Stranger Than Fiction (do Houses Shrink?)

HANDM

I went to a previous customers to "fix" some beaded soffit that I installed last summer. The H.O. said that three pieces "blew down" during the last big windstorm, I thought, no problem, right, minor warranty work. I figured that the employee might have missed a nail or two.

Picture if you will, a 70' house with two foot overhangs 5/12 pitch with full gables on each end. Work done on house, Remove built up gutter system, remove fascias, remove roofing, install outriggers, new fascias, new roof, new soffit and new gutters. Here is where it gets strange and hard to describe, as the soffit runs up the gables from the overhang (material is V.G. fir beaded soffit T&G 3 inches wide) I went to install the one piece that fell out I saw that to re-install the fallen piece I would need to rip one inch off of it. I thought, WTF, this can't be right. So I go to the other gable (70 feet away) I see that two pieces are down, I install one and look at the other and it too needs to be ripped on inch as well !!! I noticed that the fallen pieces are at the exact same spots on both gable runs. To fix I will have to remove the runs all the way to the peaks of the gables, re-install soffit pieces and rip the peak pieces as per normal installation.

I'm troubled though since if we get another windstorm the house may grow that inch back and then my soffit rip will be an inch too short

Any one else have gables shrink on them???

house bldr

Its more likely the t&g took on some moisture and swelled causing it to buckle and pop nails loose and fall out

reveivl

Yep

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skylands

Second Yep.

Cole

x4!

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HANDM

That's what I thought as well, however there are two more equal sized 30' gables on the front of the house, which are completely unaffected. all of the other soffit runs, are just as tight and nice as the day it was installed.

After removing one run all the way to the bottom, I noticed that where the siding met the roof sheathing, at the start of the "buckling" the caulk bead is ripped away all the way down and that the paint line (painted house before I installed soffit) shows clearly that there has been movement. I am sure that when I remove the other side I will see the same thing.

As a side note, this is the second house I have installed the same soffit for this homeowner, the first house I had done had shown absolutely no signs of "moisture swelling" even after several years and the same installation and same relative location

orson

Moisture generaly causes wood 2 shrink in 2 directions. The fibers of the wood get fatter, but remain a reasonably consistent length. In other words, Studs won't lose much height but 1 wall plate drying out can cause a wall to lose as much as 1/4 inch of height depending on it's initial moisture content.

HANDM

I really don't think the problem is caused by moisture, the wood was coated with benite, stain and an aqua spar marine clear coat.

As I said before, there are two more equal sized 30' gables on the front of the house, which are completely unaffected. all of the other soffit runs, are just as tight and nice as the day it was installed.

It is more likely, considering the age of the house, and since there are no truss clips on any of the trusses, that during the last big blow, the seventy foot long two foot wide overhang acted as an umbrella.

Before the new soffit went on, the wind would blow and flow through the bird "screens" that were there instead of actual bird blocks (solid block, bird screen, solid block, birdscreen and so on for 70') Now since the soffit is enclosed with the continious louvered vent ( installed by ripping the first board in half and installing in between the pieces) the wind instead of flowing through ,gets caught under the overhang and can't easily flow through the louvered vent, thereby creating an uplift after which the house/ roof moved

reveivl

And that caused the house to shrink? If you say so...

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Milhaus

What if you're guys cut them an inch too long? A long shot and 'ouch'...

mark

O.C.Inc.

The material was sealed, but were the end cuts sealed. (all 6 sides??)
Patrick

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skippythetownie

Just to see you should measure a piece from one of the good gables and see if there is a difference. My guess is moisture.

neolitic

Better yet, measure a run of 10
on each gable. The cumulative
effect will be more noticeable,
and that is the likely problem
anyway.
A little bit X a bunch = to much.

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HANDM

****UPDATE****

I went to the same homeowners house today to meet with her architect (attached garage) and upon examining the soffit, the very same thing has happened. Pieces popped off in the same exact location, popped pieces too wide to fit back in.

Again the homeowner swears that the damage occured during the last wind storm.

According to my thinking, if I re-install the soffit pieces, and rip another inch off of the last one, then I will have ripped two inches off the last soffit piece.

I am not new to exterior wood applications, but I am sure that two inches of swelling is near impossible. Especially considering that the other two gables are STILL nice and tight as the day they were put in and almost two years later.

I am going into the attic to check if the trusses are secured properly and install A-35's if possible since I don't think the homeowner wants to deal with a bunch of drywall work to install the proper truss clips.

That's all I can think to do, I can't be going back every year to fix this problem

Anybody?

j.m.s.

She better tell the tax assessor the house is smaller now.



Joe

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HANDM

HAHA, Very funny,

I like the fact that if there is no logical answer to any question, most of you guys feel the need to come back with a calloused remark that has no bearing on the subject matter.

Way to help out

TimelessQuality

It's gotta be the soffit material, and/or installation....

What about the roof deck, facia/trim?? Are they now to long as well?

Or.....

How did they frame the gable? If it was trusses with a step down gable truss, the fly rafters might have moved if it wasn't boxed in.

Trusses 'moving' wouldn't make a gable shorter...

Just trying to be 'logical'...but it is more fun to be a smart azz sometimes

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BirmanBuilders

have you sighted the outside fly rafters. Have they buckled slightly, this might have caused the problem. You might have to block out the fly from the gable with a 2x to push it out again.

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