Okay, I’m at a loss for ideas on wording for my report… any thoughts are appreciated.
1900 home, chains in attic are above kitchen area (single story). No indication of any issue in kitchen ceiling or walls. Roof plane is off a small amount, mostly from bad repairs over the years. The roof is getting a complete tearoff when the rain stops (next week?).
What you see in the pics, is all I know. Chose not to enter that half of the attic.
Will not say my first thought but could they have been planning to put some equipment up there?
I notice the turnbuckles.Maybe they are holding a platform.
Curious why you did not go look since it is obviously safe or they could not have attached the chains.
The chains went from the rafters to the kitchen ceiling joists. The insulation was 8 to 12 inches deep, and I couldn’t see the joists. Used my ext. pole to trace chains to joists. Only platform is the kitchen ceiling.
The only idea I have is more than one joist is compromised, and I wasn’t going to test it. Add to it the condition of the roof sheathing and bad repairs done to it, I wasn’t going to risk my personal safety. Client had no issue with my self imposed limitation.
Even so, I keep stumbling on the wording for my report.
Don’t you know anything? Those are used to hold the engine. You cook on the manifold when you dont have a stove… :roll:
Okay…
So far we have the following suggestions:
:mrgreen:
Jeff those chains look new with the white ID tags pretty white looking son how old is that ceiling would you say?
The only reason I can think of to support joists would be they saw damage occurring below somehow.
The insulation is new from what I can tell considering the kitchen looks older or slightly outdated.
Upon inspecting attic support chains were being used attached to joists supporting the ceiling.
I recommend a framing carpenter determine if joists are in need of repair as safety concerns prevented further investigation during inspection.
The insulation will need to be displaced to view fully.
Expecting fat inspector to walk the attic? :mrgreen:
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Prolly was a Den of Inequity before they decided to blow some Insulation in to cover the Dance floor—:shock:
Thanks, Bob. That’s basically what I had, but just didn’t feel right. Guess I’ll go with it, since you backed up what I said.
Unsure on age. These old farmhouses get added onto and remodeled everytime a couple more kids come into the world. The current owner has lived there about 9 years, and has “upgraded” many things, such as wiring for his man cave and two home offices. Still on 100 amp service! I assumed the current owner added the chains, but could find no definative reason for them.
That looks like my old S&M playground!
Always erks me to see roof framing like that… bare minimum stuff… scrapping in some ridge blocks (never mind a ridge) and ties woulda blown the budget outta the water there. A lot of the time, I see older homes where the framers did a BETTER job… not there though.
.
anyhoo, was the kitchen always that OPEN? Maybe even some short spans landed over a wall… then removed and braced w/chains… Ventilation looks minimal as well. Excess moisture build up, then sag? Couple stabs there.
Either way, the chains are doing something… and I would mention as such.
A new blog for AR. 
The fat inspector didn’t walk the attic, can’t you see how restricted (inaccessible) the space is ?? Too late for questions now Mr. Fat Inspector.
Original plaster has been repaired with new drywall. The extra weight required it to be chained in the area. Most homes of that period had 2x4 ceiling and roof joists and would not hold the weight for the span of that size kitchen. The way to tell is to remove a small section of drywall and look for plaster. Don’t forget the fact that there is extra weight to the 8-10 inches of insulation added also.
Well said I like this , and it sounds good to me thanks … Roy
Looks like someone decided to try and “fix” flexible ceiling joists that may have been cracking ceilings. Marginal sized rafters at best, so I am guessing the ceiling joist are also marginal. Chain supports from marginal sized rafters will just further overload them. Did you notice any “dishing” of the roof surface on the outside?
In any event, I like Bob’s short and sweet suggested wording.
I’ll do ‘fat’ over “lazy” any day you toad! :mrgreen:
Anyway… 12" x 20"… plenty of room to access (once I squeeze my shoulders through)!
TMI (too much information)!!! :shock:
They may have removed a load bearing wall and this was their method of supporting the joists. The kitchen probably wasn’t originally that open and roomy. REFER, REFER, REFER.
Picture 3
No ridge board or collar ties.
http://www.carpentry-pro-framer.com/images/anatomy-of-a-common-rafter.png
