Etapas del proceso administrativo

sags, cracks, and twisting. • Be sure that bracing is

securely nailed. • Check for improper

notches, holes, and

missing portions of joists.

Header Sill Foundation Joist Joist Cross Bridging Blocking 2 x 4 Bridging Header Sill Foundation Joist Joist Cross Bridging Blocking 2 x 4 Bridging

Building codes vary from area to area on how bracing may be done. You may see blocking, where the board nailed

between joists is the same depth as the joists. Or bridging

methods may be used in combination, where 1 x 3’ s are used diagonally in cross bridging and 2 x 4’ s are nailed between the joists.

The same rules that apply to girders regarding notches and holes apply also to joists. Joists can be seriously weakened by improper notching. Any violation should be reported.

Definitions

Blocking between joists is the use of a brace of wood the same depth as the joist which gives stiffness to the joists.

Bridging is a bracing method between joists where diagonal 1 x 3’s (cross bridging) and/or perpendicular 2 x 4’s are used to add stiffness to the joists.

#38 Joists cracking

#39 Cracked joists

Take a look at Photo #38which

shows joists cracking. Photo #39also shows evidence of cracked joists. Note that the

joist at the upper left shows deterioration. It should be probed to determine the extent of deterioration. Note also the presence of a mold-like material on the subflooring. This house

has some serious leaking problems from the bathroom above this area, causing damage to the subfloor and joists.

• Girder/joist connections: There are several ways in

which joists and girders can be joined. The joists can be

butt nailed,face nailed, or toe naileddirectly into the

girder (not pictured here). In those cases, the home inspector should

watch out for nails pulling out.

Ledger stripsare

smaller strips of wood nailed along the bottom edge of the beam. They may be supporting

a notched joist or full-depth joist. These are weak connections between beam and joist. Watch out for nails pulling out. The ledger strip itself may be broken or sagging.

The home inspector may find mortise and tenon connectionsin older homes. The mortise is the hole or

#40 Joists resting on foundation wall.

Definitions

Ledger strips are lengths of wood nailed along the bottom edge of a beam to provide support for joists.

A mortise is the hole or slot in a wooden beam that accepts the tenon, which is the projecting end of the joist.

A gusset plate is a piece of wood placed over partial bearing joists and nailed into the joists to hold them in place.

. Ledger Strip

Notched Joist Full-Depth Joist Girder

Girder with Mortises Joist with Tenon Center Present or Removed . Ledger Strip Notched Joist Full-Depth Joist Girder

Girder with Mortises Joist with Tenon Center Present

or Removed

Study Photo #40for a while to

see if you can tell what’s going on with these joistsresting on

the foundation wall. The ends of these joists have been notched to lower the floor. Notching like this will cause the joist to weaken and split. See the notching guidelines presented on page 56.

slot in the girder; the tenon is the projecting end of the joist. The mortises can be back to back with the center portion of the girder remaining or with the entire center strip removed. This older method is weak, and you should look carefully for joist cracks at the tenons.

Joists can be full bearingon the girder or can be partial bearing. Full bearing can be done with or without

overhang, as shown here. In the partial bearing method, joists can meet above the girder and be nailed in place with the use of the gusset plate or be notched or E-lapped over the girder.

Another method used in joist/girder connections is the

metal hangerapproach, also called joist hangers (not

shown here). Some older construction will have metal straps or hangars supporting the joists. Newer methods are the use of sheet metal hangars, clips, or fasteners nailed to both girders and joists. These methods make for very strong connections, but are only as strong as the nails holding them in place. Any of these methods should be inspected carefully for loose or missing nails and for any damage to the metal parts.

Reporting Your Findings

We’ve covered a lot of ground in this chapter . The basement inspection includes many items and is detailed. Talk to your customer while you’re inspecting the basement. Be sure to explain what you were inspecting and what you found in each case. Take the time to answer questions. Customers may not understand the consequences of your findings and are counting on you to make sense of it for them. Be sure to show them where you’ve recorded the findings in the report. Suggest that they review the report again on their own after the inspection.

Without Overhang With Overhang Gusset Plate E-Lapped

Full Bearing Joists Partial Bearing Joists

BASEMENT INSPECTION