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, Building…
Subscribe:.rss.atom.json.md.m3u.pls
Live Last read · last published · next check
Saves to your Listen queue, to pick up on another day or another device.
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 four-part Back to Basics series, Steve, Jake, and Pete break down the principles of water management that every high-performance building depends on. The conversation starts where most rain begins: the roof. From roof design and drainage to…
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 really means to build for extreme events—and why there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Drawing from real-world experience, Steve and Jake discuss how high-performance homes can be adapted to withstand the specific hazards of a site’s climate and…
Three listener questions lead to three very different building science discussions—from cold-climate roof assemblies to aging-in-place design and innovative foundation systems. The episode begins with a Climate Zone 7 tongue-and-groove ceiling question, comparing ZIP sheathing and smart vapor retarders for airtightness and moisture control beneath a vented attic. From there, a question about…
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 joined by retired building scientist and pulmonary physician Nathan Yost for a thoughtful discussion on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and its relationship to building performance. Nathan shares insights from decades of experience…
Four listener questions. Four very different building science challenges. One highly technical episode. Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle a collection of building puzzles that span foundations, roofs, wall assemblies, and moisture management. The discussion starts with expansive soils and why successful construction often depends on engineered foundation systems designed to accommodate soil movement.…
Do certifications, standards, and professional credentials actually lead to better buildings—or just more paperwork? Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle one of the more uncomfortable questions in the building industry: why so many standards fail to consistently produce better outcomes in the real world. The conversation ranges from ASTM standards and manufacturer testing to architectural credentials and…
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 the field. This episode breaks down the full set of considerations behind putting insulated sheathing on the roof deck: structural loading, fastening and shear, hygrothermal behavior, condensation risk, and long-term durability. The crew…
Do wildfire zones actually change how rainscreens should be detailed—and where does conventional thinking fall short? Nick Sabol from Huber’s Product Engineering team is back with Steve and Pete to continue the deep dive into wall details that actually work. This episode focuses on rainscreen strategies in wildfire-prone areas and challenges the assumption that every risk requires a completely…
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…
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…