Podcasts, Webinars, Interviews with Bob Kelly

Modern Craftsman Podcast #273

"Venting Masonry –

Simple Solutions to Complex Moisture Issues"

Unbuild It Podcast -
Builder Interview Series

Bob chats with Jake Bruton of Aarow Building and Peter Yost of Building-Wright about his career in the construction industry, moving from high-end woodworking to roofing artistry and how as a general contractor he now focuses on low-slope roofs and split face block buildings. Bob also talks about developing system solutions for common problems, including products made by his building materials company – WickRight.com.  They also discuss how Bob evaluates and repairs new masonry buildings, mostly located in Chicago. Bob refers to these buildings built between 1990-2023 as "new" because "old" masonry typically only require periodical maintenance.

https://unbuilditpodcast.com/episodes/jno9j1d4y77b51iibu9rvf2dqfefdo

Avoiding Mold – with Architect Cheryl Ciecko

"Managing Water Intrusion in Roofs, Masonry and More"

Managing Water Intrusion in Roofs, Masonry and More!

Bob talks with Cheryl Ciecko, of Avoiding Mold.com, architect and mold guru about managing water intrusion in roofs, masonry and more!

Keeping Construction, Restorations & Homes Dry

Keeping Buildings Dry / Dealing with Water Intrusion

Cheryl and Bob discuss moisture damage causes and effects, solutions to keep construction projects dry, and durability details for brick and masonry buildings small and large.

https://www.avoidingmold.com/experts/

Stop the Damage – Learn How Water and Cold Weather Destroy Roofs

Winter Water Damage / Ice Dams, Construction & Protecting Your Roof

Bob and Cheryl discuss how to identify, repair and prevent water damage due to extreme cold temperatures. Discover strategies to inspect and evaluate your own home for damage and find concealed water damage. Explore solutions to fix damaged areas properly and prevent future cold weather water damage.

Dave Cooper Live -

"How to Fix Dangerous Wet Buildings"

Bob chats with Dave Cooper of Dave Cooper Live and Mark Wille of T-Stud, Off-Site Dirt, Passive House Accelerator, etc.

Bob, Owner, Restoration Specialist, Inventor at WickRight is on a mission is to save buildings. After repairing hundreds of water damaged buildings over the last 25 years, Bob shares information about WickRight a line of ventilation products that fix and prevent moisture intrusion and mold damage. Tackling existing buildings allows for a tremendous amount of DISCOVERY. The pictures Bob shows are REAL and they will SCARE You. The work WickRight General Contracting is doing, along with the product solutions are very impressive according to Dave Cooper.

Dave Cooper Live - "Solutions for Vapor, Moisture and Bulk Water in our Buildings"

Bob chats with Dave Cooper of Dave Cooper Live and Mark Wille of T-Stud, Off-Site Dirt, Passive House Accelerator, etc.

 WickRight™ is on a mission is to save buildings and today we will show you how. After repairing hundreds of water-damaged buildings over the last 25 years, this is your chance to learn more about line of ventilation products to fix and/or prevent moisture intrusion and mold damage. Tackling Existing Buildings allows for a tremendous amount of DISCOVERY.

Off-Site Dirt Construction Series

"My Home Doesn't Smell Moldy Anymore!"

Bob chats with Andrea Grubsic and Mark Wille on the Offsite Dirt, building science and sustainability "THE DIRT" series.

The product WickRight exhausts moisture from exterior walls and roof systems. It has been installed on over 100 buildings in Chicago, Milwaukee and Tampa over the past 10 years. Bob's clients all say, "their houses don't smell moldy anymore". Per Bob, "Having mold is really very dangerous. In addition to the health hazards mold presents, sometimes the trusses of the buildings we see are rotting away, which is a serious safety concern."

The audience wants the dirt, you got it with an inventor that is changing buildings one at a time.

Passive House Accelerator –

Construction Tech Talk Tuesday
"Chicago's Condensation Crisis"

Bob talks with Zack Semke, Kevin Brennan, Shannon Pendleton, Shaun St. Armour and Mark Wille.

Bob shows techniques and technologies of fixing water-damaged masonry buildings with flat roofs with some very dramatic photos. His whirlwind tour includes parapet walls that were soaking wet, efflorescence on brick walls, and even in one case a waterfall pouring out of a punctured cinder-block wall. He explains that he’s been solving these water management issues in Chicago for the last decade, and there are still at least 100,000 more problematic buildings to fix. Not that these issues are limited to the windy city; Bob has been called in to resolve moisture issues as far away as Florida for a residential project that looked a lot like a castle.

Bob's solutions are firmly rooted in building science. Preventing water intrusion and creating venting pathways for moisture vapor are the guidelines he uses to dry out wet masonry, extend the life of low-slope roofs, and prevent truss damage. As usual, the details are the key to his success, and he demonstrates plenty of those for a variety of building types and conditions. He also shows a creative fix he invented for being able to work any day of the year on a roof in Chicago—a tent made with aluminum rafters and shrink wrap with an exhaust fan running to reduce uplift. You just have to see it, along with the carefully crafted details. 

Author of above description - Mary James, Director of Publications at Passive House Accelerator

The Fine Homebuilding Pro-Talk
Podcast #417

In this Pro-Talk podcast, Bob talks with Mark Petersen about the types of masonry wall assemblies that he works on most and explains why so many of these walls are collecting and filling up with water. He describes the systems and products he’s invented to dry out masonry wall assemblies and eliminate water intrusion, mold growth, and structural rot. They discuss the differences between the way modern and vintage buildings are built and how a lack of understanding of the materials used in both new construction and in the repairs of older buildings can result in disastrous consequences. Bob also explains when he chooses to seal brick, block, and stone, and why he’s never been a fan of split face block.

Chicago Cooperator Panel Discussion –

"Chicago's Wet Buildings – Moisture Intrusion, Mold and How to Fix Them"

Chicago Cooperator Panel Discussion

https://chicago.cooperatornews.com/article/chicagos-wet-buildings----moisture-intrusion-mold-and-how-to-fix-them

Find out why your building is wet, and how to fix it right the FIRST time using proper flashing techniques and passive ventilation. After a brief building science presentation and demonstration, our panel of experts -- including a Structural Engineer, Architect, Building Envelope Specialist, and Certified Master Home Inspector -- answer questions about your building, water migration, structural integrity, passive ventilation, indoor air quality, repair staging and payment strategies.