Bent truss

[lasix]

Today I was in my loft as I am in the process of replacing the insulation and I have noticed that one of the trusses is bent laterally.
I have bought the house a year ago so I don't know if it's getting progressively worse or not. It seems that there's a knot where the truss bends. Is this something I should worry about or likely to be stable?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No. Unless it snaps.

 

[Wayners]

I'd strengthen. Fix timber to the side with Pva, screws and clamp.
Those truss timbers with knots are a weak spot.
Father in law stood on one like that and it snapped at knot while he worked in timber construction roofs.
He was OK.

 

[Alastairreid]

Bridge a length of 4x1" across 3 trusses to help brace it.

 

[garyo]

Disappointed. I thought this was a thread about another corrupt prime minister.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

 

[lasix]

No. Unless it snaps.

Would that not became a big problem at that point?

I'd strengthen. Fix timber to the side with Pva, screws and clamp.
Those truss timbers with knots are a weak spot.
Father in law stood on one like that and it snapped at knot while he worked in timber construction roofs.
He was OK.

I thought about doing that but I'm kind of scared of making more damage than good

Bridge a length of 4x1" across 3 trusses to help brace it.

If I do it that way, should I fix the brace to the top of the bent element?

Also... should I decide that I'm not comfortable doing this myself, what kind of professional should I look for? I suppose this should be a job for a roofer

 

[^woody^]

You don't appear to have any diagonal truss bracing, if so the problem is bigger than one truss.

 

[lasix]

You don't appear to have any diagonal truss bracing, if so the problem is bigger than one truss.

Yes, there's no diagonal bracing. It's a former terraced council house from the 70s. I thought that if the roof has been fine until now, that should not be a huge concern...

 

[^woody^]

Yes, there's no diagonal bracing. It's a former terraced council house from the 70s. I thought that if the roof has been fine until now, that should not be a huge concern...

No past performance is no guarantee of future performance - that truss is evidence of that.

 

[Wayners]

Chippy or handyman will do that.
Not difficult and just needs a little thought.

Some roofers don't do timber work.

 

[lasix]

If I decide to add the diagonal bracing, will that require to involve a structural engineer as well or is it a standard thing that does not require calculations?

 

[^woody^]

Google for trussed roof bracing

 

[lasix]

OK it seems like it's not easy to find someone that is going to do it (either because it's a job too small or something they don't do).
Anway... let's say I'll do the bracing myself. I do have some questions about how to do it.

1)what kind of screws should I use? I assume I should use structural screws.... but what size?
2)in terms of wood, would should this be OK? https://www.travisperkins.co.uk/tre...n-treated-timber-47mm-x-100mm-x-3-6m/p/206907
3)how to I avoid the risk of splittimg the wood? I've read somewhere that pilot holes should not be trilled in trusses. Is that true?
4)obvioulsy I won't be able to use just one pice of wood.
5)some of the trusses are not perpendicular: basically they are leaning on one side. There might have been movement overtime or it might have been like that from the beginning. Is that going to be a problem? I suppose that the bracing will stop that movement...
6) if I want to brace the apexes as well, do I use the same wood and screws?

Apologies for the many questions but I don't want to mess this up

 

[Alastairreid]

65mm annular nails is what you need.