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
ProTradeCraft
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Available on all of the podcast streaming platforms, listen, enjoy, subscribe, repeat.

Episodes are listed in five sections to help understand the larger topics in construction and design:

  • How Air Works
  • How Water Works
  • Extreme Climate Construction
  • How Heat Works
  • Materials

But first, we begin by explaining what science is...

 

Begin with Science

Science explains the natural world with a disciplined method of repeatable—and verifiable—questions, experiments, and answers
April 2, 2025

How Air Works

A three-pronged solution to indoor pollution: Isolate, eliminate, and ventilate
Oct. 18, 2017
HOLY COW! If you blow hard enough, you can blow through OSB!
April 4, 2023
Moving air keeps unwanted heat and moisture out of your roof system
Dec. 13, 2017
You can't simply go down to the hardware store and buy a box labeled air barrier
Aug. 22, 2018
Like an out-of-plumb wall, an insulated and unvented roof can work well—or not.
May 1, 2018
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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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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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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

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
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
Drip edge is another water-shedding tool
Jan. 2, 2018
Old Building Details That Work
Aug. 8, 2017
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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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
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
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

How Heat Works

Vented roofs are often called cold roofs because they are—(theoretically) cold from ventilation air
May 30, 2023
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
Can a wall plummet from R-50 to R-12 because of the studs?
Oct. 8, 2019
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
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

Extreme Climate Construction

Choosing hail-resistant roofing is as simple as looking at a chart and choosing a color
Oct. 26, 2024
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Too much of a good thing can kill you. Including sunny weather
July 2, 2025
With 100 years of fuel on the floor and a hotter climate, wildfire resistance and resilience matters almost everywhere
June 9, 2021
If you can't build to stay dry, build to tolerate wet
Sept. 30, 2024
Wind damage is not restricted to hurricane zones, so why does wind-resistant construction limit itself?
Sept. 25, 2020

Materials

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
Extreme heat and humidity can drive moisture deep into framing cavities which can cause mold, rot, and structural damage
April 20, 2020
Stucco is supposed to keep water out, but it is a reservoir cladding, so it also keeps water in. Sort of.
Nov. 14, 2018
The science of stickiness: a molecular look at tape's adhesive and cohesive properties
Oct. 6, 2018
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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