House was built 1860 added to over the years. Modest two stories. Carriage house and stable with residence 4ft away - eventually tied together. I've lived in it 25 years, bought it recently. I had it inspected, but it seemed they only covered themselves from any liability and added no useful information.
Recently I built up the courage to crawl under the house to fix a plumbing leak.
I noticed that the beams that were once resting on a shelf on the fireplace in the middle of the house had some time long ago suffered from a leak and rotted away from the fireplace.
These beams no longer reach the fireplace. A few feet away from the fireplace each one is held up with boulders and other big stones. The beams are very solid except the several inches that do not reach the fireplace lintel under the floor. As I mentioned this must have been like this for at least 25 years. The chimney was capped about 20 years ago - it was open on top before that, so it leaked. The chimney was inspected a year ago by a chimney service that cleaned and did some minor repairs, while stating repeatedly how well built it was.
Should I worry about the beams ?
And how would I support these beams if not trusting the boulders ?
Cast cement or cinderblock supports to add to the boulders ?

Crawl-space is not tall enough to even kneel on my knees, so it's not a pleasant work situation and I'm in an area where there are predominantly very expensive houses which precludes any contractors from wanting to work on my house. I've done all the work needed myself so far, mostly carpentry and when a repair is needed I have to mill the wood to the size used back then and the house is mostly tongue and groove wainscoting. This I don't mind, even take pride in keeping the house original, but the crawl space is not nice...

Saffle

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Originally Posted by saffle

House was built 1860 added to over the years. Modest two stories. Carriage house and stable with residence 4ft away - eventually tied together. I've lived in it 25 years, bought it recently. I had it inspected, but it seemed they only covered themselves from any liability and added no useful information.
Recently I built up the courage to crawl under the house to fix a plumbing leak.
I noticed that the beams that were once resting on a shelf on the fireplace in the middle of the house had some time long ago suffered from a leak and rotted away from the fireplace.
These beams no longer reach the fireplace. A few feet away from the fireplace each one is held up with boulders and other big stones. The beams are very solid except the several inches that do not reach the fireplace lintel under the floor. As I mentioned this must have been like this for at least 25 years. The chimney was capped about 20 years ago - it was open on top before that, so it leaked. The chimney was inspected a year ago by a chimney service that cleaned and did some minor repairs, while stating repeatedly how well built it was.
Should I worry about the beams ?
And how would I support these beams if not trusting the boulders ?
Cast cement or cinderblock supports to add to the boulders ?

Crawl-space is not tall enough to even kneel on my knees, so it's not a pleasant work situation and I'm in an area where there are predominantly very expensive houses which precludes any contractors from wanting to work on my house. I've done all the work needed myself so far, mostly carpentry and when a repair is needed I have to mill the wood to the size used back then and the house is mostly tongue and groove wainscoting. This I dont mind, even take pride in keeping the house original, but the crawl space is not nice...

Saffle

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This is a tough call. Depends on if those timbers are still solid enough to support the above flooring. Evidently the floor has not settled or shifted across the boulders. Short of an earthquake or natural calamity, would you feel comfortable with the existing condition? If the beams are not in soil contact and no moisture conditions in the crawl space, mayge leaving well enough alone is best considered. After all you were okay with the condition for 25 years. If leveling is not really needed except for minor shims, and no dry rot, then it may keep on surviving for another 25 years. Hard to say without seeing what you have.

nmwirez,
Thanks for your answer. I realize it is pretty hard to make a call without seeing the actual condition, but you've already at least made me feel I'm not crazy for considering just leaving it. The crawlspace is dry and the timbers are solid. It's not possible to replace the timbers, so what is possible is to shore them up. What suggestions for doing that ?
Stacking cinder blocks ? And perhaps attaching a sister timber should it prove prudent, but from what I've seen they are solid.

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Originally Posted by saffle

nmwirez,
Thanks for your answer. I realize it is pretty hard to make a call without seeing the actual condition, but you've already at least made me feel I'm not crazy for considering just leaving it. The crawlspace is dry and the timbers are solid. It's not possible to replace the timbers, so what is possible is to shore them up. What suggestions for doing that ?
Stacking cinder blocks ? and perhaps attaching a sister timber should it prove prudent, but from what I've seen they are solid.

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Shoring up using a concrete pier with saddle directly under timber will probably be the best bet. No direct contact with soil or concrete. Jacking up timber may dislodge plank flooring above so be careful. Piers are usually set in poured concrete 1 sq.ft. footing.
As far as a scab on joist extension, not justifiable IMO. If flooring has dropped below the hearth above, I would use a short timber header beam parallel to the hearth area for planking alignment and leveling.

A new inspection with a contractor who is used to old and historic houses showed it wasn't as bad as I feared. My memory failed me a bit. Cinder blocks and stones are on solid footing. For right now we feel we are OK. House is on a slope and the crawlspace narrows towards the up side. We feel it would eventually be prudent to dig it out and relieve the upside of the beams from contacting the sand, All is dry however and no sign of rot except a few inches around the lintels of the fireplace. I've come to understand that later construction does not use joists resting on a fireplace lintel because of this issue, that the masonry can conduct water. In my case it was an uncapped chimmney. I capped the chimmney and regrouted the masonry several years ago, so it is not leaking anymore.
Thank you for your answers - I came to this site to become better educated and you have helped.

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Originally Posted by saffle

Thank you for your answers - I came to this site to become better educated and you have helped.

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Yer welcome. I am having fun.:D nm