Ask the Carpenter: Is that split rafter something to worry about?
Ask the Carpenter's Rob Robillard weighs in on how homes settle and how to check whether a holding tank is leaking.
Q. I noticed the other day that one of the supports for the beam that runs along the peak of the attic is splitting and has a large crack in it. I have lived in the house for only 10 months and am not sure whether it has gotten worse since we’ve been here. I heard cracking noises at night during the winter that I assumed were from normal wood expansion for an older house (our Cape was built in 1954). This appears to be the only beam that is cracking like this. How serious a problem is this? Should I hire a carpenter or contractor to come in and sister this support? Do I need to replace it entirely?
JON
A. From your picture it looks like one of the rafters split at the ridge beam. It may have always been like that or developed over time. Either way it does not appear to be anything you should be concerned about. I personally would just monitor it. If it get worse or others show cracking, call a structural engineer. The winter noises you heard are normal.
Q. I don’t know whether you can help me with this, but maybe you can point me in the right direction. I have a holding tank at my lakefront cabin. The last two springs, I have arrived at the camp to find it full. The pumping company simply says it was a wet spring. How is ground water getting into my tank, and is there something I can do about it? I don’t like paying to pump out rain and snow.
J.K.
A. It sounds as if there is a crack or hole and ground water is getting in or you may have a leak somewhere in the house. Was the water in the lake higher than usual the past two springs? How long is the seal on your tank guaranteed for? The pipe from the house to the tank may be damaged as well.
You may even want to try not using any water after a pumping and monitor the tank for a day to see whether ground water is getting in. Get a long stick from a lumber store and mark every half foot with a Sharpie so you can measure the water level from the bottom up to the top of the tank. After getting the tank pumped out, pull the stick and note the water level every half-hour. If the level is rising, and you are not using water from your home, then ground water is definitely leaking in. There are cleanout companies that have cameras with remote lenses on metal snakes that they can push through pipes to see obstructions. This may be your best option to prove the seal is not working.
Rob Robillard is a general contractor, carpenter, editor of AConcordCarpenter.com, and principal of a carpentry and renovation business. Send your questions to [email protected] or tweet them to @robertrobillard. Subscribe to our free real estate newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp.
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