Thanks in advance for your help! Here's my problem:
My 12' high living room ceiling has eight girders made from wood (don't know what kind) measuring 9.5" X 7.5" and spanning two cement block party walls 18' on center. The spacing between these girders is
48". There are 6" X 3" joists notched between these girders at 24" on center. This arrangement supports the flooring on my second floor. All of this is exposed from below for beauty. It is all mortise and tennon.I had drywall delivered to my second floor (supported by the above describedjoists and girders), and the unloaders placed at least 100 sheets of 5/8" fire rated 4 X 9 panels on one pile right in the middle of the span of one of the girders!!!!! One of the 9.5 X 7.5 girders sagged and has serious "checking" along the middle 80% of its span (some checks seem to be 3/4". There are also some splits in the 6 X 3 joists, but I am really worried about that one 9.5 X 7.5 girder.
Can I fix this girder by screwing appropriate carriage bolts, say 7" X
3/8" at regular intervals and tighten them is some sequence that carefully pulls in the checking?Please help me sleep at night.
Fran