Crack in roof rafter serious enough?
11/1/2018 at 2:09:42 PM
Would appreciate some advice here. Recently stuck my head into the attic and saw there is a bit of a crack in one rafter. We of course can get a fair bit of snow here in Toronto and if we get a lot of moisture laden heavy snow I'm wondering if this is enough of a crack to worry about the rafter snapping. Thought I might get away with just having a company come in to do snow removal off the roof (yes?) but if it needs sistering should I look for a roofing company or more of a carpentry service? How many carpentry services do work in attics? Common or rare? Thanks in advance.
11/1/2018 at 3:16:35 PM
If it's not sagged then buy a 2x4 and nail it to the side of the cracked one. It's called sistering, problem solved.
11/1/2018 at 4:13:43 PM
Sistering the rafter with a 2x4 will solve the problem.
You can either do it yourself, by gluing and screwing every 12" (if nailed you must bend the nail over that sticks out the opposite side) the 2x4 the full length of the broken truss, or hire a contractor to do it. It would be a carpenter you're looking for and just look for someone cash. That fix is maybe an hour if that.
11/2/2018 at 4:04:50 AM
Just put another 2x4 beside it, as long a piece as you can fit, and use plenty of screws. If it is really bad you can sandwich the old one with two new boards and even put some carriage bolts through, but usually one board is sufficient. Most construction companies can do this, but it is a small job and some guys are too big.
11/2/2018 at 11:17:44 AM
Thanks Tim. I was thinking of just approaching a carpenter somewhere in the Toronto area who's willing to go in. We've had electricians and inspectors wiggle into the attic in the past but it's kind of a small opening in the closet ceiling - 10" x 16" - so a larger chap might not be able to slide in. Have to find a fairly slender type (not me :-) )
Search the TrustedPros directory and discover the best contractors in your area.
Find your home service pro
