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  • Exterior Insulation Options

    Exterior Insulation Options
    Jan 5 2026

    Today, we are joined by Jonathan Smegal, an engineer with RDH Building Science in Waterloo, Ontario. Mr Smegal discusses the benefits of exterior insulation, then walks us through a recent study of five exterior insulation systems.

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    10 Min.
  • Cool Roofs

    Cool Roofs
    Nov 5 2024
    Dark roofs absorb heat, and light roofs reflect it. Light roof shingles—combined with more insulation in the attic— can go a LONG way towards reducing the heat stress people in southern climates experience three seasons of the year.
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    8 Min.
  • Adsorption—with a ”D”

    Adsorption—with a ”D”
    Oct 11 2023
    Dr. Joe Lstiburek explains the fourth state of water: ADSORPED water. It exists on surfaces as tiny monolayers that can fill pores on the surface and cause mold. It also explains why expansive soils expand. If you thought you understood diffusion and capillarity, buckle up.
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    8 Min.
  • Vapor Diffusion Ports: Air Barriers That Let Moisture Leave

    Vapor Diffusion Ports: Air Barriers That Let Moisture Leave
    Aug 17 2023
    Vapor Diffusion Ports: Air Barriers That Let Moisture leave Dr. Joe Lstiburek explains what Vapor Diffusion Ports are, how they work, why they're needed, and how to construct them—in about nine minutes. The skinny version: they're like a modified ridge vent but for an unvented roof. They allow moisture to escape unvented roof assemblies without letting air leak out.
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    10 Min.
  • Lstiburek on Water

    Lstiburek on Water
    Jul 25 2023
    An overview of water, the liquid that makes life possible, rots buildings, and makes great wine.
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    14 Min.
  • Hot Roof, Cold Roof: Where Did They Come From?

    Hot Roof, Cold Roof: Where Did They Come From?
    May 5 2023
    In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Joe Lstiburek, out favorite crawlspace buddy, to talk about the origin of hot roof and cold roof labels.
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    9 Min.
  • Is OSB an Air Barrier?

    Is OSB an Air Barrier?
    Mar 29 2023
    This time on 7 Minutes of BS, Jonathan Smegal, M.S., describes his work at RDH Building Science Laboratories testing various wall sheathing materials for air tightness. The results are somewhat surprising but, truthfully, not a deal-breaker for most builders and remodelers.
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    8 Min.
  • Hail Resistant Roofing

    Hail Resistant Roofing
    Oct 25 2022
    Today's guest expert is Tanya Brown-Giammanco, formerly the Managing Director of Research at the Institute for Business and Home Safety (when we recorded this episode) and currently the Director of Disaster and Failure Studies at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (congratulations on the new gig, Tanya!). Tanya explains how hail damage works, why hail damage matters, and how to minimize damage from hailstones by selecting the right roofing shingles.
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    8 Min.