to be expensive? Steve and Jake tackle one of the most persistent misconceptions in building science: that better-performing…
- UnBuild It Podcast
164 - Back to Basics: Thermal Control Layers Explained
R-value is only part of the story. In the final episode of the Back to Basics series, Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle the thermal control layer—and why good…
- UnBuild It Podcast
Back to Basics: Vapor Control Layers Explained | UnBuild It Podcast #163
Vapor is one of the most misunderstood parts of building science—and in many assemblies, it helps buildings dry rather than making them wet. In Part 3 of the…
- UnBuild It Podcast
162 - Back to Basics: Air Control Layers Explained
Airtightness is one of the most important—and most measurable—parts of building performance. In Part 2 of the Back to Basics series, Steve, Jake, and Pete…
- UnBuild It Podcast
161 - Back to Basics: Water Control Layers Explained
Water is the number one enemy of building durability—and the first control layer every builder, architect, and designer needs to understand. In Part 1 of a…
- UnBuild It Podcast
160 - Designing Homes for Extreme Weather & Natural Disasters
How do you design a home for floods, wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, or ice storms? In this episode, Steve, Jake, and Pete explore what it…
- UnBuild It Podcast
159 - Climate Zone 7 Ceilings, Universal Design & Alternative Foundations
Three listener questions lead to three very different building science discussions—from cold-climate roof assemblies to aging-in-place design and innovative…
- UnBuild It Podcast
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity & Building Performance - 158
How much can a building affect human health—and what happens when occupants become highly sensitive to their environment? In this episode, Steve and Pete are…
- UnBuild It Podcast
157 - Four Building Science Puzzles: Expansive Soils, Radiant Barriers & More
Four listener questions. Four very different building science challenges. One highly technical episode. Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle a collection of building…
- UnBuild It Podcast
156 - Building Standards vs Better Buildings?
Do certifications, standards, and professional credentials actually lead to better buildings—or just more paperwork? Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle one of the…
- UnBuild It Podcast
155 - ZIP-R on the Roof? Structural, Hygrothermal & Durability Tradeoffs
Can ZIP-R panels work on a roof—and should they? Steve, Jake, and Nick Sabol from Huber’s Technical team dig into a topic that’s getting a lot of attention in…
- UnBuild It Podcast
154 - Wildfire Zone Rainscreens & Smarter ZIP Sheathing Use
Do wildfire zones actually change how rainscreens should be detailed—and where does conventional thinking fall short? Nick Sabol from Huber’s Product…
- UnBuild It Podcast
153 - Wall Details That Actually Work: Water, Air & Rainscreens
What are the most critical wall details for managing water and air—and where do builders get them wrong? Nick Sabol from Huber’s Product Engineering team joins…
- UnBuild It Podcast
152 - Thermal & Structural Loads: Insulation, Wood, and Concrete
How much load can insulation actually carry—and are we over-engineering residential buildings without realizing it? This episode goes deep into the structural…
- UnBuild It Podcast
151 - Where Matters: Climate
Climate drives building performance. In the first episode of a three-part series, Pete, Steve, and Jake explore why climate matters so much in building…
- UnBuild It Podcast
150 - Social Media: The Best and Worst of Building Science
Is social media helping the building industry—or hurting it? Matt Risinger joins Jake and Steve as the Three Social Media Amigos to roast Pete, the resident…
- UnBuild It Podcast
149 - I’ll Tell You Where to Stick That Opinion
Who really matters most on a building project—and can the team actually work together? In this episode, the crew digs into the five “gears” of the building…
- UnBuild It Podcast
148 - Dumb Ideas? Vented Crawlspaces & Over-Insulating Window Frames
Are vented crawlspaces really a bad idea—and can you actually over-insulate a window frame? The crew gets fired up tackling two topics that refuse to die in…
- UnBuild It Podcast
147 - Dehumidification in Dry Climates & Vented Crawlspaces? Seriously?
Can ERVs actually dehumidify a home? And does it ever make sense to use a dehumidifier in a vented crawlspace? Two listener questions spark a lively—and…
- UnBuild It Podcast
146 - A Deep Dive on Windows: Glass, Performance & Condensation
Windows are one of the most confusing—and consequential—components of a high-performance home. In this episode, the crew takes a deep dive into window and…
- UnBuild It Podcast
145 - High-Performance HVAC Ducting & Appliance Exhaust
A detailed look at smarter HVAC ducting, better airflow, and what it really takes to manage appliance exhaust and makeup air in high-performance homes. The…
- UnBuild It Podcast
144 - Tips for Young Builders with Tim Hill – Risinger Build
What does it really take to grow as a young builder today? Jake and Steve bring in Risinger Build’s Managing Partner, Tim Hill, for a fast-paced…
- UnBuild It Podcast
143 - Venting Cathedral Roofs & 6-Sided Insulation Explained
A deep dive into cathedral roof design and insulation strategy. The team compares solid-sawn rafters vs. scissor trusses, smart vapor retarders vs. poly, and…
- UnBuild It Podcast
142 - Sage Advice for Young Architects
Seriously? These 3 clowns are sages? The discussion includes how to select the "right” school. How much should a school include building science compared to…
- UnBuild It Podcast
141- BUILDING SCIENCE NAIVETE? You heard it here first!
All of us in the industry have projects--likely early in our careers--that we just either cringe about or wonder how the heck we got away with that one? The…
- UnBuild It Podcast
140 - Window Installation: Can We Do Better?
Installing windows is getting more, not less, complicated. Pete lobbies for a different, more durable, and simpler gasket installation of windows. Steve and…
- UnBuild It Podcast
139 - Roof framing, thermal bridging, and Cold climate wall worries
The boys start with a really cool problem-solving involving a monopoly framing, big overhangs, and thermal bridging. And the follow-up is an excellent question…
- UnBuild It Podcast
138 - Finding a High-Performance Builder
If you can't find an experienced high-performance builder, then find a professional builder who is willing to listen and learn! And add in time and money in…
- UnBuild It Podcast
137 - Another two-fer - Thermally-broken basement slab-to-Superior Wall panel connection AND exterior sump pumps
All 3 UBIP podcasters are fond of the Superior Wall System, but connecting the extended "foot" of the foundation wall panel to the basement slab is a bit…
- UnBuild It Podcast
136 - We Want More! Permanent Wood Foundations & Career Pivotal Moments
Once again, we drive wood into the ground, but only in the context of Permanent Wood Foundations. No surprise that this discussion is all about water &…
- UnBuild It Podcast
135 - ZIP-R for CZ 6B - New Construction? Continuous Air Control Layer for Exterior Retrofit CZ 4A?
Two great questions about wall assemblies. The boys dig deep, exploring all the variables to consider for both wall assemblies. And no big surprise: Much of…
- UnBuild It Podcast
134 - Another Double Feature - SIPs vs Stick-Frame & Thermal Degradation of Rigid Insulation
Whole bunch of reasons to consider SIP building systems BUT switching from stick-framing is not a walk in the park. But UnBuild It has a ton of experience with…
- UnBuild It Podcast
133 - Deep Dive on That Pesky Transition: Top-of-Foundation/Bottom-of-Above-Grade Wall
Should exterior above-grade wall sheathing or framing line up flush to the outside face of the foundation? Is sealing the bottom of the above-grade wall and…
- UnBuild It Podcast
132 - The Pre-Construction Process?
Plenty of reasons for the question mark: Pete wondered what this term really meant; Jake points out that for most of his career, he was not involved in this…
- UnBuild It Podcast
131 - Two Q's: Isn't ZIP-R backwards? Shouldn't we rainscreen roofs as well as walls?
Two great questions on which the boys pontificate in fine form. Yes, ZIP-R is "backwards" (rigid insulation interior to structural sheathing) but that does not…
- UnBuild It Podcast
130 - Two Qs: Job Site Safety & Garage Moisture Management
What could be more fun than yammering on about scary job site stories and just how confusing a space your garage can be? You listeners ask the damndest…
- UnBuild It Podcast
129 - A Crazy Space - Decks Over Garages (or worse) & Living Spaces
The advice starts with "don't ever do this" and then dives into the details for doing it right: slope, overhangs, pedestal systems, step-down from house to…
- UnBuild It Podcast
128 - Master Plumber Eric Aune Part III: Water Sources/Water Quality
Different water sources lead to different water quality issues. Eric walks us through: sources of tap water; testing water; appropriate water treatment systems…
- UnBuild It Podcast
127 - Master Plumber Eric Aune Part II: How NOT to wait for hot water!
Eric Aune would make the perfect Marvel Superhero Plumber. With tank versus Tankless water heaters, multiple small tanks, and on-demand recirc systems, Eric…
- UnBuild It Podcast
126 - All Things Water Heating with Eric Aune
Eric provides Steve and Jake with a plumber's perspective on almost every residential, domestic hot water system available in the US. Stick around for terms…
- UnBuild It Podcast
125 - Christine Williamson: From training building practitioners to teaching the next generation of architects
Jake spends time at Virginia Tech with Christine Williamson, a leading building professional who integrates building science and architecture. In her first…
- UnBuild It Podcast
124 - "Post-Frame" Buildings & Rim Joist Riddles
You say Post-Frame, I say Pole Barn or Barndominium...Yikes. The boys beat up on this topic when we move utility-grade agricultural weather-sheltering…
- UnBuild It Podcast
123 - Chelsea Scharbach, AKA Rosy the Riveter!
From metal worker to Director of Architecture Risinger Build to home remodeler, Chelsea is all about working on buildings. Instead of a working-man's Architect…
- UnBuild It Podcast
122 - Regionality rules us but so now does the internet & social media...
Since the internet makes us all so cozy from LA to Louisiana, it comes as a surprise to even hard-core building pros that many materials and systems simply…
- UnBuild It Podcast
121 - "It's All About STEVE"
When Steve doesn't show up on time for the podcast, Jake and Pete jump all over the idea of roasting him. But the podcast is mainly about why we love working…
- UnBuild It Podcast
120 - Santa-Fe Dehumidification Deva Nikki Krueger Round 2
Jake & Pete get schooled again on dehumidification by Nikki. - Nikki introduces the acronym HVACD to make dehumidification in equal standing with heating, air…
- UnBuild It Podcast
119 - A Riff on Measure Twice, Cut Once...
Jake and Pete host good friend Matt Risinger (pretty sure he is “part” of the Build Show...). It starts simple with pre-drywall checklists (you know, like…
- UnBuild It Podcast
118 - Special Guest Nikki Krueger of Santa Fe Dehumidifiers with her remarkably "dry" sense of humor...
Many of us in the building industry turn to Nikki for all questions dehumidification (certainly including this weeks hosts, Jake & Pete). Nikki goes toe to toe…
- UnBuild It Podcast
117 - What Should Pre-Construction Look Like?
After the boys were done taking jabs at each other, they each take this question and apply it to their fields: building (Jake), designing (Steve), and…
- UnBuild It Podcast
116 - Special Guest: Daniel Glauser--Phius Core Revive Remodeler Extraordinaire
Daniel Glauser is the Executive Project Manager for Risinger Build in Austin, TX. And he really puts his money where his mouth is. This episode focuses on his…
- UnBuild It Podcast
115 - Innovative or Alternative Foundation Materials & Systems
This week's podcast is a discussion about slab-less slabs AND some new projects in which Steve & Jake use alternative or innovative foundation materials or…
- UnBuild It Podcast
114 - Getting Personal: Career-Defining Stories from Jake, Steve, and Pete
Steve and his "jamokes" (Jake & Pete) share moments that changed their careers. Especially interesting is that the term jamoke that Steve uses is most often…
- UnBuild It Podcast
112 - Confused spaces? Garages
Pete, confused? Pete takes the lead on garages and tries hard not to confuse Steve and Jake (not very successfully...). It's all about how garages are…
- UnBuild It Podcast
111 - Sills - Where Windows Meet Walls & Walls Meet Foundations
Listeners picked up on two places where perhaps Steve and Jake do not agree (can you imagine....?): Face-seal vs. Drained-rough-opening window/door…
- UnBuild It Podcast
110 - Deciding Insulation Levels & Structural Implications of Floor Sheathing Fastener Type & Schedule
Great questions from our listeners! How do you determine the best insulation levels by climate (with the best being the greatest value)? Does adding screws (at…
- UnBuild It Podcast
109 - Clients - Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em...
Client involvement is critical in any building project, but this can be a double-edged sword. We need our clients engaged and to manage their expectations…
- UnBuild It Podcast
108 - Basements as Living Conditioned Space
How do you transform below-grade full foundations (also variously called pits, cellars, or basements and historically meant to be or tolerated as damp and cool…
- UnBuild It Podcast
107 - Steve's Mantras: Go Slow to Go Fast & Identify Problems BEFORE Moving to Solutions
It's funny that Steve, a very nuts-n-bolts guy, hosts this largely philosophical episode. But all three of us agree: Separate symptoms from causes—It's easy to…