Design

7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)

A podcast that explains scientific concepts to regular carpenters like us. Engineers explain the concept in detail, and ProTradeCraft breaks it down into bite-sized nuggets to make info snacking easier.
Sept. 14, 2023
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Available on all of the podcast streaming platforms, listen, enjoy, subscribe, repeat.

Begin with Science

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Construction Phase

Science: 7 Minutes of BS (Building Science Syncopated)

Science explains the natural world with a disciplined method of repeatable—and verifiable—questions, experiments, and answers
Feb. 13, 2021

How Air Works

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HVAC & Mechanicals

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ): 7 Minutes of BS

A three-pronged solution to indoor pollution: Isolate, eliminate, and ventilate
Oct. 18, 2017
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Framing

Are OSB and Plywood Air Barriers?

HOLY COW! If you blow hard enough, you can blow through OSB!
April 4, 2023
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Roofing

Roof Ventilation: 7 Minutes of BS

Moving air keeps unwanted heat and moisture out of your roof system
Dec. 13, 2017
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Insulation & Air Sealing

Air Barriers: 7 Minutes of BS—Building Science, Syncopated

You can't simply go down to the hardware store and buy a box labeled air barrier
Aug. 22, 2018
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Roofing

Unvented Roof Assemblies: 7 Minutes of Building Science

Like an out-of-plumb wall, an insulated and unvented roof can work well—or not.
May 1, 2018
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HVAC & Mechanicals

Make Up Air: 7 Minutes of BS (Building Science w/a Beat)

Houses cannot expand and contract with changes in pressure like balloons can. Instead, they need paths for air to balance the pressure
May 9, 2017
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HVAC & Mechanicals

Stack Effect: 7 Minutes of BS (#buildingscience)

Stack effect is relentless: it is always working, when you’re awake or asleep, even during blackouts. And it feeds on itself.
Oct. 7, 2016
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HVAC & Mechanicals

Mechanical Ventilation: 7 Minutes of BS

As houses are built tighter, they exchange less air between inside and outside. This saves energy, but the inside air can get stale if you don't have a fan and a plan
Feb. 2, 2017

How Water Works

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HVAC & Mechanicals

Dew Point: 7 Minutes of BS (#BuildingScience)

Dew point differs from relative humidity in that it measures exactly how much vapor is present. With relative humidity, it's all relative.
March 22, 2019
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HVAC & Mechanicals

The Psychrometric Chart: 7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)

This chart explains how moisture behaves in the air as temperatures rise and fall—rainstorms, flooding, and glaciers in wall cavities are distinct possibilities.
Oct. 16, 2018
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Siding & Exterior Trim

Drip Edge Flashing: 7 Minutes of BS

Drip edge is another water-shedding tool
Jan. 2, 2018
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Concrete & Masonry

Architectural Projections: 7 Minutes of BS

Old Building Details That Work
Aug. 8, 2017
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Siding & Exterior Trim

Reservoir Cladding and Mass Walls: 7 Minutes of BS

Siding is supposed to shed water away from walls, so what's the deal with siding that absorbs water?
Sept. 16, 2024
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Concrete & Masonry

Efflorescence: 7 Minutes of BS

A snowball effect of physics vs. physical structures: water carries salt to the surface of masonry, which crystallizes and can blow apart its masonry host.
Dec. 5, 2016
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Design

Lstiburek on Water: It is Unbalanced, Crazy—and Beautiful

Bulk water's job description is literally to rot houses, but the REAL danger occurs when it changes phase from liquid to solid, and gas...
Dec. 11, 2023
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Roofing

Vapor Permeance: 7 Minutes of BS—Building Science w/a Beat

Vapor barriers cause a lot more harm than good in many parts of North America. Understanding vapor barriers begins with knowing what it means to be one
June 28, 2018

Extreme Climate Construction

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Roofing

Hail Resistant Roofing: 7 Minutes of BS (#BuildingScience)

Choosing hail-resistant roofing is as simple as looking at a chart and choosing a color
Oct. 26, 2024
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Safety

Heat Stress: 7 Minutes of BS (Building Science Syncopated)

Too much of a good thing can kill you. Including sunny weather
July 18, 2024
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Home

Wildfire Resistance and Resilience: 7 Minutes of BS (+ Nine More Minutes!)

With 100 years of fuel on the floor and a hotter climate, wildfire resistance and resilience matters almost everywhere
June 9, 2021
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Insulation & Air Sealing

Flood Resistant Construction: 7 Minutes of BS

If you can't build to stay dry, build to tolerate wet
Sept. 30, 2024
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Roofing

Wind-Resistant Construction: 7 Minutes of BS (#buildingscience)

Wind damage is not restricted to hurricane zones, so why does wind-resistant construction limit itself?
Sept. 25, 2020

How Heat Works

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Roofing

Hot Roof, Cold Roof: Where Did the Terms Come From? (7 Minutes of BS)

Vented roofs are often called cold roofs because they are—(theoretically) cold from ventilation air
May 30, 2023
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Insulation & Air Sealing

Thermal Bridging: A Podcast About BS (#buildingscience)

A thermal bridge is an area of the building enclosure—whether it be the walls, roof, or foundation—that has significantly higher heat flow than intended.
April 16, 2021
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Insulation & Air Sealing

Effective R-Value: 7 Minutes of BS (#BuildingScience)

Can a wall plummet from R-50 to R-12 because of the studs?
Oct. 8, 2019
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Insulation & Air Sealing

Radiant Barriers: 7 Minutes of BS—Building Science w/a Beat

Thin foil can block massive amounts of heat transfer, but it needs a massive temperature difference to be effective. So, insulation sort of makes radiant barriers irrelevant.
May 30, 2017
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Insulation & Air Sealing

Heat Flow: 7 Minutes of BS (#buildingscience)

Three mechanisms usually work together to move electrons from more to less. These three mechanisms can conspire to move heat AROUND your insulation.
Feb. 12, 2021

Materials

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Siding & Exterior Trim

Shrinkage: (How PVC Trim Moves)—7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)

PVC trim expands and contracts with temperature. But it never expands as much as it does that first time, so install it tight and fasten it right
Aug. 30, 2024
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HVAC & Mechanicals

Residential Marijuana Grow Rooms: 7 Minutes of BS

Extreme heat and humidity can drive moisture deep into framing cavities which can cause mold, rot, and structural damage
April 20, 2020
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Siding & Exterior Trim

Stucco: 7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)

Stucco is supposed to keep water out, but it is a reservoir cladding, so it also keeps water in. Sort of.
Nov. 14, 2018
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WRB & Flashing

ViscoElasticity: 7 Minutes of BS (#BuildingScience)

The science of stickiness: a molecular look at tape's adhesive and cohesive properties
Oct. 6, 2018
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Concrete & Masonry

Historic Mortar: 7 Minutes of BS

In short, mortar is a mixture of some or all of the following materials: Portland cement, sand, lime clay, and more modern additives.
May 31, 2018

About the Author

Daniel Morrison

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