Beam running across garage..Two story house. Need adive

Beam ran all the way across the garage…two story house, built
in 1976. Side facing the street looked great. Side facing the house
had some splits in it…None of the spits looked real deep. Is this
normal? Do I need to write it up?

David

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x296/dawlita/Nachi/100_2608.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x296/dawlita/Nachi/100_2616.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x296/dawlita/Nachi/100_2619.jpg

Looks like normal checking for a beam that size. Checking appears as the sap wood of a timber shrinks around the heart wood over time. It usually only appears on 1 or 2 sides of a beam.

Thanks Steve…

Always try to document the depth of the crack in most vulnerable area, that being the middle third and a point load. A peace of paper with markings on it ect. This is generally found on log cabins and does not affect the structure unless it goes passed the heart of the wood.

I would only mention this one to show that I’d noticed it and say that checking of this degree is seldom a structural concern.

Looks like a normal 35 y.o. to me, David.

In the mid pic, what is that white mat’l on the bot. of the bm?