Roof Truss Hell

Silvercreek Farmer · #1 12/05/06, 02:13 PM

This past weekend I got up in our attic for the first time, (lived here 2.5 years) to remove some bolts that held cabinets that I removed. Our house is framed with roof trusses, it was with out a doubt, the worst DIY experience ever, My ladder wouldn't fit in the bedroom with access, so I had to stand on a stool and pull myself up into the attic. I am a pretty big guy (230 lbs) and there was NO room to work, I pretty much pulled myself through the largest cavity making sure not to step through the ceiling, touched far more fiberglass than I anticipated, dealt with the over sized shingle staples, all the way across the house, only to find out that I could not get to 2 of the 4 bolts. Never again will I go up there! (I will sawzall the remaining 2) And just for good measure, while I was washing off the fiberglass, my wife fell and cut her eye lid, so it was off to the ER for stiches, what a day...

Rockin'B · #2 12/05/06, 02:33 PM

Attics are generally no fun. In a past life I installed insulation and have had my fill of that.

I was just up in my attic installing a chimney for a wood stove and it's not too bad. Hard to move around in.

hoofinitnorth · #3 12/05/06, 04:32 PM

This is a good reason to advocate building your own house!

TedH71 · #4 12/05/06, 05:31 PM

Why not remove the roof and install already made roof trusses and then install a new roof? I would go with a metal roof..50 years before you have to replace it and reflects heat..that's for states that have extremely hot weather. Finances may not allow that though....

heather · #5 12/05/06, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Lindsay

(I will sawzall the remaining 2)

Ah, yes, ya gotta love the sawzall !!!

Our attic has blown in insulation.......we wanted to get up in it to see where to cut for the wood stove (didn't want to hit a truss) but we took one look & decided we'd need a space suit or something to go through it -
O well !

comfortablynumb · #6 12/05/06, 11:11 PM

I protest the use of obscene profanity in topic titles.
I will be scarred for weeks now.

Dubai Vol · #7 12/06/06, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

I protest the use of obscene profanity in topic titles.
I will be scarred for weeks now.

numb, I love you dearly, but you missed the boat on this one. You are officially charged with thread hijacking, and warned to CUT IT OUT!

Trusses are great in their place. An attic is not their place IMO. There ARE options, and if you're building look into the options. If you have them in your existing attic, you're stuck, but when the time comes to replace that "thirty-year roof" it's also a time look at replacing the trusses. We're talking lots of money, but it IS an option.

Silvercreek Farmer · #8 12/06/06, 07:46 AM

I think I will just sell this one...