On a recent inspection in an attic, I came across a modified truss. It had been sistered with another piece of lumber as a repair. This can be a legitimate repair. However, there was no evidence of an engineer’s label showing that the repair is legitimate. We’ve also seen trusses cut out by HVAC companies to make room for the air handler.

A truss is an engineered type of roof system designed to handle loads (i.e. roofing, snow (not much of that in Tucson), AC units, etc.). These loads are then distributed to the load bearing walls of the home. Any modifications to a truss (notches, holes, etc.) can reduce the truss’ ability to carry the load it was engineered.

Therefore, for the integrity of the home and the safety of its inhabitants, a truss should never be modified except with the approval of a qualified engineer and the work of a licensed contractor. That approval should include a label with the engineer’s signature. This label is then attached to the modified truss to indicate to others in the future (like a home inspector), that the modification has been properly done.

Call us at 520-462-8844 or follow this link to schedule your home inspection.