Support beam cracking

[kittiwakecoast]

The previous owner of our house removed an interior support wall in the basement to make way for a pool table. He replaced the wall with a 15' steel beam supported on both ends with 8x8 posts. While working in the basement last week we noticed that one of the beams has started to seriously splinter/fracture down the center on all three sides (the forth side is against a wall). We think it we may have caused this while trying to plumb an old door frame that turned out to be bolted to the support post. How serious is this? What should we do? Any help is much appreciated.

[Goedjn]

Without looking at it it's impossible to say. Do you know what checking looks like, and can you rule that out? Is the beam bowing at all?

[Paul Franklin]

It's never good when you have new cracks in a supporting post. Get it replaced by someone who will know if it was sized right and installed correctly in the first place. For example, replacing a wall with beam and posts may call for special reinforcement where the posts bear on the foundation because you have converted the load from a distributed load to a point load.

HTH,

Paul

[bob kater]

[Phisherman]

The support columns & beam should be inspected by a certified structural engineer to make a recommendation. It may be okay, maybe not--perhaps a simple fix with sistered posts and bolted steel bandings.

[HeyBub]

The beam is 15" steel. If it's the part that's cracking, RUN.

[johnmullet]

Begin by getting the hell out of there. Do it NOW !!!!!! You can read the rest of these messages from a friends house on their computer. I'm serious. GET OUT NOW....... Your house is ready to totally collapse. ARE YOU OUT OF THERE YET?

Call 911 AFTER YOU LEAVE.....

• Home Inspection Services Inc *

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