7 Minutes of BS (#BuildingScience w/a BEAT)

Exterior Insulation Done Well: Best Systems for Deep Energy Retrofits

In this episode of 7 Minutes of BS, we continue the discussion with engineer Jonathan Smegal of RDH Building Science Laboratories to break down the best exterior insulation retrofit systems based on real-world testing on five identical student housing units.
Jonathan walks through what separates a good system from a great one — fewer layers, less thermal bridging, lightweight claddings, and a dedicated air and water barrier at the sheathing layer. His preferred approach: remove the cladding, add sheathing if needed, apply an air- and water-barrier, then install exterior insulation with strapping on top.
Dan also makes the case for EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems), which can be applied directly over existing brick — keeping thermal mass within the envelope, reducing landfill waste, and nearly eliminating thermal bridging when the foam is applied adhesively.
Key takeaways:
All five tested systems performed well for energy efficiency and durability
Fewer installation passes = lower cost and less complexity
Air and water control belong at the sheathing layer, not split across multiple materials
EIFS offers exceptional design flexibility and near-zero thermal bridging

Exterior Insulation Options

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. 

Cool Roofs

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.

Adsorption—with a ”D”

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.

Vapor Diffusion Ports: Air Barriers That Let Moisture Leave

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.

Lstiburek on Water

An overview of water, the liquid that makes life possible, rots buildings, and makes great wine.

Hot Roof, Cold Roof: Where Did They Come From?

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.

Is OSB an Air Barrier?

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.

Hail Resistant Roofing

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.

SHRINKAGE - How PVC Moves and How to Install it Right

This episode of 7 Minutes of BS explores how to install PVC siding and trim to reduce the effects of shrinkage.
PVC moves differently than wood, so it also behaves differently than wood.
Here's the inside dope.