Thread: Gable ends anchors?

I did an inspection the other day on a 1963 single dwelling home in Vancouver, BC area and noticed these cables running the full span of the house. They anchored into the gable ends from one end to the other, but only on the front of the home, not the back. Can anyone tell me what they are used for? The house largely was in original condition.

Thanks,
Paul

If there are no other cables and only these, it appears the cable is to keep the gable fascia board from bowing outwards.

Line for Christmas lights.

Thanks for the information guys, I wasn't sure if it was structural or not. I've never seen it before on this age/style of home before.

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Originally Posted by Paul Friesen

Thanks for the information guys, I wasn't sure if it was structural or not. I've never seen it before on this age/style of home before.

Ok have to ask, Have you seen this before on different age or style home????

I haven't seen it before, hence the post for others opinion.

Thanks, guys.

Originally Posted by Paul Friesen

I did an inspection the other day on a 1963 single dwelling home in Vancouver, BC area and noticed these cables running the full span of the house. They anchored into the gable ends from one end to the other, but only on the front of the home, not the back. Can anyone tell me what they are used for? The house largely was in original condition.

Thanks,
Paul

Those do not appear to be engineering specific attachments.
i.e. for a home that required an engineer to stablish load shifting.

There is a type of upside down truss that requires steel cables but that does not fit the bill.
They look jury rigged by a con trctor:-).

Originally Posted by Paul Friesen

Can anyone tell me what they are used for? The house largely was in original condition.

Thanks,
Paul

I think that they were home owner added, as stated by others, possibly as a holiday decoration line. Makes the most sense. I am curious regarding the "spring coils" at the end, possibly reduced problems from wind blowing the decorations? reduced noises from wind?
However I have seen similar add ons for frequency specific radio antennas. These usually would be split in the center of length and have isolators between the two ends and attached antenna leads at the center. I have seen them with one, two or even three sets of specific gage wire with speciic lengths.

IN Calif. western facing antennas like that can have 5w radios tx/rx HI, Australia, New Zealand and Asia quite readily.

The cable is too small and the pull-out capacity of the eye-bolt is very limited, so IMO the cable is not serving any significant structural function.

The cable is too small and the pull-out capacity of the eye-bolt is very limited, so IMO the cable is not serving any significant structural function.

Originally Posted by Dirk Jeanis

....... I am curious regarding the "spring coils" at the end, possibly reduced problems from wind blowing the decorations? reduced noises from wind?
.....

Don't think they are springs. Just wire wound back on line instead of using a clamp.