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PODCAST

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. THEBAD 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, Building

science how to

All Episodes

32:13

153 - Wall Details That Actually Work: Water, Air &...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2026/04/02

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 the crew for a technical deep dive into exterior wall assemblies that actually perform. Pete, Jake, and Nick focus on two of the most failure-prone areas in construction: bottom-of-wall-to-foundation connections and window rainscreen detailing. The discussion breaks down how to properly manage bulk water, maintain continuous air contro...

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40:19

152 - Thermal & Structural Loads: Insulation, Wood,...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2026/03/19

How much load can insulation actually carry—and are we over-engineering residential buildings without realizing it? This episode goes deep into the structural and thermal realities behind common building materials. The crew breaks down compressive loading on rigid insulation, long-term creep behavior, and how these factors influence slab and foundation design. From there, the conversation expands into thermal bridging challenges in wood and concrete assemblies, and how innovative framing syst...

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29:52

151 - Where Matters: Climate

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2026/03/05

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 science. Steve kicks off the discussion with a simple analogy: Would you pack the same suitcase for Minneapolis in February, Honolulu in March, and New Orleans in July? Of course not. Buildings work the same way. Design decisions about insulation, vapor control, air barriers, and drying potential all depend on where the building lives. The con...

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41:59

150 - Social Media: The Best and Worst of Building...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2026/02/19

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 social media skeptic, and unpack what online platforms really mean for builders, architects, and building science pros. The conversation draws a sharp line between the dark side of social media—misinformation, marketing noise, and ego-driven content—and its best potential: real information transfer, community, and better buildings through...

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34:50

149 - I’ll Tell You Where to Stick That Opinion

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2026/02/05

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 process: designers, builders, manufacturers, consultants, and building owners or users. The big question is whether any one of those gears is more important than the others—or whether good buildings only happen when they all mesh. Steve cuts straight to the chase, sharing how he really feels about consultants (that would be Pete) and, in p...

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35:11

148 - Dumb Ideas? Vented Crawlspaces &...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2026/01/22

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 building science conversations. First up is crawlspaces. The boys dig into a bit of U.S. crawlspace history, what vented crawlspaces were originally intended to do, and why they so often fail to perform as hoped. They walk through what crawlspaces should and should not do, and why climate, moisture, and enclosure strategy matter far more ...

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31:56

147 - Dehumidification in Dry Climates & Vented...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2026/01/08

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 slightly ruthless—discussion that leads to one of Steve’s classic lines: “Suck it up, buttercup!” The crew digs into how moisture really behaves in dry climates, what ERVs can and cannot do when it comes to latent load management, and why dehumidification strategies that work in one climate can be completely wrong in another. They also unpack...

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35:49

146 - A Deep Dive on Windows: Glass, Performance &...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/12/18

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 glass selection, aiming to make things clear without letting your eyes glaze over. The discussion covers dual-pane versus triple-pane insulated glazing units, IGU numbering conventions, and the relatively new i89 coating—including what it means for thermal performance and condensation risk. They also unpack the difference between center-of-...

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42:24

145 - High-Performance HVAC Ducting & Appliance Exhaust

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/12/04

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 boys dive into the how and why behind HVAC duct layout, register placement, and whole-house airflow. They break down how interior design, enclosure performance, and mechanical systems must coordinate—because ducting isn’t just about energy efficiency. Thermal comfort and indoor air quality matter just as much. They also get into makeup air...

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39:34

144 - Tips for Young Builders with Tim Hill –...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/11/20

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, experience-packed conversation full of practical advice for builders looking to level up their craft, business, and mindset. Jake and Steve give Pete the boot for this one—and for good reason. Tim joins them to share real-world insights on everything from building capital and managing budgets to client communication, niche-building, and avoiding the...

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40:01

143 - Venting Cathedral Roofs & 6-Sided Insulation...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/11/06

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 discusses optimal roof pitches. You’ll learn when to vent from the topside, from below, or go unvented entirely—and why those choices matter. In the last 10 minutes, the crew unpacks one of building science’s trickiest topics: 6-sided containment of air-permeable insulation—and how it impacts attic R-values and energy performance. ...

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39:09

142 - Sage Advice for Young Architects

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/10/16

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 learning it on the job? And what about even just the 4 control layers? And all three of us stand squarely with Steve: if you want to design buildings, get out on the job site first, second, and last over the course of your prep and your years on the job. And then take what you learn at the site to improve the information transfer yo...

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35:22

141- BUILDING SCIENCE NAIVETE? You heard it here first!

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/10/09

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 boys wax nostalgic about stories of their naivety over the years, turning them into valuable lessons learned. Actual building topics include spray foam, sill sealer, combining blower door & IR imaging, slab-on-grade insulation, and rainscreens. PETE'S RESOURCES: "Foam-In-Place Insulation: 7 Tips for Getting Injection and Spray ...

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36:49

140 - Window Installation: Can We Do Better?

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/09/18

Installing windows is getting more, not less, complicated. Pete lobbies for a different, more durable, and simpler gasket installation of windows. Steve and Jake weigh in with their insights and challenges to what Pete is up to. And a bonus: with Steve and Jake's help, Pete creates a new word: "Poninions" (Pete crashed the words opinions and positions, and his "friends" just could not let it slide). PETE'S RESOURCES: - Pella Steady Set: https://www.pella.com/professionals/steady-set/ - Buil...

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33:26

139 - Roof framing, thermal bridging, and Cold...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/09/04

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 from Western Canada regarding the use of ZIP sheathing with a Class I interior vapor retarder. It's a great discussion involving R-values, air barriers, vapor permeability (including all Classes of vapor retarders), wetting, and drying. Whew! Good thing that Steve had a "great" joke to close this one out...(gag). PETE'S RESOURCES...

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36:01

138 - Finding a High-Performance Builder

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/08/21

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 the budget for that listening and learning. The same can go for your architect. But as Steve says: "SOMEONE has to drive the bus. Put on your big boy pants and move your business to the next level." PETE'S RESOURCES: - Building Enclosure Manufacturers Tech Support - Here are just a few manufacturers with outstanding tech support pro...

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40:03

137 - Another two-fer - Thermally-broken basement...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/08/07

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 tricky. But not for Steve, but of course. And while sump pumps OUTSIDE are a mystery to Pete, Jake & Steve walk Pete through it. And a bonus: using gravel to spread the structural load and better manage the water load. All that and a "joke" by Steve to-just-die-for... PETE'S RESOURCES: - Superior Wall resources on slab-to-panel connectio...

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30:19

136 - We Want More! Permanent Wood Foundations &...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/07/17

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 & drainage. And some episodes ago, the boys each revealed pivotal moments in their careers in the building industry and wrapped up with a request for your pivotal moments. We got one, but what a doozy from our buddy Carl Seville of SK Collaborative. I think we might be done now (at least for a while) with PWF, but come on now: email us your ...

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38:25

135 - ZIP-R for CZ 6B - New Construction? Continuous...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/07/03

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 the conversation is about how to get these three control layers right (water, air, thermal) and ALSO get the drying potential (vapor) correct. PETE'S RESOURCES: - 2021 IRC - Montana NOTE: The IRC 2021 does NOT include any chapters on energy efficiency/energy requirements... - Huber Table for ZIP-R recommendations for all climates - "Check...

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34:59

134 - Another Double Feature - SIPs vs Stick-Frame &...

UnBuild It Podcast ·

2025/06/19

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 SIPs. Next up: Just how stable are the R-values of rigid insulations (the plastic ones with blowing agents) over time? The boys spend just the right amount of time on this on...(just could not resist that). PETE'S RESOURCES: - "The Complete Guide to Building With Winter Panels:" - BASC SIP Details (SIPA) -"The BuildingGreen Gui...

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173 results

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