Best Unbuild It Podcast Podcasts (2025)

1
135 - ZIP-R for CZ 6B - New Construction? Continuous Air Control Layer for Exterior Retrofit CZ 4A? 38:25

14d ago38:25

38:25

Two great questions about wall assemblies. The boys dig deep, exploring all the variables to consider for both wall assemblies. And no big surprise: Much of the conversation is about how to get these three control layers right (water, air, thermal) and ALSO get the drying potential (vapor) correct. PETE'S RESOURCES: - 2021 IRC - Montana NOTE: The I…

1
Teaching My Father How To Love 42:46

8d ago42:46

42:46

Yvette Borja interviews Mike De La Rocha about his new book Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How To Love. They discussed the outdated definitions of manhood that Mike was raised in and how that impacted his relationship with his father, how toxic masculinity is transmitted intergenerationally, and the physical health impacts that toxic masculinit…

1
Mr. Harvard 43:41

23d ago43:41

43:41

Yvette Borja interviews Harvard J.D. Jesus Carreon about his higher education journey as an undocumented DREAMer. He shares his reflections living in LA during this time of ICE raids and protest, where he found inspiration to pursue college and law school as the first in his family to do so, and tips for undocumented students interested in pursuing…

1
134 - Another Double Feature - SIPs vs Stick-Frame & Thermal Degradation of Rigid Insulation 34:59

28d ago34:59

34:59

Whole bunch of reasons to consider SIP building systems BUT switching from stick-framing is not a walk in the park. But UnBuild It has a ton of experience with SIPs. Next up: Just how stable are the R-values of rigid insulations (the plastic ones with blowing agents) over time? The boys spend just the right amount of time on this on...(just could n…

1
133 - Deep Dive on That Pesky Transition: Top-of-Foundation/Bottom-of-Above-Grade Wall 34:23

1M ago34:23

34:23

Should exterior above-grade wall sheathing or framing line up flush to the outside face of the foundation? Is sealing the bottom of the above-grade wall and foundation with a sill sealer product like Protecto Wrap Triple Guard a good idea? This sets off Jake, Steve, and Pete on balancing water protection, air sealing, and drying potential at this k…

1
UNLOCKED LIT REVIEW A Book About Traumas 1:06:29

1M ago1:06:29

1:06:29

On this #litreview, Yvette brings back Jehan Laner Romero to discuss the book of short stories "Funeral for Flaca" by Emilly Prado. They shared which aspects of Prado's life as a Chicana Latina growing up in California mirrored their own, broke down multi-generational fatphobia, and appreciated the rawness with which she shared her childhood trauma…

1
Teaching Central America 33:50

2M ago33:50

33:50

Jonathan Peraza Campos joins the podcast to discuss Teaching for Change's Teaching Central America program. Yvette and Jonathan discuss the linkages between Latinx communities in the U.S. South and the Global South, the importance of integrating Central American history into K-12 education, and why ethnic studies of and in the U.S. South matters. T…

1
132 - The Pre-Construction Process? 36:27

2M ago36:27

36:27

Plenty of reasons for the question mark: Pete wondered what this term really meant; Jake points out that for most of his career, he was not involved in this process as a builder; Steve gets pretty heated when this process does not include budget (at least a realistic budget...). Gem here from Steve: "70% of a home's budget is hardwired into the num…

1
The Poetic Practices of Exiled Nicaraguans in Costa Rica 1:05:09

2M ago1:05:09

1:05:09

Thelma Dietrich Rivera joins the podcast to discuss her recent article discussing the poetic practices of exiled Nicaraguans in Costa Rica. Thelma and Yvette discussed the history of the FSLN and the authoritarian turn of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, how the women Thelma writes about are examples of "existing otherwise," and the events of 201…

1
131 - Two Q's: Isn't ZIP-R backwards? Shouldn't we rainscreen roofs as well as walls? 29:04

3M ago29:04

29:04

Two great questions on which the boys pontificate in fine form. Yes, ZIP-R is "backwards" (rigid insulation interior to structural sheathing) but that does not mean that it doesn't work; it does, just differently. So why don't we typically rain screen roof claddings? The short answer is it always costs more, regardless of the type of roof cladding.…

1
Sesiones de Sanación 51:50

3M ago51:50

51:50

Dr. Tanya Erazo, award-winning psychologist and adjunct professor, joins the podcast to discuss how indigenous healing modalities helped ease her anxiety around an upcoming open-heart surgery procedure. She shares her experience with a sesión de sanación led by Nahuat Pipil elders and how it brought her peace when Western medical advice couldn't, w…

1
UNLOCKED LIT REVIEW What integrationism and colorblindness really mean 59:33

3M ago59:33

59:33

On this *UNLOCKED* #litreview, Yvette and Tiera Rainey of the Tucson Second Chance Bail Fund discuss the book Critical Race Consciousness by Gary Peller. They break down the pitfalls of integrationist and colorblind ideology, explain the power of all-Black spaces, and discuss how integrationist ideology led to the current failures of affirmative ac…

1
130 - Two Qs: Job Site Safety & Garage Moisture Management 28:40

3M ago28:40

28:40

What could be more fun than yammering on about scary job site stories and just how confusing a space your garage can be? You listeners ask the damndest questions, so we just keep on cranking... Per usual, Steve closes us out with humor worthy of these two questions... PETE'S RESOURCES: - "Does Safety Affect Productivity in Construction?" - From our…

1
An Open And Honest Conversation About What's Happening in El Salvador 1:28:13

3M ago1:28:13

1:28:13

This episode is a recording of the live Radio Cachimbona podcast show "No a La Mineria, Si a La Vida" co-hosted by Yvette Borja and Jorge Cuéllar. Jasmine Tobar of CISPES LA shares about the organization's history of transnational solidarity and how it has transformed into a diaspora-led organization. Cynthia Guardado reads her poetry and reflects …

1
129 - A Crazy Space - Decks Over Garages (or worse) & Living Spaces 32:17

4M ago32:17

32:17

The advice starts with "don't ever do this" and then dives into the details for doing it right: slope, overhangs, pedestal systems, step-down from house to deck, and truck liners. Wait, what? Jake describes a long-past project involving a spray-on truck bed liner protective coating (and there actually ARE spray-on residential roof systems for decks…

1
128 - Master Plumber Eric Aune Part III: Water Sources/Water Quality 31:46

4M ago31:46

31:46

Different water sources lead to different water quality issues. Eric walks us through: sources of tap water; testing water; appropriate water treatment systems responding to the testing results; and a new water frontier: PFAS in our tap water (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances). Yikes! PETE'S RESOURCES: - Eric Aune Mechanical Hub - Water testing …

1
UNLOCKED LIT REVIEW Transcendent Kingdom 38:39

4M ago38:39

38:39

On this unlocked #litreview, Yvette and Yessenia Medrano discuss Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. The praise Gyasi's empathetic storytelling around the effects of the opiate crisis, reflect on how childhood traumas are remembered, and share the ways they related to the narrator's child of immigrants experience. If you liked this episode and want …

1
127 - Master Plumber Eric Aune Part II: How NOT to wait for hot water! 29:40

4M ago29:40

29:40

Eric Aune would make the perfect Marvel Superhero Plumber. With tank versus Tankless water heaters, multiple small tanks, and on-demand recirc systems, Eric brings real-world insight to all sorts of plumbing technologies and techniques. And of course, Steve closes the episode with a special look to his future. Pete's Resources: Eric Aune Gary Klein…

1
Changing the Narrative and Speaking Truth to Power 1:01:38

5M ago1:01:38

1:01:38

Carlos Adrian Vasquez, a formerly incarcerated and formerly detained activist, joins the podcast to discuss his leadership in organizing hunger and labor strikes in the Desert View Annex. Carlos shares about the terrible conditions that led people detained to engage in multiple hunger and labor strikes, breaks down the false distinction between civ…

1
Reproductive Justice and Resistance at the US/Mexico Borderlands 1:11:39

5M ago1:11:39

1:11:39

Eloisa Lopez, Executive Director of Florecer Reproductive Justice, joins the podcast to discuss the essay "Reproductive Justice and Resistance at the US/Mexico Borderlands" in the Radical Reproductive Justice anthology. Eloisa and Yvette discuss the myths around "self deportation," how the majority of Latinas show strong support for legalized abort…

1
126 - All Things Water Heating with Eric Aune 52:07

5M ago52:07

52:07

Eric provides Steve and Jake with a plumber's perspective on almost every residential, domestic hot water system available in the US. Stick around for terms like "cold water sandwich," "air-to-water," "CO2 refrigerant," and "recirc." It's absolutely gripping! Pete's Resources: Eric Aune - Mechanical Hub Energy Star Heat Pump Water Heater Demand Hot…

1
Curiosity About Conflict 36:03

5M ago36:03

36:03

Dana Caspersen, practitioner of constructive conflict and author of Conflict Is an Opportunity: Twenty Fundamental Decisions for Navigating Difficult Times, joins the podcast to discuss her latest book. Dana and Yvette discuss why people should avoid trying to immediately find a solution to a conflict, why awareness of conflict and curiosity about …

1
Let's Heal All Parts of the Mother Wound 42:03

5M ago42:03

42:03

Jessica Monge, mother wound coach, joins the podcast to discuss what "mother wounds" are, how the effects of it manifest in everyday life, and what inspired her to focus on helping others heal their mother wound. Follow @radiocachimbona on Instagram, X, and Facebook Support the podcast by joining the Patreon. You'll get access to the #litreview, a …

1
125 - Christine Williamson: From training building practitioners to teaching the next generation of architects 33:26

5M ago33:26

33:26

Jake spends time at Virginia Tech with Christine Williamson, a leading building professional who integrates building science and architecture. In her first year as an Assistant Professor of Architecture, Christine applies building science to architecture courses such as Environment and Building Systems I and II. In her own words about her new posit…

1
Who Migrant Sex Workers Are And Why They Sell Sex 1:03:47

5M ago1:03:47

1:03:47

Chanelle Gallant and Elene Lam join the podcast to discuss their new book "Not Your Rescue Project: Migrant Sex Workers Fighting for Justice." They discussed who migrant sex workers are and why they sell sex, how the carceral state attacks migrant sex workers even when it claims to help them, and how sex work provides an opportunity for migrant wor…

1
What The Global Folk Music Movement Can Teach Us Now 56:39

6M ago56:39

56:39

Ericka Verba, professor and director of Latin American Studies at Cal State LA, joins the podcast to discuss her new book "Thanks to Life: A Biography of Violeta Parra." Verba shares Parra's central role in the creation of Chile's Nueva Cancion movement, breaks down the strength and resilience that allowed her to become an internationally recognize…

1
No Son Nuevas Ideas 52:52

6M ago52:52

52:52

Profesora Aideé Tassinari se suma al podcast para explicar cómo la idea de "minería sostenible" es un discurso falso proporcionado por las compañías mineras, los efectos negativos que la minería trae a ecosistemas y acceso a agua limpia, y pone en contexto histórico la "fiebre de oro" del siglo 21 que ahora ha llegado a El Salvador. Lean más sobre …

1
124 - "Post-Frame" Buildings & Rim Joist Riddles 28:16

6M ago28:16

28:16

You say Post-Frame, I say Pole Barn or Barndominium...Yikes. The boys beat up on this topic when we move utility-grade agricultural weather-sheltering buildings (pole barns) to fully-conditioned homes. Aesthetic questions aside, there is solid building science to consider here. And speaking of building science, how do we insulate and air seal rim j…

1
A Longstanding Tradition of Racial Violence 52:05

6M ago52:05

52:05

Cheryl Redhorse Bennett, former assistant professor in American Indian Studies and expert on hate crimes and violence against Native Americans, joins the podcast to discuss her book "Our Fight Has Just Begun: Hate Crimes and Justice in Native America." She shares about the hate crimes in Farmington, New Mexico that informed her research, how the Na…

1
El Rol De Arte Y Cultura En El Trabajo Organizativo 49:49

6M ago49:49

49:49

Pablo Alvarado, director ejecutivo de La Red De Jornalero/as, se suma al podcast para hablar sobre su historia de inmigración, la historia de la red, y el rol de arte y cultura en el trabajo organizativo. Puedan apoyar el podcast y recibir acceso al #litreview, un club de libros para Cachimbonas, en el Patreon: https://patreon.com/radiocachimbona?u…

1
123 - Chelsea Scharbach, AKA Rosy the Riveter! 44:07

7M ago44:07

44:07

From metal worker to Director of Architecture Risinger Build to home remodeler, Chelsea is all about working on buildings. Instead of a working-man's Architect like our buddy Steve, Chelsea is the quintessential working-woman's Architect. And get this: Steve & Chelsea are about to team-up on a Risinger Build project! Pete's Resources: - GBA Retrofi…

1
How Schools Make Race 34:13

7M ago34:13

34:13

Laura Chávez-Moreno, award-winning researcher, qualitative social scientist, and assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the Departments of Chicana/o and Central American Studies and Education, joins the podcast to discuss her new book How Schools Make Race: Teaching Latinx Racialization in America. Laura explains why s…

1
122 - Regionality rules us but so now does the internet & social media... 25:58

7M ago25:58

25:58

Since the internet makes us all so cozy from LA to Louisiana, it comes as a surprise to even hard-core building pros that many materials and systems simply don't translate from region to region. Local context simply interferes: price, local expertise, local building codes, availability of materials, even just "no one has done it that way here..." B…

1
121 - "It's All About STEVE" 32:57

7M ago32:57

32:57

When Steve doesn't show up on time for the podcast, Jake and Pete jump all over the idea of roasting him. But the podcast is mainly about why we love working with the "jamoke." It is about a half-hour of stories about the consummate job-site architect, Steve Baczek, the guy we "can't live with; can't live without him." NOTE: Pete incorrectly calls …

1
120 - Santa-Fe Dehumidification Deva Nikki Krueger Round 2 40:19

8M ago40:19

40:19

Jake & Pete get schooled again on dehumidification by Nikki. - Nikki introduces the acronym HVACD to make dehumidification in equal standing with heating, air conditioning and ventilation. - Great discussion of the differences between portable ("big box") and whole house dehumidifiers. - Importance of the change in measurement standards for DEHUs f…

1
Era Una Prisión Antes 37:19

8M ago37:19

37:19

Jose Ruben, activista espiritual con El Movimiento de Integridad Humana, viene al podcast para discutir sus experiencias de detención en Mesa Verde y el Golden State Annex y porque se sumó a las huelgas de hambre y labor con otra gente detenida. Jose comparte como COVID-19 se desarrolló en los centros de detención, como ICE los forzó a trabajar par…

1
Standing Up To Our Oppressors 35:41

8M ago35:41

35:41

Gustavo, a Salvadoran-American organizer and leader of the hunger and labor strikes occurring in the Mesa Verde and Golden State Annex immigration detention facilities since 2022, joins the podcast to discuss the terrible conditions that led to these efforts. Gustavo shares the myriad ways ICE regularly violates its own detention standards, what gi…

1
119 - A Riff on Measure Twice, Cut Once... 36:32

8M ago36:32

36:32

Jake and Pete host good friend Matt Risinger (pretty sure he is “part” of the Build Show...). It starts simple with pre-drywall checklists (you know, like blocking for toilet paper holders...). But boy, it quickly blossoms into a wonderful, wandering discussion of everything from sequencing to quality control to a scopes of work program. Terrific l…

1
Dismantling Carceral Debt and Building Debtor Power 31:12

8M ago31:12

31:12

Tiera Rainey, Executive Director of the Tucson Bail Fund, joins Yvette Borja to discuss a resource document that the Bail Fund co-authored with the Milwaukee Freedom Fund, Community Justice Exchange, Free Hearts, and Montgomery Bail Out: Dismantling Carceral Debt: A Manifesto on Building Debtor Power. Rainey breaks down the devastating impact of ca…

1
Don't Sell The Land 1:07:39

9M ago1:07:39

1:07:39

Brea Baker, freedom fighter and author, joins the podcast to discuss her new book "Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement For Black Land Ownership." Yvette and Brea discuss how the U.S. arrived at a place where only 1% of rural land is owned by Black people, how Brea and her family's legacy of land ownership inspired the …

1
Unaccompanied and Coming of Age 1:01:26

9M ago1:01:26

1:01:26

Yvette Borja interviews Stephanie Canizales, professor and Faculty Director of the UC Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative, about her new book Sin Padres, Ni Papeles: Unaccompanied Migrant Youth Coming of Age in the United States. They discuss who is left out of the DACA/Dreamer narrative and the socioeconomic obstacles this population f…

1
That Little Courtroom in Sensuntepeque 1:27:24

9M ago1:27:24

1:27:24

Yvette Borja and Jorge Cuéllar discuss their experience as international observers for the Santa Marta 5 trial. They break down the audacity and offensive nature of a unit dedicated to prosecuting war crimes bringing the Santa Marta case forward as its inaugural effort, share their impressions of the deep power of the organized pueblo in Santa Mart…

1
118 - Special Guest Nikki Krueger of Santa Fe Dehumidifiers with her remarkably "dry" sense of humor... 37:26

9M ago37:26

37:26

Many of us in the building industry turn to Nikki for all questions dehumidification (certainly including this weeks hosts, Jake & Pete). Nikki goes toe to toe with HVAC techs with a degree in communications and that is because she understands that you have to go tech if you are representing technical products such as dehumidifiers. She connects in…

1
Private Violence: Latin American Women And The Struggle For Asylum 48:10

9M ago48:10

48:10

Yvette Borja interviews Carol Cleaveland and Michele Waslin, authors of Private Violence: Latin American Women And The Struggle for Asylum. They explain why calling the gender-based violence that Mexican and Central American women are fleeing "private" is inaccurate, break down how navigating the asylum system is hardest for poor migrants, and emph…

1
117 - What Should Pre-Construction Look Like? 43:23

10M ago43:23

43:23

After the boys were done taking jabs at each other, they each take this question and apply it to their fields: building (Jake), designing (Steve), and enclosure review (Pete). Much of the discussion centers on the cost and expectations that both building professionals and clients have or should set with each other. Another central theme is that pul…

1
No Me Gusta La Picosa 32:21

10M ago32:21

32:21

Yvette Borja interviews Chelsea Guevara, the first Salvadoran Womxn of the World Poetry Slam Champion. They discussed how Chelsea got started with Slam Poetry, the connections between her scholarly research and her poetry, and her upcoming chapbook Cipota. Support the podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber on Patreon for as little as $3 a month. …

1
Unbuilding Walls in the Immigrant Justice Movement 39:04

10M ago39:04

39:04

Yvette Borja interviews Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network. They discuss why the immigrant justice movement needs abolition, the importance of transforming the economic infrastructures of local governments dependent on carceral systems, and how the growth of immigration detention and deportation was and is a critical part of …

1
116 - Special Guest: Daniel Glauser--Phius Core Revive Remodeler Extraordinaire 28:36

10M ago28:36

28:36

Daniel Glauser is the Executive Project Manager for Risinger Build in Austin, TX. And he really puts his money where his mouth is. This episode focuses on his deep energy retrofit of a 1977 home in Austin, TX, which will be certified per the Phius Core Revive program. And get this: this soup-to-nuts retrofit is being done while he, his wife, 3 kids…

1
UNLOCKED LIT REVIEW Who We All Are As Latina Women 1:09:42

10M ago1:09:42

1:09:42

Yvette Borja and Ronnie Wollenzier discuss Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez's second book "Tias and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us." They praise how the book feels like a hug for their inner child, celebrate how Prisca's works widen the reach of academic literature, and share which tia and prima archetypes they identify with. Th…

1
A Love Letter To The Tias and Primas Who Raised Us 42:32

10M ago42:32

42:32

Yvette Borja interviews Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez's second book “Tias and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us.” They discuss why Prisca prioritizes democratizing critical theory in her writings, she breaks down why she chose to focus on Tias and Primas but not mothers, and which archetypes she decided to leave out of the book …

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