Byy

BobMulloy

Slide1of153 1
The Standards of Practice require the Home
TheStandardsofPracticerequiretheHome
InspectortoObserve
Inspectorto Observe,,Identify
Identify and
andReporton
Reporton::
girders
p
columnsandposts

2
Beforethebeam&columns,the
ca
carpentersetsthesills
pe te sets t e s s

3
Afterthefoundation,carpenterssettheSills
Afterthefoundation,carpenterssettheSills:
Chalk lines are snapped on the foundation and squared up.
Holes are drilled in a bottom 2 x 6 treated sill plate.
The sill seal is rolled out and the sill is installed on top.
A second untreated 2 x 6 sill p plate is installed, lapping
pp g the first p
plate at
the corner of the foundation
The nuts & washers are secured to the anchor bolts.

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5
Afterthesills,thegirder&columnsareinstalled

Girders transferloads
tothefoundation

Columns reducethe
reduce the
spanofthegirderand
transferloadstothe
footing.
footing

6
Roughframinginprogress,steelbeam
installedontemporarywoodcolumns

7
SAMEHOUSE

8
 SAMEHOUSE

Steel columns installed on spread

concrete footing and supporting
a steel beam.

When poured, the concrete floor

will provide mechanical
attachment for the base of the
columns.
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TheGIRDERissupportedbyafoundationpocket

10
Bealertforbeam
pocketproblems:
k bl
Noairgap
Pocketcracks
Woodshims
<4
4beambearing
beam bearing
Pestdamage

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Beampocketsshouldbe
Beam pockets should be
intactandnotbroken
Report cracks
Reportcracks
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BEAMS musthave
must have 4inchesofbearing
musthave4inches
4 inches of
ofbearing
bearing

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 Reporta
missinginchairgap

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Reportuntreated
woodshim
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 TheInspectormustprobe
wheredecayissuspected.
Termite damage is
Termitedamageis
frequentwithinthebeam
pocket.

Reportmissing1/2airgap
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Isthisgood
workmanship? p

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BEARINGATTHEBEAMPOCKET:
When installing engineered beams in the beam pocket, wood shims and metal ties are
not approved.
approved
The material used under the beam must have a compressive strength equal or greater to
that of the installed beam and must provide continuous bearing across all plies.
The beams also require blocking at the end of the beam to prevent rotation, measurers
must be taken to provide the air space around the beam in this location.

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DANGER:Notchedbeam
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NOTCHEDBEAMSAREDANGEROUS
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Reportoverdrilledbeams
Reportover
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Beamscanalsobesupportedbyaframedbeampocket

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Abeammaybesupportedbyapier

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 When the span from one foundation wall to another is so
great that floor joists cannot reach and carry expected loads,
beams are installed in the foundation to shorten the
distance that joists must span.

Basementfloor

footing footing
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29
 Solidlumber
Gluelaminated(GluLam)
l l i d( l )
Compositebeams
Parallam(PSL)
Parallam (PSL)
MicroLam(LVL)
SteelIBeams

Girder/beam:
Astructuralmemberofsteelorwoodtosupportbuildingloads.
l b f l d b ildi l d

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Solidwoodbeams

Solid wood beams may

exhibit horizontal shear
shear
cracks..
cracks

Recommend repair if you

can see daylight through
the cracks or if the cracks
run to the bottom edgeg of
the beam

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Older homes will have solid beams
Olderhomeswillhavesolidbeams.
Newerhomeswillhavebuiltup
beamsorsteelbeams.

Solidwoodbeamsarepronetocheckcracking.
Solid wood beams are prone to check cracking
Largecheckcracksshouldbeepoxyrepaired.
CheckcrackstothebottomedgeareVERYDANGEROUS!

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33
THEPOSTS&BEAMSAREPARTOFTHESUPERSTRUCTURE

The beam in new construction is usually a built

builtup
girder using 2 X planks that are the same depth as the
joists.

Because planks
l k are seldom
ld l
long enough
h to span the
h
entire width of the home, staggered butt joints are
q
required in layers
y that fall near the columns.

The girder may also be a glulam

beam or steel Ibeam.
Ibeam

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2CARGARAGEUNDER
Solidwoodbeam

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36
Beambelow2nd floor

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This wrapped main girder abuts the front
entrance stoop where termite damage was
found The basement is finished.
found. finished

WHATWILLYOUREPORT? 42
Besuretoinspectandprobeeachtimber
framed mortise & tenon joint
framedmortise&tenonjoint

43
REPORTOPENMOSTISE&TENONJOINTSANDNOTCHEDJOISTENDS
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Ifthehomeisanoldtimberframedhome
with log joists EXPECT pest damage!
withlogjoistsEXPECTpestdamage!

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 PowderPostBeetleDamage
g

The adults are very small, less than 1/4" in size. They are flattened and
reddishbrown to black in color. Larvae are white, cream colored, shaped
with dark brown heads.
heads Larvae create tunnels in the wood and become
pupae. As adults they bore out through the wood, pushing a fine powdery
dust out. The shape of their holes are round ,about 1/321/16 pinholes.
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TERMITES 47
WHATWILLYOUREPORT?

48
Builtup beams are assembled with multiple pieces of nominal 2inch thick
lumber, nailed together with the wide faces vertical and using two rows of
20d nailsone
nails one row near the top edge and the other near the bottom edge.
edge
Nails in each row are spaced 32 inches apart.
End joints of the nailed lumber should occur over the supporting column or
pier.
End joints in adjacent pieces should be at least 16 inches apart.

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JoistsisteringrepairshouldalwaysbeFULLSPAN

50
Deckbeams

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Deckbeamsandallbeamsshouldhave
woodon
wood onwoodorpointloadbearing

Through bolting is WRONG

ThroughboltingisWRONG
Throughboltingis

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Builtupbeams:
Built p
Assembledonsitebythecarpenter
Sizesperbuildingcodeforspanandspecies
Sizes per building code for span and species
Straightlumber
Jointsstaggeredoverpiersorcolumnspreferable
Jointsnotoveracolumnnogreaterthan12fromcolumn
Securedwithstaggerednailingpattern
S d ih d ili

Staggeredjoints
16
16apartbetween
tb t
Adjacentmembers
Andwithin12ofsupport.

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55
Joistsmin.3lapatbeam&nailed
with310dfacenailsorstrap
with 3 10d face nails or strap

http://www.awc.org
56
Joistssupportedbyledgerstrips
musthave2inchesofbearing:

http://www.awc.org
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60
ImproperSplice

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I
ImproperSplice
S li

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63
STEEL BEAMS
STEELBEAMS

Steelbeamsareusedbecausetheycanspanlongerdistances,
oftenallowinggreaterheadroominabasementandfewer
columns.

Twotypesofsteelbeamsarecommon:
1. TheSbeam
2. TheW
The Wbeam
beam(wideflangesprovideswidersupportforjoists
(wide flanges provides wider support for joists

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65
Topviewofsteelgirderinpocket

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Joistsrestingonsteelbeam:

http://www.awc.org

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Abeamandcolumntopplatemustbemechanicallyfastened

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69
Abeamandcolumntop
A b d l t
platemustbe
mechanicallyfastened

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71
ATTACHEDGARAGE

Asteelbeaminanattached
garagebeneathlivingspace
mustbefireshielded.
b fi hi ld d

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Rustedoutsteelbeam

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Rustedoutsteelbeam

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77
Glulambeams:

Madebybondingsolidwoodlaminations
M d b b di lid d l i ti
Verystrong
Highquality
High quality
Moredimensionallystablethansolidwoodbeam
yg g p
Madebygluingstripsofwood 1together
g

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Is anything missing?
Isanythingmissing?
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80
81
82
83
What
Whatiswrong?
is wrong?
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86
JOISTSHANGINGFROMGIRDER

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88
Note:Asisteringrepair
Note:Asisteringrepairmustbefulllength
mustbefulllength
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94
 RIMJOISTDAMAGE carpenterants

Carpenterantsarewooddestroyinginsects:
Carpenter ants damage wood by excavating and creating galleries and tunnels for
nesting. The galleries do not contain sawdust or other debris, and are smooth, with a
well sanded appearance.

95
CHECKLIST:
CHECKLIST:
Intact
Propertype
Propersize
Proper size
Properspacing
Properfooting
Plumb
Bottommechanicallyfastened
Topplatemechanicallyfastened

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97
98
 SimpsonLallyColumnCap

At i l l
Atypicalcolumnis31/2"indiameterandfilledwithconcrete
Atypicalcolumnis31/2"indiameterandfilledwith
i 3 1/2" i di t d fill d ith concrete
t

99
Permanentcolumnrestraintrequiresthatthe
bottomplate
bottom plate mustbepermanentlyconnected
b l d
toaconcretefootingwithembeddedanchorboltsorby
the complete encasement of the bottom base plate in
thecompleteencasementofthebottombaseplatein
concrete.

Thetopplate mustbesecuredtothesupported
load.

100
5407.3StructuralRequirements.
Columnsshall berestrainedtopreventlateraldisplacementatthebottom
and top end
andtopend.

Woodcolumnsshallnotbelessinnominalsizethanfourinchesbyfour
inchesandsteelcolumnsshallnotbelessthanthreeinchdiameter
standardweightpipeorapprovedequivalent.

5407.2SteelColumnProtection.
Allsurfaces(insideandoutside)ofsteelcolumnsshallbegivenashop
coatofrustinhibitivepaint,exceptforcorrosionresistantsteelandsteel
treatedwithcoatingstoprovidecorrosionresistance.

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5502.6
5502. Bearing..
Bearing
The ends of each joist, beam or girder shall have not less than
1.5 inches of bearing on wood or metal and not less than three
inches on masonry or concrete except where supported on a one
inchbyfourinch ribbon strip nailed to the adjacent stud or by the
use of approved joist hangers.

5502.9 Fastening.
Floorframingshallbenailedinaccordancewith780CMRTable
5602.3(1).
Wherepostsandbeamorgirderconstructionisusedtosupportfloor
framing positive connections shall be provided to ensure against
framing,positiveconnectionsshallbeprovidedtoensureagainst
upliftandlateraldisplacement.

102
Atypicalcolumnis31/2"indiameterandfilledwith
Atypicalcolumnis31/2"indiameterandfilledwithconcrete.
concrete. Ithasaflange
weldedtothetopwithholesinitthatmatchholesinthebottomflangeofthe
beam.
beam

With the sill plates in place the steel can be set

set.. One end of the first beam
typically starts in a beam pocket formed into the top of the foundation wall.
wall.
The other end sits on top of a lally column.
column.

103
Sixtosevenfootspacing
spacing isaverage spacing
beyondthatmaycausebeamstosag
y y g

104
ReferencePhotoShowingDifferentTypesofLallyColumns

Ofthe3lallycolumnsshowninthebelowphotograph,the1stand2ndcolumnare
Of the 3 lally columns shown in the below photograph the 1st and 2nd column are
commonlyfoundinolderhomesandremodelingprojects. Thefirstcolumnisa
simplesteelpipe,thesecond,anadjustablesteelpipeusingthreadedbolts,
andthethird,a4" cement/steelcolumn. Thefirstandsecondcolumnsarenot
codecompliant.

The3rdcolumninthephotographiscodecompliant.

105
TelescopicadjustablecolumnsarenotapprovedintheUnited
Statesforuseaspermanentsupport
p pp

Telescopic adjustable columns are regularly used in construction to

adjust or level a structure before installing a permanent column.
O theyre
Or, h used d as temporary supports duringd i the
h course off a
building repair.

Also,accordingtotheIRC,asteelcolumnhastobeatleast3inches
Also according to the IRC a steel column has to be at least 3 inches
indiameter.Alltelescopiccolumnsarelessthan3inchesindiameter.

Think of these telescopic

columns the way you would
think of a car jack.

They only
Th l exist
i t to
t temporarily
t il
jack up a part of a building
and should be replaced with a
permanent column when the
p unconventional
unconventional
jacking up is done.
construction
106
The danger of using temporary telescopic columns is disastrous and
sudden column failure.

The presence of a temporary telescopic column is also a clue to

construction, additions or renovations that were not properly
d i
designed;
d workk that
th t was done
d without
ith t required
i d municipal
i i l permits;
it
or structural problems that were not adequately addressed.

107
Report telescoping columns as a
temporary repair, likely done without a
permit.
permit
Recommend that permanent new
concrete filled steel columns be
installed in accordance with the
requirements of the building code.
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109
110
BRICKWILLWICKUPWATER

111
Reportweakenedbrick
columnsasdeteriorationmay
be a SAFETY
beaSAFETYHAZARD.
beaS
SAFETYHAZARD.
AFETY HAZARD.

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113
Concreteblocks
mustbeoriented
HOLESUP

114
Concreteblocks
mustbeoriented
HOLESUP

115
WHATWILLYOUREPORT?

116
 TOPPLATES
BEARINGPLATES:
The bearing plate on the top of the column must be at least as wide as the beam
(to bear across all plys) and must meet the minimum bearing length as required
by the manufacturer of the engineered wood product being used.

In no case can the bearing length be less than that of the original plate on the
steel post. Most manufacturers will provide calculations for their products
specifying the required bearing length at all bearing locations. It may be allowed
to install a plate on top of the column plate to meet the bearing requirements.

This plate must be sized appropriately and must be of adequate thickness to

transfer all loads. Column caps would be an effective way to solve the bearing
requirements, provided an approved column cap is installed which is capable of
carrying all loads imposed and which meets all bearing requirements.

117
Reportmissing
columntopplates
pp

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119
R
Reportmisaligned
t i li d
andnon
andnonfastened
topplates

120
 Report
Report
undersized
undersized
topplates
top plates

121
 Report
p
undersized
topplates
top plates

122
R
Reporttopplatefailure
tt l t f il

123
T plates
Top l t should
h ld
fit flush, without
shims or gaps

124
NEWCONSTRUCTION

125
NICE!

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129
Hydraulicwaterpressurecanforcewatertowickupintosteel
columns,causinganacidicreactionwiththesaltsinthe
concrete,resultingincorrosionnodes.
130
Splitsteel
column
urgent
repair
repair
needed

131
Bottomplatesmustbe
mechanicallyfastenedto
theconcreteifthepostis
not embedded
notembedded.

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133
Reportmissing
bottom plates
bottomplates

134
Nogapsunderbottomplates
135
REPAIR
REPAIR
IS
IS
NEEDED

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CRAWLSPACEVIEWEDFROMHATCH WETEARTH
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CHIMNEY&ROOFFRAME
NOCOMBUSTIBLESMAYBE
EMBEDDEDINACHIMNEY

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 Concretefloorpoured
aroundthecolumn

Thefloorframesinoldcolonialhomessagalongthelongaxisof
thehomeduetowoodcolumncompression,shrinkageanddecay.

150
PostsshouldNOTbeburiedinthefootingsasthelumberwill
shrink,waterwillenterandfrostheavewillcrackthefooting
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Reportimpropersupport
R ti t

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