UnBuild It Podcast

185 Episodes

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165 - High-Performance Homes: Do They Really Cost More?

2026-10-0127:33

Do high-performance homes have to be expensive? Steve and Jake tackle one of the most persistent misconceptions in building science: that better-performing homes are only practical for wealthy clients with luxury-home budgets. Yes, Steve and Jake work on plenty of high-end custom homes. But the price of those projects shouldn't be confused with the cost of applying good building science. Better water management, airtightness, insulation, durability, comfort, and energy performance aren't inhe...

164 - Back to Basics: Thermal Control Layers Explained

2026-09-1836:44

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 insulation means very little if the rest of the building enclosure isn't working with it. The boys break down heat flow, insulation, thermal bridging, and the importance of maintaining a continuous thermal control layer throughout the building. As with water, air, and vapor, continuity matters: transitions, penetrations, framing, windows, do...

Back to Basics: Vapor Control Layers Explained | UnBuild It Podcast #163

2026-09-0337:22

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 Back to Basics series, Steve, Jake, and Pete break down vapor control, vapor permeability, drying potential, and why decades of confusing code language created so much fear around vapor. As Steve puts it, “Vapor is not a liability, it is an asset.” Buildings get wet. In most climates and assemblies, the ability to dry through vapor diffu...

162 - Back to Basics: Air Control Layers Explained

2026-08-2136:33

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 break down how air control layers work, why continuity matters, and how blower door testing exposes the difference between theory and reality. The crew starts with several principles that apply across multiple control layers: staying in one plane makes continuity easier, simpler details are more likely to succeed, and combining control func...

161 - Back to Basics: Water Control Layers Explained

2026-08-0637:51

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 flashing strategies and capillary action, the crew explores how liquid water moves through buildings...

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