Wall damage

[Phillip]

What do you think that caused this? It is on the exterior walls.

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When I done the crawlspace I found what I thought was causing it. The exterior wall framing is setting on the beams and so is the floor joist. The sub floor is run to the wall framing. This is leaving the interior of the wall open to the crawlspace all the way to the attic. There is no insulation in the house.

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This is a shot of inside the wall.

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How do you like this attic framing?

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[Jim Katen]

What do you think that caused this? It is on the exterior walls.

When I done the crawlspace I found what I thought was causing it. The exterior wall framing is setting on the beams and so is the floor joist. The sub floor is run to the wall framing. This is leaving the interior of the wall open to the crawlspace all the way to the insulation.

Balloon framing.

I agree with you about the cause of the wet walls. There are probably all kinds of critters who've been taking advantage of those wall cavities.

How do you like this attic framing?

I've always wondered about that. It must have been a real pain in the butt to frame that roof without a ridge board. Once in place, the ridge board doesn't do much, but while you're putting the framing together, it makes things a lot easier. Why omit it?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[JS Wright]

There should be gussets joining the opposing rafters when framed without a ridge.

Scott

[hausdok]

There should be gussets joining the opposing rafters when framed without a ridge.

Scott

That's a pretty old house. Of the thousands of homes that I've done where the roof framing is done in similar fashion - some of them a century old - I can count on one hand the amount of times I've found rafters like that gusseted.

Does it always make sense to try and impose modern rules on very old buildings where no issues have developed?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Phillip]

I was told the house was a 100 years old when the inspection was set up. There was bark on some of the beams in the crawlspace from the whole tree that they used,

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[Marc]

A habit of mine when I get a house that is about 75 yrs or older is to check the exterior for paint that has long since peeled away, especially on window frames. If there's no rot, as I often find, I mention in the report that the wood that was used to construct the dwelling is of a quality that hasn't been on the market for several decades.

That high density, old growth lumber is highly resistant to decay. Subterranean termites, which are rampart in these parts, do not like it. When the most destructive hurricanes come, the houses remaining are often these older ones. They are simply too heavy to be bothered by hurricane force winds.

If I ever purchase another house, it will either be built new to my specs or it will be over 100 years old. I don't like the ones that homeowners have laid their hands on. They insult the original builders.

Sorry Phillip, I see only a paint line in the 2nd photo and characteristic deterioration of the interior wall finish not uncommon to balloon framed dwellings.

Marc

[Chad Fabry]

Subterranean termites, which are rampart in these parts...

You got yourself some tough ass termites.

[Phillip]

Marc, That not a paint line. The wall have not been paint in years. They are covered with yellow tar from smoking in the house.

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