Cut through ridge board.

[Flytrap]

I'm worried about my roof structure. There is a ridge board running the full length of the roof of my 3 storey terraced town house.
But sections have been cut out to accomodate two ridge vents/terminals. One is just open to the loft and the other attached to an asbestos flue pipe from the gas fire.
My question is - should there be some kind of bracing around these cut out sections? Will the roof be stable without bracing?

Cheers.

 

[Deluks]

Should be alright, but for peace of mind you could affix a length of 4x1 to the top of the rafters, centred just below the cut section.

 

[Flytrap]

Thanks for the reply. I've managed to upload a photo of one of the missing sections. The other one is very close to this one.

Untitled

• Flytrap
• 5 Sep 2008
• 1

 

[noseall]

agree with Deluks, fix (screw) some 4x1 under the rafters and close to the ridge spanning maybe 2 rafters each side of the cut.

fix a piece to each pitch.

you would have to move the booster box though.


the ridge board acts only to stabilise the rafter ends and keeps them in line. it has little structural value.

 

[chappers]

personaly I wouldn't worry about it as noseall says the ridge board does very little and it is still doing what it is designed to do at the rafter ends

 

[Flytrap]

Many thanks for all your replies.

Cheers

 

[noseall]

at least by linking the rafters at the ridge, any thermal or wind loaded movement imparted on the roof is spread laterally throughout the whole roof, at high level.