ᐅ Our timber-framed house is 100 years old, and the beams are no longer structurally sound.
Created on: 19 Dec 2011 03:22
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FachH85Hello,
I am new here and have a question that has been on my mind for months.
My family and I live in an old timber-framed house that will be 100 years old next year. So far, there haven’t been many major changes to the house, which hasn’t been necessary until now—except for new windows.
About 2-3 years ago, a professional came to inspect our roof structure and told my parents that one of the beams should be replaced because it was already somewhat damp. That was a few years ago, but nothing has been done yet, even though I reminded my parents about it. They say it is still stable and that replacing a beam would be too complicated.
We also have 2-3 large cracks in our house that run from the floor up to the ceiling. I’m not sure if these could eventually damage the wall, especially since we live right next to a busy road where trucks pass by daily.
I am quite concerned, and as we are approaching the house’s 100-year mark, and because I can’t stop thinking about the beam issue, I would like to ask if anyone here could give me some advice. Can a beam that has never been replaced really last over 100 years, or is it urgent to do something before something serious happens? I have a strange feeling because I don’t know how much longer our house can remain as stable as it is now. However, as long as my parents don’t give the go-ahead, my sister and I can’t do much either.
Can anyone help me?
I am new here and have a question that has been on my mind for months.
My family and I live in an old timber-framed house that will be 100 years old next year. So far, there haven’t been many major changes to the house, which hasn’t been necessary until now—except for new windows.
About 2-3 years ago, a professional came to inspect our roof structure and told my parents that one of the beams should be replaced because it was already somewhat damp. That was a few years ago, but nothing has been done yet, even though I reminded my parents about it. They say it is still stable and that replacing a beam would be too complicated.
We also have 2-3 large cracks in our house that run from the floor up to the ceiling. I’m not sure if these could eventually damage the wall, especially since we live right next to a busy road where trucks pass by daily.
I am quite concerned, and as we are approaching the house’s 100-year mark, and because I can’t stop thinking about the beam issue, I would like to ask if anyone here could give me some advice. Can a beam that has never been replaced really last over 100 years, or is it urgent to do something before something serious happens? I have a strange feeling because I don’t know how much longer our house can remain as stable as it is now. However, as long as my parents don’t give the go-ahead, my sister and I can’t do much either.
Can anyone help me?
H
Häuslebauer4019 Dec 2011 10:12I can’t offer professional advice, but from a purely logical perspective, a beam doesn’t necessarily have an expiration date. In other words, it won’t automatically fail exactly at the 100th year mark at midnight. It could just as well fail after 95 years, or after 105 or 150 years. So, there’s no need to panic yet.
On the other hand, if a specialist recommends replacing the beam, they will have their reasons, and it would probably be wise to follow that recommendation at some point.
On the other hand, if a specialist recommends replacing the beam, they will have their reasons, and it would probably be wise to follow that recommendation at some point.