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Hangers, anchors, bolts or bracing look wrong.

A structural engineer should specify connections, and a licensed contractor should do the permitted retrofit.

Customers put it like this

  • inspector flagged the hangers
  • rusty joist hangers
  • no anchor bolts in the crawlspace
  • is this house tied together?
Prepare this job in ForeBotFind another guide

Stop first if

  • A loaded connector has broken, pulled out or badly corroded.Keep added load off it. Keep people out from under it. Call a structural engineer.
  • Someone wants to swap fasteners or add anchors without a design.Hold off until the designer or an engineer specifies it.
01

Ask on the call

5

Homeowner? These are the questions a good technician will ask you. Having the answers ready makes the first visit count.

  1. Which connector or bolt is the concern?
  2. Did an inspector flag it, and do you have the note?
  3. How old is the house, and has it had a retrofit?
  4. Is the wood treated, wet or outdoors?
  5. Do you have drawings?
02

Bring

5
  • Flashlight
  • Mirror
  • Tape measure
  • Moisture meter
  • Phone for photos
03

Check on site

5
  1. Trace one load from roof to footing, and record each link.
  2. Count filled holes against the product literature, and check fastener size and finish.
  3. Grade corrosion from staining to flaking and section loss.
  4. From the crawlspace, look for anchor bolts or brackets, and probe the sill at each.
  5. Check cripple walls for structural sheathing.
04

Keep on the record

4
  • Photos of each questioned connector
  • Fastener size and finish notes
  • Bolt spacing along the sill
  • Inspector's note and drawings

General guidance for a qualified person, not a finding about any home. The person on site decides.