#718: Electrification, What Kind of Windows, and Uncomfortable Bonus Rooms
The Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
4.8 • 785 Ratings
🗓️ 2 January 2026
⏱️ 44 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Ian and Randy help Patrick respond to listener feedback about the best way to help clients and home electrification before taking questions about window construction and improving the comfort of a badly-built bonus room above a garage.
Tune in to Episode 718 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:
- Improving envelopes before new heating and cooling systems
- The right window for a pretty good house
- Fixing comfort problems in above-garage living space
➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 718
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I still maintain that the Upper Midwest and the Upper Northeast are the two most difficult |
| 0:10.2 | places to build the dwelling in the world. |
| 0:12.4 | Because of the hot, humid, summers, cold, dry winters. |
| 0:16.1 | Yeah. |
| 0:17.1 | Welcome to the Fine Home Building podcast, a weekly discussion of building, remodeling, and design topics aimed at anybody who cares deeply about the craft and science of working on houses. |
| 0:28.4 | I'm Senior Editor Patrick McComb. |
| 0:30.1 | Today I'm joined by Green Building Advisor, editor Randy Williams. |
| 0:33.9 | Aloha. |
| 0:35.4 | Fine Home Building contributing editor and production manager for TDS Custom Construction, Ian Schwant. |
| 0:40.3 | Howdy. |
| 0:41.3 | And producer, Carrie Delahanty. |
| 0:44.3 | Hey. |
| 0:45.3 | Please email your questions, the FHB Podcast at Find Homebuilding.com. |
| 0:49.3 | You can find previous podcasts and check out the show notes at find Homebuilding.com slash podcast. Well, Randy, I think you're |
| 0:56.5 | somewhat unique greeting this morning might be an indication of the, you know, warm, |
| 1:02.0 | tropical temperatures you're enjoying in the Upper Midwest. Do you want to talk about that? |
| 1:06.5 | We had a little bit of a polar vortex move through it. We were about 10 below yesterday. |
| 1:12.7 | It's actually warmed up overnight. |
| 1:14.6 | We're 15 above right now. |
| 1:16.7 | I'm sending that Ian's way, so he should be getting the balmy weather back soon, hopefully. |
| 1:21.9 | Ian said it was, what, minus one yesterday, Ian? |
| 1:24.6 | I think it's minus one today, and it was minus four yesterday when I got in the |
... |
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