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

7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
Science explains the natural world with a disciplined method of repeatable—and verifiable—questions, experiments, and answers
April 2, 2025

How Air Works

7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
A three-pronged solution to indoor pollution: Isolate, eliminate, and ventilate
Oct. 18, 2017
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
HOLY COW! If you blow hard enough, you can blow through OSB!
April 4, 2023
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
Moving air keeps unwanted heat and moisture out of your roof system
Dec. 13, 2017
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
You can't simply go down to the hardware store and buy a box labeled air barrier
Aug. 22, 2018
7 Minutes of BS (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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7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
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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7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
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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7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
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

7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
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
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
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
Drip edge is another water-shedding tool
Jan. 2, 2018
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
Old Building Details That Work
Aug. 8, 2017
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
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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7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
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
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
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
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
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

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

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

Materials

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
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
Extreme heat and humidity can drive moisture deep into framing cavities which can cause mold, rot, and structural damage
April 20, 2020
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
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
The science of stickiness: a molecular look at tape's adhesive and cohesive properties
Oct. 6, 2018
7 Minutes of BS (Building Science)
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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