Question of the week

Inspection Education Topics Inspection Education & Training
#1

For the week of 03/13/2016**

First correct answer gets a box of “Now that you’ve had an inspection books.”**

Balloon framing was popular for a time and a fast way to build a structure but it gave way to platform framing.

What statements below are false?

Balloon framing was better because:

  1. It was easier because of the work platforms which were part of balloon framing?

  2. It was more fire resistant?

  3. It had lower heating costs?

  4. There was less shrinkage as the building dried out?

1, 2, 3, 4, or all the above.

**
We, in the Awards Committee, are having the winner email Nick at fastreply@nachi.org stating that he/she won the Question of the Week and request that the prize books be sent to your address. Your address should be included in the email. It wouldn’t hurt to sent along the link that shows that you won:
**

#2

none of the above.
it gives better wind resistance on a gable roof.you will usually find balloon framing which means continuous lumber from the bottom plate to the top plate usually found in Cathedral or vaulted ceilings.Gable end roof drop trusses are usually allowed where applicable.however,if the vaulted ceiling terminates flat on a Gable end balloon framing is required. at least in Florida it is.
Now do I get to take your wife out to dinner. LOL

#3
  1. It was easier because of the work platforms which were part of balloon framing
#4

balloon framing is never easier. however in a proper application it’s King

#5

2, not fire resistasnt.

#6

Actually, this question is outdated. It is based upon being easier than older styles of framing that utilized jointed framing methods… http://rljart.com/blog/wp-content/balloonframing.pdf

#7

Roy Lewis, you are correct!

All the are false.

Jeff, back to study hall. :mrgreen:

#8

True or false Roy?

#9

None of the above is NOT one of the listed answers.

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#10

Is it all or none? Or any number?

#11

And Jeff, your argument has no merit.:roll:

Try and guess, that works sometimes.

#12

None of the example hold water.
They don’t even relate to such.
None of the above is the answer.

#13

balloon is not easier. Just try to find a 28 foot plus 2X8 to complete your balloon framing.
I’ve had to have them milled for a few homes I’ve built.
But I found the secret… It will cost you to know it.

#14

Roy, I’m sorry I misunderstood you.

Are my questions true or false, or which are true or false?
Are they all true?
Are they all false?

#15

Balloon farming has nothing to do with your points of interest.
You have to look at it in a engineering perspective.
Lets look at this example.
B1 is the interior vaulted ceiling. No way to put a drop truss there. B2 is the exterior view.
For proper uplift protection on this gable end it would have to be baloon farming.
Why? Because there is nowhere to put a gable end drop truss.
Agree?
Send me the books…
Sorry for the large pic…

b2.jpg
b2.jpg2000×1500 365 KB

B1.jpg
B1.jpg2000×1414 195 KB

#16

Balloon framing is better is just an assumption and to many an opinion.

The question is not to determine if balloon framing is better or not. Just answer which statements are false.

Balloon framing was better/ popular/ done because:

True or false?

  1. It was easier because of the work platforms which were part of balloon framing?

  2. It was more fire resistant?

  3. It had lower heating costs?

  4. There was less shrinkage as the building dried out?

Which statements are false?

1, 2, 3, 4, or all the above.

#17

All above are false.

#18

2 is false

#19

Mr Fetty has the correct answer.

All my statements were false.

Work platforms are found in platform/ Western framing. Not balloon.
Balloon framing creates chimneys. Not good for fires.
There is naturally more heat loss in balloon framing.
Balloon framing shrinks more, both across the structures and vertically.

Samuel is correct.

I’ll send you the instructions to get your prize.

#20

For the week of 03/13/2016

First correct answer gets a box of “Now that you’ve had an inspection books.”

Balloon framing was popular for a time and a fast way to build a structure but it gave way to platform framing.

What statements below are false?

Balloon framing was better because:

  1. It was easier because of the work platforms which were part of balloon framing?

  2. It was more fire resistant?

  3. It had lower heating costs?

  4. There was less shrinkage as the building dried out?

1, 2, 3, 4, or all the above.

This seems like a very easy and comprehensible question to me. Answer the highlighted statements.

Roy your photo is a poor excuse for a balloon framing example.
That cathedral ceiling could have been created using a scissor truss with the proper lateral bracing and tie down hardware for the extended wall studs to the truss.

b2.jpg
b2.jpg2000×1500 372 KB

This is balloon framing.

300px-Balloon_frame.jpg

Balloon framing has several disadvantages as a construction method:

The creation of a path for fire to readily travel from floor to floor. This is mitigated with the use of firestops, now called fireblocks, at each floor level.

The lack of a working platform for work on upper floors. Whereas workers can readily reach the top of the walls being erected with platform framing, balloon construction requires scaffolding to reach the tops of the walls (which are often two or three stories above the working platform).

The requirement for long framing members.

In certain larger buildings, a noticeable down-slope of floors towards central walls, caused by the differential shrinkage of the wood-framing members at the perimeter versus central walls.

Larger balloon-framed buildings will have central bearing walls which are actually platform framed and thus will have horizontal sill and top plates at each floor level, plus the intervening floor joists, at these central walls.

Wood will shrink much more across its grain than along the grain. Therefore, the cumulative shrinkage in the center of such a building is considerably more than the shrinkage at the perimeter where there are many fewer horizontal members.
This problem, unlike the first three, takes time to develop and become noticeable.

Present-day balloon framing buildings often have higher heating costs, due to the lack of insulation separating a room from its exterior walls. However, this can be remedied through the addition of insulation, as with any other framed building.

"Now" if one can answer the question properly, he will get the “Now” Books. :slight_smile: