Roof Rafter Seperation

This video shows how to repair a split rafter.

Roof rafter seperation.

Builders aren t bound by standard rafter spacing measurements. The reason is that in a rafter ceiling joist roof system the ridge represents the apex of a truss. The rafters on the rear side of a steeply pitched roof were separating from the ridge board. The attached photos show rafter separation and broken collar ties.

As home buyers should we walk from this purchase. Condition was only present on the rear. I m no engineer but it seems like this is due to settlement but how bad. Rafter and roof joist spacing is only one part of a complex roof design that works together to form a structure that meets building codes and can hold up the weight of the roof and roof load.

A ridge beam runs the length of the shed roof connecting every pair of rafters. At the top where the rafters meet they are either angled to meet at a point or attached to a horizontal ridge beam. The sellers investors who are flipping a foreclosure have upgraded the floors that cover potential slab cracks. Typical rafter spacing codes will specify a minimum spacing of 16 inches 19 2 inches or 24 inches.

Some shed rafters do not incorporate ridge beams either due to small size or lack of technical know how. With the proper tools anyone can do this. Very easy to do. If anything has the ability to force the rafter ends up tight against the ridge it would be the formidable weight of the roof itself especially a tile roof.

The inspector recommends a structural engineer to determine cause. The top portion of the rater was still in contact but by the bottom of the edge where the rafter abuts the ridge board a full one inch gap was present.