Thread: notching

This constitute notching in the center of the beam?

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Is it a curved section above the fan mount that you are referring to?
Was looking for sharp angles.

Originally Posted by Marc M

This constitute notching in the center of the beam?

Nope.
Looks like a 3 piece box beam with the electrical supply inside the u shape. Structural support would be coming from the 2 side pieces.

Pretty sure its one piece 4x. Its drilled from top to the bottom.

It is not a notch. I am not a structural engineer.

The lower face of the beam is in tension, and most of the fibers running past the fan are still intact, assuming the hole diam is about 3/4". Usual practice is to use a surface-mounted pancake style j box there and pull a single cable to it from the switch box. But we can't be sure what they did from this pic.

Billy, your eyes are bad or very very good. That beam looks solid to me too.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

Billy, your eyes are bad or very very good. That beam looks solid to me too.

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Yeah Thanks,
Urban Dictionary: Eh hole
.

Okay...you're right. Hole.
They drilled from top to bottom then inserted NM through it.

Ok. Was trying to look for a notch in the wood surface.

The beam looks like a ridge beam. If so, ignoring the size of the rafters, a 1/2" hole through what looks like a 4x12+ beam would not have much effect on the presence use of the beam.

Originally Posted by Billy Stephens

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Yeah Thanks,
Urban Dictionary: Eh hole
.

Takes one to know one, eh?

Originally Posted by John Kogel

Takes one to know one, eh?

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Oh ya caught that EH ?
.

If it is a ridge beam and, as it appears, the rafters are opposed, then for practical purposes the beam is carrying no load. In that case, the beam size is only a cosmetic choice.

It looks like a rather low pitch roof. If there are no ceiling joists the ridge beam would be structural. Notching is much worse than drilling a hole. The strength of a beam is proportional to the square of the depth. Deflection is proportional to the 4th power. The strength and deflection are directly proportional to the width, so a reduction in width has much less effect. A 1/2 inch hole might reduce the strength of the beam by about 15 percent, but likely a bit less. I would get concerned if the hole was much larger than 1/2".

Mark,
Please, teach me. There is clearly a significant if not steep pitch. I'm guessing a 2 - 4
pitch. I don't understand how opposed rafters with a significant pitch are incapable of supporting themselves without a ridge beam. Therefore, I need to learn what makes the beam structural. Also, I don't comprehend the relevance of ceiling joists to this conversation. That's something else I need to learn. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Darrel Hood

Mark,
Please, teach me. There is clearly a significant if not steep pitch. I'm guessing a 2 - 4
pitch. I don't understand how opposed rafters with a significant pitch are incapable of supporting themselves without a ridge beam. Therefore, I need to learn what makes the beam structural. Also, I don't comprehend the relevance of ceiling joists to this conversation. That's something else I need to learn. Thanks.

When there are no ceiling joists or collar ties the rafters will push the outside bearing walls outward. Therefore the ridge has to be designed as a beam to support the weight and prevent outward thrust.

Originally Posted by Mark Reinmiller

It looks like a rather low pitch roof. If there are no ceiling joists the ridge beam would be structural. Notching is much worse than drilling a hole. The strength of a beam is proportional to the square of the depth. Deflection is proportional to the 4th power. The strength and deflection are directly proportional to the width, so a reduction in width has much less effect. A 1/2 inch hole might reduce the strength of the beam by about 15 percent, but likely a bit less. I would get concerned if the hole was much larger than 1/2".

Originally Posted by Ray Thornburg

When there are no ceiling joists or collar ties the rafters will push the outside bearing walls outward. Therefore the ridge has to be designed as a beam to support the weight and prevent outward thrust.

Both of you explained it well, I agree!

I think I understand that you are assuming the beam to be supported by king posts on each end?

Originally Posted by Darrel Hood

I think I understand that you are assuming the beam to be supported by king posts on each end?

I hope it has posts at each end because the rafters sure aren't supporting it! Although we haven't seen all aspects of this member, I think it is clearly a ridge "beam" and not a ridge "board".

A ridge beam must be supported by columns at the ends. BTW, to me king posts are part of a particular style of truss. I have never heard the term used otherwise.

Regarding ridge beams, ceiling joists are only effective for lateral restraint of rafters down to about a 3/12 pitch. Below that pitch the lateral forces get so large that it is very difficult to make adequate connections.

I wouldn't make a big deal about it. I've never seen a beam break from a 1" hole drilled in it. Just my 2 cents...

Andrew Constantine
InspectPro Home Inspections
Charlotte NC Home Inspector
Charlotte Home Inspections