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, Building Scientist; Jake Bruton, Builder, and Remodeler; and Steven Baczek, Architect. We are nationally recognized industry leaders: Jake as a homebuilder, Steve as an architect, and Peter as a building scientist. You can find us at leading homebuilding industry events, in top-notch publications, and online media outlets. We believe that solid industry-related information has four key ingredients;
RELEVANCE: You need insight on your job site. Jake, Steve, and Peter are in the field regularly doing what we strive to do. We walk the walk – then talk about the walk. We have worked together long enough to build on each other’s expertise and not take ourselves too seriously. We are among the best at taking what may seem like complicated concepts, breaking them down, and turning them into job-site-ready breakthroughs.
ACCURACY: Jake is often quoted as saying, “Trust but Validate.” We don’t ask you to be the bleeding, leading edge; we develop trusted solutions based on our work in the field, pushing each other to practice what we preach. Our accuracy comes out of triangulation: building, design, and performance.
UTILITY: We guarantee that each podcast episode will move you from all ears to all action. Our information is born from our work. We pride ourselves on delivering information you can use the same day you listen to an episode.
CAMARADERIE: We work together because we love homebuilding, hitting the airwaves, and humor. We are not doing our job if you are not enjoying learning with us during each episode.
Episodes
174 episodes
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 Engineering team is back with Steve and Pete to continue the deep dive into wall details that ...
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 the crew for a technical deep dive into exterior wall assemblies that actually perfo...
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 and thermal realities behind common building materials. The crew breaks down co...
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 science.Steve kicks off the discussion with a simple analogy: Would you pack the same...
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 social media skeptic, and unpack what online platforms really mean for builders, archit...
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 process: designers, builders, manufacturers, consultants, and building owners or users. ...
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 building science conversations.First up is crawlspaces. The boys dig into a bit ...
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 slightly ruthless—discussion that leads to one of Steve’s classic lines: “Suck it up, butte...
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 glass selection, aiming to make things clear without letting your eyes glaze over....
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 boys dive into the how and why behind HVAC duct layout, register placement, and wh...
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, experience-packed conversation full of practical advice for builders looking to level up their cra...
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 discusses optimal roof pitches. You’ll learn when to vent from the topside, f...
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 learning it on the job? And what about even just the 4 control layers? And all th...
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 boys wax nostalgic about stories of their naivety over the years, turning them into val...
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 Jake weigh in with their insights and challenges to what Pete is up to. And a bo...
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 from Western Canada regarding the use of ZIP sheathing with a Class I interior vapor...
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 the budget for that listening and learning. The same can go for your architect. But as ...
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 tricky. But not for Steve, but of course. And while sump pumps OUTSIDE are a mystery to Pe...
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 & drainage. And some episodes ago, the boys each revealed pivotal moments in their careers...
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 the conversation is about how to get these three control layers right (water, air, ther...
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 SIPs. Next up: Just how stable are the R-values of rigid insulations (the plastic on...
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 foundation with a sill sealer product like Protecto Wrap Triple Guard a good idea? This...
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 process as a builder; Steve gets pretty heated when this process does not include budge...
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 fineform. Yes, ZIP-R is "backwards" (rigid insulation interior tostructural sheathing) but that does not mean that it doesn't work; itdoes, just differently. So why don't we typic...
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 questions, so we just keep on cranking... Per usual, Steve closes us out with humor worthy o...