Hi, My roof looks something like this: /\\__
The /\\ part was the original house and then the __ was some addition that was put on by an owner at one point.
We purchased the house a year ago, and I marked where the cracks were int he \\ boards at the time. They have since progressed further (not much) but I'd like to stop them before it becomes a major problem of structural issues with the house.
What do I need to do to resolve this problem?
~ Matt
You need a structural engineer with experience in wood frame construction. If it were my house, I'd start calling now. TB
what TB said or a good carpenter or remodeler.
The \\ could be craking for a number of reasons that no one can determine from here.
Finished or unfinished space? Pitch of the \\ Snow loads?
Could possibly need a knee wall /\\ / |\\__ or new rafters, sistered next to old.
or both
This link has a picture of a knee wall. Site talks about insulation but you will get the idea.
Question is - is this caused by the addition or not. Maybe, maybe not.
Is the _ part of the addition sitting on the \\ or attached at he bottom edge? If the bottom edge then I doubt the _ is causing the problem but there is no way of knowing w/o proper assesment.
If it were me, based upon the limited info provided, I would sister new rafters, bolt through then add a knee wall.
Finished space (it is a bedroom)
Unknown off hand.
Possibly.. I thought about that.
What link? :)
It is somewhere around 3/4 to bottom of the \\ if I am remembering correctly.
Yeah.. I think I'm going to have a contractor I know look at it and see what he suggests. I was aware of the knee wall, but had not thought about new rafters but that makes sence. Just wanted to dump the idea at the NG and see what people suggested.
I was in the attic again last night and checked it out. I *think* what is happening is that the older part of the house is sinking, as old houses do, but it is sinking faster then the newer part of the house, hence the crack (which would be counter intuitive if the new part was putting weight on the roof). I say counter intuitive because the crack has the board cracking "up" rather then down as if weight was pulling on it.
The /\\ boards are normal boards until they get to about 3/8 of the way down on the \\ side. Then they get to about half width with a notch that sits on the side of the old part of the house. The rest continues to the newer part of the house. The crack starts at that notch with the notch part sinking and the other part going up.
I'm not sure what to do now.. because do you really want to brace something like that, as it might put pressure where pressure shouldn't be.. as it isn't the new section is putting pressure pulling down and needs braced, it's more the house is shifting... hrmm.
Someone is coming to look at it, we'll see what they say I guess. Either way after looking at it it appears to really only be roof support, so fortunatly it's not a huge deal, even if we need to replace it (other then the cost).. we'll see what happens.
No wrote:
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