Plan A Destroyed

Just when you think you're about to make some progress...BAM! After doing all the research and figuring out how we would put support under the foundation to resolve the deflecting trusses, our worst nightmare came true.

Plan A Destroyed - Part 1

Remember when I said it didn't make sense that these trusses were failing because they spanned too far a distance? Well, I was right. These trusses are meant to hold even greater spans than we have in our foundation. So what exactly is causing the deflection? Wood rot! Why is the wood rotting? Because there is moisture in the crawlspace. No surprise there. However, what do you think happens when you cover a moist crawlspace with water proof spray foam? Well, it will keep any additional moisture from getting into the wood. GREAT!!! Right? Sure, but it also prevents any moisture in the wood from getting out as well. So all the moisture that was already in the wood, just gets trapped inside the wood starts the decaying process.

Plan A Destroyed - Part 2

So part of Plan A was to install crossbeams in the midspan of the trusses. In order to install those crossbeams, I had to remove the foam where the crossbeams were going to contact the trusses in order to make a solid connection to them. Nobody that we talked to was willing to remove any of the foam due to concerns of what they might find. Which is why I didn't trust anyone to perform any of the work they quoted us. If you are not going to investigate what kind of wood you are going to push up on, won't you potentially be pushing up on unstable timber? Wouldn't that just crush the trusses and make the problem worse? Of course it would. And that is exactly what would have happened if one of those contractors would have come in to do what they said they would do.

Plan A Destroyed - Part 3

So Plan A is a bust. I can't just put in the crossbeams and use them to help combat the deflection. We need another solution.