Technical > Home Improvement > Structural Question, Floor Joist Holes

reply to Jack_in_VA

Re: Structural Question, Floor Joist Holes

reply to garys_2k

reply to pende_tim

reply to nonymous
Bah, that's not that many cables...

reply to alkizmo

said by alkizmo:

said by nunya:

I'm sitting here trying to think how you could even deduce that from my post.

said by nunya:

1 cable per hole is the best method.

Obviously he needs less cables, not more holes

reply to nunya

reply to nunya

reply to nonymous

reply to nunya

reply to garys_2k
Make sure there was no oil tank ever installed or if one was removed that proper inspection paperwork was done when removed.
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The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

reply to alkizmo
Thanks, everyone, the fifty-year "test" is what I thought, too, but I wanted more opinions. I told him not to put a big aquarium over that area and he can live with that (he does have an aquarium, so it wasn't entirely in jest).

As for the copper tubing, I really just noticed that while looking at the picture. The house is heated with gas, but oil was a popular option in the past. My son is putting an offer on it today so, if it comes to that, we'll track down where that seems to come from. If it goes "into the ground" and it looks like there's a tank there we'll put that on the seller to remove and have inspected.

reply to Jack_in_VA

reply to garys_2k
It's been that way for over 50 years with no apparent adverse effects. One has to assume the wiring was inspected by the AHJ and passed. So is there a problem being invented on here that doesn't exist?

I suggest your son get a home inspector to look at it and go from there. That should be sufficient to address the issue.

reply to garys_2k
What's the span on the joists?
What's the dimension of the joists? 2x8?
16" spacing on the joists? (based on the block wall.)

Those dimension will give us some idea of the how the joists fare in today's code.
The holes appear to be insignificant. Numbers may support this opinion.
As you mentioned, it has passed the 60 year test. So if that that's the biggest concern, it's a gem.

On the topic of home heating oil. Insurance companies do not like oil around here. Fear of leaks.

reply to garys_2k
Is that copper line for an oil tank? Is it above grade or buried? If buried, be aware of the ri$k of leaking fuel tanks, especially on a 60 year old home.
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The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

reply to garys_2k
as someone who does do pre-purchase inspections that is somthing i would note on the report, but as others have said considering the age of the house, and that houses in the 50s often were overbuilt (lumber was cheap) i wouldnt worry, i would worry about heat from the bundled cables though. As others have said as well, plumbers tend to do worse. I saw a bathroom reno that completely sectionned a joist in 4 places. One for the tub, 1 for the sink, 1 for the shower and 1 for the john, so there were sections of joist hanging from the floor... Yes the floor was holding up the joist.

reply to Ken

reply to garys_2k
Dimensional lumber as I can tell you are aware has the top and bottom of the joist under the most stress. So ideally you want to drill in the center whenever possible. However the midpoint of the span is under the most stress and the close to the ends like in your picture the top and bottom are under much less stress. So drilling holes like that near the bottom and near the end of the joist is not nearly as bad as drilling in the same location in the middle of the span. This is only true for dimensional lumber though. Check if any of the joists are cracked, and check if the floor has sagged more than a normal amount. If nothing has happened yet it never will unless you greatly increase the load on the floor above.

reply to garys_2k
The rule I've practiced "ever since" is no closer than 2" from the bottom (or the top), and the holes should be at least 2" apart.

Plumbers are the ones you really have to watch. They can really do some damage.

I'd be more concerned with the "bundling" in those pictures. 1 cable per hole is the best method.
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If someone refers to herself / himself as a "guru", they probably aren't.