#732: Indoor Humidity, Spreading Kneewalls, and Interior Air Barriers

·59 min·5 clips

A carpenter realized he'd been hanging doors wrong for 25 years after learning the Gary Katz method.

The episode begins with host Patrick McComb introducing the panel: Senior Editor Patrick McComb, Associate Editor Grant Baver, Contributing Editor Ian Schwandt, and Producer Kerry Delahanty. Grant shares his recent work photographing a project in North Carolina involving Waynescoating trim details and pre-hung door installation, where he taught a carpenter the Gary Katz method to fix hinge sag and pinched reveals. A discussion follows about door jamb mislabeling issues from a supplier error. Ian talks about using off-the-shelf kitchen cabinets for a primary bath closet and a freestanding wardrobe project. The hosts then discuss a Dwell magazine article on Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, noting a $7.5 million renovation to address major flashing problems. Listener questions are addressed: Chris from Chicago shares experience with steam humidifiers requiring maintenance, Vince from Omaha discusses outdoor humidity sensors for April Air 600 models, and Benoit from Wolf Island asks about fixing spreading knee walls in a bunkie. The hosts explain rafter ties versus collar ties and suggest solutions like adding a ridge beam or using steel straps. Benoit also inquires about finishing a wet concrete slab, with recommendations to grind and seal it. Another listener, Anna from Tennessee, asks about interior air barriers for tongue-and-groove ceilings, leading to advice on using smart vapor retarders like Intello. The episode concludes with a discussion on repairing rotted deck ledgers and the importance of proper flashing, emphasizing the need for stricter code enforcement.

As heard by us

A candid single-episode look at how indoor humidity gets complicated when controls meet real building systems.

This single-episode review treats indoor humidity as a matter of judgment, not just settings. Winter dryness, energy moving through building envelopes, and unfamiliar controls all push the panel back toward first principles, even when the builders clearly know the territory.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You will hear a dry winter house turn one humidifier question into a whole-system headache.

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