How to Repair a Damaged Carrying Beam | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva teaches a homeowner how to repair some structural problems in his home.
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Time: 6-7 hours
Cost: $100
Skill Level: Expert
Tools List for Repairing a Damaged Carrying Beam:
- Bottle jack [amzn.to/2JcJtFB]
- Grinder [amzn.to/2XeTdc7]
- Large pipe cutter [amzn.to/2XCBfzJ]
- Cold chisel [amzn.to/2FD53lA]
- Hammer [amzn.to/2ZYmuFc]
- Level [amzn.to/2XEHMKj]
- Drill [amzn.to/2Jigb8K]
- Pry bar [amzn.to/2XC5iaF]
Shopping List:
- Temporary post [amzn.to/2XA3HCf]
- Steel lally column [amzn.to/2Xf7mWJ]
- Wood screws [amzn.to/2ZSyQyn]
- Masonry screws [amzn.to/2RKIv7h]
- Angle iron [amzn.to/2XuXRSX]
Steps:
1. Use the jack and the temporary post to support the structure before removing any posts.
2. Remove the old lally column with a grinder.
3. Measure and mark the replacement column and cut it to size with the large pipe cutter.
4. Smooth out the bottom of the new cut with a hammer and cold chisel.
5. Put the post in place on metal plates and slowly remove the temporary post. Check the post for level before putting the full weight of the house back on it.
6. Screw the metal plates to the beam and to the floor with the appropriate screws.
7. To repair damaged beams, locate a local welder or metal shop and request angle iron, cut and drilled to the length of the beam being repaired.
8. Remove any pipes, wires, etc. currently going through the beam. Be sure to turn off the water, power, etc. before doing so.
9. Pry the joist hanger away from the beam.
10. Mount the angle iron on the jack and the temporary post. Get the angle iron in place and slowly raise the jack until the angle iron is wedged up against the damaged beam.
11. Screw the angle iron into the beam and remove the temporary post.
12. Slide any pipes or wires previously removed back through the beam and turn the water and power back on.
Resources:
Lally columns and the lumber used for the bridging can be found at the local home center or the local lumberyard.
Steel angle iron can be ordered to size and is sold at metal or welding shops.
Special assistance with this project was provided by Boston Welding (www.bostonwelding.com/).
In the workshop, Tom shared some basic rules for cutting and notching joists and rafters. For cutting holes, a hole can be no more than ⅓ the depth of the structure and cannot be within 2"" of an edge.
For notches, the maximum notch depth is ½ the depth of the structure and no notches can be made in the middle ⅓ of the span.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers-and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Repair a Damaged Carrying Beam | Ask This Old House
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[@poshko41]

Tommy doesn't even take his jacket off before he starts sawing the jack-post out of some dude's house. Absolute legend.

[@davidtyndall9604]

To anyone that thinks that the rust on the bottom of the column is not a problem let me tell you this. I have repaired and replaced many steel columns that have had the bottom end completely rusted away. This can be hard to see without measuring or using a level on the supported structure because the metal rusts away slowly over the years and the weight of the house slowly crushes the rusted metal making it appear to be a solid post. Concrete filled steel posts are a very good way to go.

[@jdorffer]

For those pipe couplings you need to remove the burr from the end of the pipe or it will tear the rubber seal causing a leak

[@davidherman1803]

I caught that also.

[@lar4305]

@@davidherman1803 And should have cleaned the pipe also.

[@Comm0ut]

I polish all mine. Only takes a few seconds with emery cloth or sandpaper.

[@lar4305]

@@Comm0ut doesn't that hurt 🤣

[@glug.glughicincanada882]

Also noticed that they didn't insulate the copper going through the steel support they installed. I didn't think steel and copper mix?

[@MadManInMyVisions]

Every homeowner should be subscribed to this channel. I remember watching this show on TV with my dad when I was a kid in the 90s. I'm 32 now and own a home.

[@sofiabermudez5859]

Same🙃

[@camohawk6703]

How the hell do you have a house

[@Lusterredux]

@@camohawk6703 Work.

[@nonyafkinbznes1420]

@@Lusterredux OOF!

[@shumbadumb]

same here brother. used to watch this with my grandpa. i’m 29 now and own my own home which i enjoy working on!

[@User8571]

1. Tighten lag screws until snug. 2. Continue tightening until fastener spins without resistance. 3. Add many more lag screws. 4. Fire film editor.

[@proverbs2life]

I seen that too

[@iandamianluciferwilson7385]

And me.

[@mrmeener625]

@Russ Gallagher you have to use thru bolts and nuts

[@adamkalman6011]

@KamekoBruns yeah maybe but then why did he strip out every lag screw in the video

[@brycekpalmer]

@@adamkalman6011 I was wondering if he was stripping it or breaking off the head also. I think it just might be that the steel was still a little ways from being pulled tight against the wood but without the wider view it appears as though it is stripping out.

[@CupidFromKentucky]

9:26 "I had no idea how to fix this" If he would have just watched this video first he could have learned.

[@user-em6mc7mp9k]

...

[@NuttedInYoMom]

hehehe

[@BossladySupreme313]

...

[@gregre052]

​@@BossladySupreme313no

[@jesot]

"Give it a quatah turn" "Quarter turn" "QUATAH TURN"

[@unclesalty7778]

Bastan slang!… get the cah!

[@walterbrunswick]

@@unclesalty7778 the what? why do you need the cat?

[@unclesalty7778]

@@walterbrunswick Cat? No neighbor, CAR in Boston stand it’s the Cah!

[@walterbrunswick]

@@unclesalty7778 'twas a joke my good man

[@brandonwilson4281]

🍼

[@ryanksiazek]

A couple thing that are very important. 1) Cap the temp post or use plate to keep the bottle jack from splitting the post right up the middle causing catastrophic failure of the temp support while under load. 2) This type of fix requires a structural engineer to design, it is not in the code book. A structural engineer would require at least 1/2" through bolts for this assembly. It is only accommodating the tension at the bottom of the beam and transferring the upper beams compression through moment at the Fastners. 3) The new column needs to be connected to the foundation below and the beam above to prevent uplift per code (in case of severe weather/high winds) 4) Those water pipe connections are considered mechanical and must be accessible (not covered with drywall) and you must clean (sanding or brushing) the pipe first, plus debur the pipe according to the manufactures requirements and code. The copper pipe must not make contact with the steel, this is required by code due to corrosion that occurs when differential metal make contact. This pipe will corrode and eventually leak.

[@robertmarley8852]

Dielectric effect

[@steveshea7725]

Good stuff

[@Roy-ij1wq]

I agree with your analysis in point #2. Code compliant joist hole repair kits are readily available from a number of manufacturers including Metwood Building Solutions and are much easier to install that large piece of steel. I also agree with point #4 that the pipe needs to be deburred before using Sharkbite connectors. You also need to verify that the copper pipe is not being used to ground the electrical system because the plastic lining in the Sharkbite does not conduct electricity. If so, you need to also install a jumper ground wire. .

[@nybirdman]

@@fredthe47thI’m an Engineer and while everyone is stating some decent points, you’re all over thinking the angle iron replacement. Yes, the loss in strength of the beam is on top (compression side) but the angle iron is about 40x stronger and will take the compression. With that said, the engineered lag screws are way more than sufficient to handle to minor load the angle iron is going to transfer. While it may not be up to “code” in certain areas, I’ve seen plenty of houses and buildings that would never meet todays code but are way stronger and built better than new up to code homes. You’re all missing what’s called “composite action” of combining two different materials of vastly different strengths (steel and wood). Essentially, the steel will take all the load so the “compression side” of the wood beam above most of the angle iron won’t ever see the load because the angle iron would have to deflect to transfer the load (never happen with that size angle iron). Lastly, although “code” doesn’t allow the use flooring in structural design except for special applications, all the subfloor above and possible even wood flooring above that will contribute to the overall strength of that beam. Subfloor and possible hardwood floor are all nailed together. While this is a lengthy explanation for educational purposes, it’s only to point out that there is a lot of redundancy and safety factors in design and people tend to overthink things. It’s all one giant system of things fastened together and it could’ve been fixed with as little as two 1/4” thick steel plates on either side and some galvanized framing nails. That alone would’ve replaced the bending capacity loss of that beam.

[@nybirdman]

@@fredthe47th if the lag bolts aren’t strong enough, they’d shear off. I guess only time will tell but I do know 10 of those lag bolts are stronger then the area of the beam cut out (compression parallel to the grain), which is probably around 500 PSI. If they cut out 10 square inches of the section, that’s 5,000 lbs of force lost. Cheap engineered 3/8” nominal lag bolts agave an allowable load of 965 lb. Typical design values for lag bolts is 4:1. So in reality, each lag bolt is good for 3,500 lbs. There’s also a bunch of minor adjustment factors and all that jazz but trust me, I do this for a living on a larger commercial scale. If he had expensive lag bolts, you can double the load I just put up there. Those “wimpy” lag bolts are a lot stronger than people think.

[@RichardGMoss]

7:44 Nice plug for Boston Welding!!

[@mikelafferty9506]

Here Tom...a free piece of steel for a 10 second commercial...I love it

[@thomasgeraghty5374]

Recalling days of old, jacking up, replacing, beams etc....with my father. Chicago. Nice type of work.

[@dukeman079]

Tom is one of the best G C 's this show has ever had , he is worth his weight is gold!

[@hudsonriverlee]

I cannot believe all of what I have just learned in one video. Things I just did not know. I just became a first time homeowner and I know for a fact the repairs I just watched will be a huge help in understanding what I must look for and how to correct these issues. One being the main beam support.

[@TempoDrift1480]

It's amazing how someone who has built homes all his life can't afford to buy a home that he built but here you are, no idea, probably couldn't reset a circuit breaker or unscrew a garden hose and you just bought a house.

[@Lusterredux]

@@TempoDrift1480 What's your point here? He made his money in whatever, and bought a house. He knows how to save and succeed. If someone that has built houses all his/her life can't afford one themselves, well, I hate to break it to you--- but the fault lies with that person. Are they working for someone else? Are they the one in charge? Why aren't they making money? Are they not charging enough for their services? Are they a poor workman? There's a reason for their failure, and that the "someone" would envy others instead of trying to figure out their own failings, speaks volumes. It's easy to be jealous, hard to actually do something about one's life.

[@senecapv4555]

Man this video just saved me $2000 I can do it

[@andrewsuen6986]

@@TempoDrift1480 why do you believe that someone who built homes all his life can't afford to buy a home?

[@JPCommenting]

​@@TempoDrift1480 Should they just give them out for free to people who build houses? I am confused haha; Tech pays a lot better than a construction job, maybe you should switch careers instead of crying over spilt milk, no ?

[@sylviaelse5086]

Cutting a big hole in a joist reminds me of my neighbour who knocked out a brick column to make more room in his kitchen, without stopping to wonder why it was there.

[@googleuser868]

I know a guy who liked to water ski. He didn't like the water in his boat when he got back on board so he cut a hole in the bottom of the hull to let the water out.

[@ImALefty08]

@@googleuser868 now that has to be a joke 🤣

[@mikefm4]

Not that I know how to do half this stuff, but I always love listening to the homeowners when he's talking technical stuff and his process of what he's going to do. "Ok...sounds good...great..." (insert "I have no idea what I'm doing" meme)

[@jbug45945]

Yep, they do that all the time (lol).

[@alonzomartii]

Tom got so excited that kept on drilling. (:

[@samiam9008]

Tommy is the wizard. The knowledge and ability this man has is incredible. Been watching him for many years.

[@cbalan777]

I'm always amazed that you can lift all that weight with a bottle jack. It's insane.

[@highstreetkillers4377]

I lift 40 tons of steel at work with 2 5/8" nuts, length of threaded rod, and 2 wrenchs. Way safer than what he's doing. It's not even that much weight

[@lh98]

@@highstreetkillers4377 would you elaborate on this or post a video on it? Curiosity about moving 40 tons like that has struck me. 40 tons = 80,000 pounds. Seems like an awful lot of weight.

[@sethrocket1523]

I purchased a 20 ton bottle jack for use on a triple decker

[@itptires]

While I couldn't tell you exactly how much weight is being lifted here remember that the house is supported in many different places and this theme is probably carrying something like 1/20th the total weight or something like that. You should look up a video of moving houses they come along and use a whole bunch of these jacks and lift the whole thing off the foundation put a trailer under it and down the road

[@nonyafkinbznes1420]

@@highstreetkillers4377 Let's see you jack up a house beam with your threaded rod.

[@superwiseman452]

Tommy is a absolute master of so many trades. Amazing expertise, knowledge, and skills.

[@tonyclements3680]

I wish he would pay me a visit!

[@assrapping]

@@fredthe47th Right!! I cringed at every single lag screw drilled in there, wayyy overtightened. the threads certainly aren't holding onto much

[@goodyjerky5249]

I love this old house.

[@Chaosfury50]

"ohhh I found this on the side of the road" lmao

[@josiahamaze]

Haha

[@robertt9342]

I actually have.

[@ryanberry2828]

Lol

[@Landon_Chrud]

Sounds like my grandpa. He always finds goodies on the side of the road

[@CoasterCrazyy]

What a legend

[@ekujj13]

When Tommy got back to the barn, Rich flogged him with 1/2 inch pex pipe for using that push fitting.

[@mantroid]

Should those cut pipes be deburred before fitting?

[@nc3826]

Tommy not in plumber union so they only let him use push fitting.... He not not certified on using the deburring tool yet.

[@louishollandjr]

@@mantroid why run pipe back there hole I would went under I'm not drilling a hole threw main beam for any pipe or ducts.

[@buddyclem7328]

I would have at least wiped off the schmutz before refitting the pipes!

[@MyKonaRC]

nothing wrong with those shark bites

[@tmk5522]

More of a Norm fan but Tom knows his stuff he had the fix in his head in seconds made it easy on himself. He is probably the best carpenter to ever have a tv show

[@yourmasterrenovator86]

Amazing explanation! It's very clear and helpful in terms of structure elements and also the solutions. Specially about blocking between the joists and their role. Very well done. I'm grateful 👍🙏

[@TheDotransporter]

I know many trades except for Carpentry, no one better to learn than with Tom.

[@HowardGoldman]

If you pour a cement base for the post to sit on, it won't rust again. My 170 year old house has some of them. The ones with the cement base aren't rusting.

[@superwiseman452]

Tom Silva is a total guru. This guy is a complete master of all trades. Amazing guy to watch with his knowledge and expertise.

[@robsten5387]

Tom Silva, you are a very useful person to other people, hats off !!

[@hellounknown2274]

I gave it a thumbs up for the home owner.. seems like a nice guy

[@jasonfitzgerald6334]

Man, when he said "This ain't going anywhere" I knew that he had done the job to completion.

[@daxshell242]

true. its an important step of any repair. tap it twice and say "it ant goin anywhere". otherwise, it might fall out.

[@olgajoachimosmundsen4647]

08:02 That screw was overtightened for like 3 seconds. Those shark-bite plumbing parts do also not give a lot of confidence, even being in a basement. I am only a hobby-plumber, but I still think people have a much higher esteem for these sorts of solutions than what they deserve. Plumbing needs to have an extreme degree of reliability to it, because the consequences of failures are so great. Shark bite should have very limited use, only to areas where failure is without anything but very small losses.

[@bengoolie5197]

Tom Silva is the Mozart of masonry and metal work, and he is the Cambini of carpentry!

[@Loonypapa]

For those who find this video, here are a couple of comments on the structural engineering side: First, there are better, easier products out there for replacing steel posts, sold in the big box stores, that don't require lifting the house a half an inch. Second, regarding the angle iron repair, I'm not entirely thrilled with their solution. Not because I don't think it works. But because I think it may mislead people into thinking that any piece of angle iron will fix any notch. The root problem with the beam is that it has a giant notch in the top cord in the moment-critical region of the beam. The solution they picked is really the lesser of two "installation" evils. Normally with top cord notching in a moment-critical region, you need to reinforce the top cord, which is in compression. This is normally accomplished by adding Area Moment of Inertia back to the top cord of beam with new steel along the top cord. This isn't possible with the joists and hangers in the way. Putting steel in the way they did, they treated the remaining wood under the notch as a weakened shallow depth beam. They added Area Moment of Inertia along the bottom cord of the beam, and along the lower half of the side of the beam. And this is an important point: had this been thinner angle iron, the angle would have merely reinforced the shear capacity (with the vertical leg of the angle iron), and the bottom cord tension capacity (with the horizontal leg of the angle iron), and done nothing for the top. Since it's much thicker steel, they were able to add more Area Moment of Intertia where it was needed at the top, which makes the solution work. So did this thick piece of angle reinforce the beam? Yes, but only because it was very thick. A quarter inch angle would have done very little, so I hope folks out there don't assume that any piece of angle will fix any notch. There is a specific calculation that an engineer will do to make sure the right thickness of steel is selected.

[@ranybitrology3753]

This is a breathtakingly great comment. Thank you.

[@mikemiller9891]

Great comment. Can you tell us what that calculation is? I'm facing a similar problem with a carrying beam in my house.

[@sixpackguy3000]

Nice job Tom! You always do amazing work. Keep it up.

[@dealafi9538]

Tom is an awesome teacher and carpenter...thanks for sharing your knowledge with everyone...GB!

[@jfboomerang1310]

He makes it look easy and nothings easy.

[@martinbuinicki1056]

I wish I could have such trust in a local contractor!

[@MoneyManHolmes]

That was a fun watch. Someone should find and slap the guy who cut that huge hole in the main beam though.

[@Engineer9736]

MoneyManHolmes I see such movie scene in front of me now where they search a forest with a row of police and dogs to find the bad guy

[@The_Marquis_Of_Death]

So much for code

[@josephconsoli4376]

MoneyManHolmes q

[@DarkVegetaman]

A lot of similar travesties all over old houses thanks to crappy HVAC runs.

[@Santos-ek8md]

Mike Holmes would've ripped it all down & started over.

[@johnroberts9560]

Hi TOH , Tommy was funny when he said that he found that beam alongside the road , nice repair Tom ! 👍😊🛠

[@freakyfry9598]

I'm in the process of buying a 100 year old shack and everything in it is in need of repair from years of neglect. This video answered one of my big fears and I'm grateful for it! Y'all wanna come over and help out with some other leveling/structural/venting/roofing/electrical/well....just about everything issues I'm having???? (Please, pretty please!) Lol.

[@CITAP1]

I like the steel angle but the Simpson SDS or similar lag screws I don't think are big enough to do the job. In the past, in similar situations, I've drilled through the beam and steel angle then installed 1/2" or 3/4" bolts with 3" square washers on the backside, 2 bolts every 12". Also, 1 1/2"x4" lag on the bottom offset from interfering with the through bolts on the side.

[@CITAP1]

@Brexit Monger There are pros and cons. Beam manufactures consider holes less than 10% of the beam negligible and since they would be securely attaching 3/8" angle steel, I'd consider it a net plus. Those SDS screws are intended for hangers and foundation brackets, not a big length of steel holding up a compromised floor system.

[@carloshuezo5771]

i been watching this program for so many years is the best of best thank you

[@mikeevans6589]

Copper plumbing should never be in contact with dissimilar metals if you want longevity. Not to mention using couplings to join copper pipe. Some good structural points given. I would of liked two angles sandwiching the joist with nuts and bolts sandwiching rather than just the screws from one side.

[@b4lt4z4r85]

Tommy is greatest teacher. Think first, pick up you tool second.

[@ColdSlayerFan]

Plumbing was one of my concerns for jacking a house,I'm glad to see you included plumbing in this,thanks for the great video,very informative and not too long.

[@jameskelly2777]

Tom you're great next video on the fittings maybe it would be wise to discuss deburring and marking stab depths. I've been a watcher of yours from the beginning and you definitely know a whole lot regarding building.

[@richarddicktaylor219]

Simple, practical & shows how we can all at least think about doing similar things around our houses.

[@seinundzeiten]

Tom is such a talented GC...and carpenter.

[@Dr.Twisty]

Fantastic video. Tom is the best. Thank you This Old House!!!!

[@supremelawfirm]

Tommy, we're all convinced that you were one of the Egyptian Engineers who designed the Great Pyramid of Cheops. Your solutions are always superb and totally effective. Glad you were able to reincarnate -- to help us plebians with these (much) less challenging projects. Keep up the good work!

[@MrAquinas1]

You should put a bushing between the steel beam and copper tube. Not to guard against chaffing so much but against a slight tendency for electrolysis. You can do it retroactively with a split bushing.

[@Windiguana]

There could even be chaffing if there is water hammer

[@ShaneEstabrooks]

I was blessed to have opportunity to work on house built in 1919 by Finnish settlers.. (in Canada) we replaced old joists logs with new ones. Cutting and fitting the multi-faset joints was fun and a great learning experience.

[@fmartino100]

Hi Tom, I always enjoy watching you how to videos, keep them coming...Frank

[@ChristopherTradeshow]

Even Tom looked like he was afraid to be in that basement

[@z1az285]

I recently had a deck installed (10 feet above ground) that also serves as a carport and I had to use four PSL parallam plus beams for support. The first step was a load calculation / beam deflection which is a must for any load bearing structure.

[@silveryrealm]

I am big fan of TOM.

[@user-ii4vn8hw7z]

Tom needs to be a teacher. His knowledge is honed by a lifetime of experience and is as valuable as anything they teach in any college.

[@chrislimnios9180]

Seriously. With the shortage of tradesmen these days, if I had any serious money, I'd open a contractor school and make Tommy the principal.

[@evawebster1518]

I am fond of Tom Silva, but I do not think that the lally column in this episode was correctly replaced. The bottom of the old hollow column was rusted and buried in the cement slab. That rusted bottom had to extend a few inches below the surface of the slab, down to a concrete footing, and was probably resting on a plate (hidden below the slab, and therefore not visible), which was almost certainly also corroded. But Tom just cut the old lally column at the level of the cement slab, and placed the new plate and the new lally column right where the remnant of the corroded column remained buried inside the cement slab. That's not how I would like to have this structural repair done. I would like the cement slab around the corroded column cut (not a big deal with the right tool), and all of the corroded column and old plate removed. And then the new plate with the new column should have been placed directly on the concrete footing. Otherwise, the rusted part that Tom left inside and below the slab will eventually give in, and the new column will sink. (Also, the plate that Tom used seemed thin and flimsy to me. Unless it was stainless steel, a thicker steel plate should have been used. Regular steel plates corrode over time, so it's better to use thicker ones.)

[@Engineer9736]

Very interesting video! I have never seen such American wooden house with my own eyes, but i do enjoy seeing all the ins and outs of them. This was a solid and proper repair.

[@cameronknowles6267]

Richard van Pukkem where do you live

[@Engineer9736]

Cameron Knowles The Netherlands :-) Almost every house is concrete and bricks and boring building style here.. After seeing stone for 30 years it’s interesting to see the other construction methods with wood and drywalls and such.

[@tywebbgolfenthusiast8950]

Richard van Pukkem its called “western platform framing” virtually all houses built in the USA in the last 100 years on basements and crawl spaces have used this. Its strong, lightweight and economical.

[@SkyGhost1000]

Richard van Pukkem It's refreshing to hear someone actually say nice things about our way of building! Most people just complain about how much better their way is compared to ours.

[@cameronknowles6267]

Green Iron and Black Guns it’s also a lot easier to retro fit things like adding and replacing wires and pipes

[@rawprawn8198]

Fantastic production! Thanks guys, really enjoyed approach and the explanations. Regards from downunder.

[@marieapple6866]

Tom is a good man to have around. His wife is a very lucky lady!

[@dragonbane6078]

great video, keep them going.

[@1806StoneHouse]

Really enjoyed this one! Nice solid fix..

[@MarkSmith-uo7vc]

1806StoneHouse p

[@kristinemuska3221]

1806StoneHouse mm

[@TheAdrenalineJunky]

That was really close to his toes 😬. Thanks for the video, super informational.

[@imonaroll9502]

Boston Welding. Love it. ❤

[@general4str]

at minimum tack weld those plates to the post so that if you ever need to replace the other post and jack the beam up again, you don't have that one fall out. Also, put a grommet around that copper pipe going through the new steel angle to prevent corrosion if anything moves and touches.

[@YoungBloodWASP]

Grommet, Very Important, at least electrical tape. Basements are moist, you’re gonna have galvanic corrosion with steel & copper

[@ianhop]

general4str it’s surprising that someone who appears to have so much experience still missed those details. I don’t even work construction and I saw that post needed to be secured to the beam and maybe the floor

[@laureline4774]

I was wondering if anyone else noticed the lack of welding. I kept on waiting for him to do it. A good trip/fall by a drunk uncle could knock that thing out of place

[@inspectorsj]

@@laureline4774 that wouldn't happen due to the amount of weight on that column. However should a seismic event occur it certainly can become loose and fall out of place.

[@ryanksiazek]

@@inspectorsj It is required by Code to have positive connections of the foundation columns to prevent uplift on the structure during severe weather events.

[@fhuber7507]

Why not adjust the steel post position to support that steel angle and thus improve the structure even more?

[@DaveWatts_ejectamenta]

I guess it must be to reuse the foundation underneath the old post

[@johnoshman7635]

That was one question, or at least get an angle iron that was an extra 8" longer so it could have reached to the support column...

[@JimDean002]

Hopefully there is a footer or at least some extra thick concrete below the position of that post carrying that load. If you move the post you're no longer over the footing

[@tonylinh3791]

I’ve probably watched this at least 10 times, still enjoy this video

[@ginak4262]

I love their videos! Thank you for doing this.

[@hoeonthestro]

Nice work Tom. Can I ask why you did not install the steel angle first and the lally underneath it?

[@MVortex2]

Great video. Before you connect the copper water line up with push fittings please make sure you deburr the inside and sand the outside first!

[@adb99999999999]

Or just throw the Sharkbites in the trash can where they belong and do it properly.

[@reedspencer6631]

I cringed when I saw him do this. It takes so little work to solder in a couple couplers!

[@Fattony6666]

@@reedspencer6631 are you going to be ok? Are you still cringing?

[@harrygirgin6075]

You gotta love Tom.

[@EPICSOUNDTRAX]

Thanks very good idea. I am fixing exactly the same problem and will add such support for the floor so it will not bend when somebody walks upstairs. Very nice idea.

[@yodaiam1000]

He makes it look easy and is a good contractor. Although I think the angle looks too short. Transferring the bending forces into the steel from the wood beam is very difficult over such a short length. I also won't recommend that column type in and earthquake zone. If you mix in some vertical and horizontal accelerations, the column may not be supporting your floor anymore. It relies on the house weight to keep it fixed in place. You should also probably add a temporary shore just in case the hydraulics in the jack fails.

[@nybirdman]

You know he works in the northeast (not an earthquake zone). Your valid point is that he should’ve used two posts in case the Jack failed or post split. That’s just a safety item though. Even though the Jack could fail, that only means the beam would deflect more but it wouldn’t cause structural damage, more damage to the finished above (like floor tile cracking). He would’ve just had bevel the bottom of a new post shore and bang it in so the beam lifted up and took the deflection out. I’d put a lot of money on the fact that the header beams size is not governed by its failure but it’s maximum deflection limits. I’m an engineer and long span beams are almost always upsized numerous sizes just to minimize deflection. That beam could easily deflect an inch or two and wouldn’t break (but obviously don’t want that to happen).

[@yodaiam1000]

​@@nybirdman I didn't say he was in an EQ zone. I am not recommending this type of column for an EQ zone. It is also not a good idea in areas with strong winds. Wood beam are very commonly governed by bending. But when a simple span gets long, the wood beams are generally governed by deflection. The continuity of the beam makes it more likely that bending governs. If you run some ball park numbers, you will see the beam is likely sufficient for deflection but is undersized for bending strength (assuming a 6x10 D.Fir N0. 1 grade with 14' trib width and 13' span and no 2nd floor or roof load transfers). The steel angle is even weaker than the beam. A few lag screws are not sufficient to transfer that bending force regardless if the beam is deflection or bending controlled. If the column comes down far enough, it can cause a instability between the jack and the temporary column. A kink develops between the jack and the temporary column. This causes the top of the jack and bottom of the column to move laterally. So it can be a life safety issue especially with the large notch in the beam. It is better to add a second temporary column. The major mistake that they made was not having an engineer design the repair. I would also say, the better way to get a proper fix is to add a column and footing below the notch.

[@juliof970]

I have the sudden urge for 'Boston Welding'.

[@darrylfitzys8632]

I don’t think they deliver.

[@jeromeduffy9270]

Uber eats

[@NMranchhand]

Would you like files with that?

[@branimal18]

Tom is the coolest This old house guy.

[@jbenz1990]

This guy is amazing

[@briansworld007]

Great video! I love this show!

[@AGreedyTree]

7:59 That gut-wrenching moment when the bolt you're tightening suddenly becomes loose...

[@ScottPankhurst]

must have been waiting for it to click? :)

[@blueberrypancakes5414]

Video editor "eh maybe no one will notice"

[@corpsiecorpsie_the_original]

Did they edit it out? I didn't hear it spin

[@verafides1]

That's a torque-limited drill he's using. When it hits the torque you set on it, it just spins.

[@Yophillips3272]

@@verafides1 ? the wood stripped out.

[@edwardmiller3873]

Thank you! I have been stressing on how to do mine

[@jonphanspromotions]

Very nice and informative video from Tom. Thanks for sharing

[@rayleder3705]

Tommy is the best!!!

[@ekujj13]

Are those lag bolts supposed to spin freely after they’re all the way in?

[@EvntlLPer]

Well, they arent spinning freely, but he's drilling the bolts for WAY to long, they're in, he still spins them for 2-3-4 seconds, in will rip the wood inside, and it wont hold as good-> But well, look at the amount of screws, well doesnt really matter that much

[@lv7603]

The whole time I was thinking Tom let go of the trigger.

[@strobie42]

I suppose there isn't really any longitudinal force on them to pull them out, so no big deal; I would still have been tempted to put some epoxy in there to give them a firm hold though.

[@B.r.i.a.n.1]

I was searching the comments just to see if anyone else noticed that. Lol.

[@mannyhappy]

lmao, he's an animal

[@d.j.ashley]

Who knew it was so easy to find expert contractors in the comments section?

[@napoleonsmith7793]

that was a nice one tommy. thanks for the hard work.

[@brustar5152]

Why not have ordered the Angle Iron long enough to transit all the way to the new jack-post so that at least one end of it is not reliant upon wood screws into the support beam. Temp supporting the main beam as was done and the floor joists with a 4X4 spanning a number of them with another hydraulic jack arrangement while placing that angle iron, could have all been done in one shot.

[@EarendilTheBlessed]

@Mr. Meeseeks Bru Star is right. There's little composite action and no individual flexion since the angle is not supported. To some limit we could say the wood beam is supporting the angle, so after all this work, he just added load to the existing structure.

[@effinchad]

Added to, the joists in that area aren't even fastened enough to that beam or the angle iron in any way. Or they didn't show it.

[@hoogabooga9736]

@@effinchad if i understand your question....the floor joists are still supported in the same way---via the heavy steel hangers that he described that go over the top of the floor joists (between the sub-floor and the joist)

[@jd3497]

The flag leg of the angle is doing little to strenthen that beam. Two pieces of 1/4" plate, one on each side of the beam would have done a better job of restoring its strength.

[@tonyl4571]

@@jd3497 I'm no structural engineer but I do think it helps. The way I see it that beam is holding the joists wich are holding the floor between posts. With all that weight the main beam would want to sag down between posts. Sagging down means that the very top of the beam will want to compress, the middle should see no movement and the bottom wants to strech. This means that it will need to strech the angle iron to sag. That angle is doing something.

[@Natural-Causes]

Should a level be put on the main carrier beam to make sure it is level before cutting the new lally column? Seems to me it would be a good idea in case it was already sagging from the cut made in it.

[@Fattony6666]

no

[@alexknight7191]

If it's been out of level a long time, all the walls above could be too. Leveling it could leave you with a lot of cracked plaster/drywall and other damage. Unless you're doing a more extensive job above, likely best to leave it at the same level.

[@jmhm17]

One of my favorite episodes

[@luckehandyman]

Tommy is a Genius.

[@bradmcclellandQWERTY]

I could feel that steel and concrete pipe just missing his toes!

[@toddlavigne6441]

I was thinking this is a nice way to break some toes LOL

[@30AndHatingIt]

@@toddlavigne6441 I can still feel the red hot paper clip being used to poke a hole in the toenails to let the pressure out....

[@haider254]

It's fine. He was wearing safety glasses.

[@conqwiztadore2213]

@@haider254 😂

[@robertf6344]

I've broken a toe with less than that weighs.

[@juiced151]

Should have been a longer angle iron supported by the pillar

[@---cr8nw]

That's what I was thinking. I don't like the idea of that heavy steel beam overhead supported by a few lag screws, some of which have been overtorqued and stripped out the wood.

[@yupsir791]

Smh... I wanted to blow the dust away @ 5:48. I was to into this video!

[@badnews9312]

Good bits of information, well done!

[@cbskwkdnslwhanznamdm2849]

Construction is awesome !

[@allencruce78]

I think I need to do this to my house. I don’t have any holes in the main beam, but my floors bounce and squeak like an old station wagon. Of course, I’ll have to get a professional opinion first.

[@ianhop]

Allen Cruce prob just need to scab some joists along your existing ones. Pretty easy fix

[@briancnc]

Great fixes, but a few mistakes were made. Always deburr and clean copper pipes (ID & OD) before making connections, even with sharkbites. Also, the way he cut a close fit clearance hole in the L channel bracket for the copper pipe to fit through will eventually cause corrosion. (Dissimilar metals in contact, running water as the electrolyte) This exact fix was done in my house when a hack ran plumbing just nearly cutting the joist in half. Over time the angle iron in contact with copper pipes corroded and caused leaks in my garage on my vehicle. When I cut it all out to replace it and fix the problem, I split the pipes in half on my bandsaw to see how bad it was, and the copper walls were perforated, paper thin wherever in contact with the steel. You can also avoid this by putting a rubber grommet, or anything to isolate the metals. Otherwise a stout fix as always.

[@ben-vf]

briancnc yes incompatibility of metals is often overlooked . Good points.

[@brianbuckley998]

While I don't think they showed it, the pipes did look like they had been deburred. It also looked like the hole in the angle iron was drilled slightly larger than the hole in the beam. I agree that a rubber grommet would be a very simple addition that would prevent any contact though.

[@jchappell2120]

Good points Brian

[@fhuber7507]

Even just rolling a couple of layers of typing paper around the copper and shoving in to prevent contact with the steel would greatly improve it. Very simple and very little clearance needed.

[@RubbinRobbin]

These cues are all spoilers for the next episode when tretheway fixes all of Tommy’s mistakes.

[@N3VADAN]

This was amazing to watch.

[@crissy214]

Tom Silva doing plumbing, Never thought I would see that

[@Kauppamopo]

4:29 homeowner on the right: *"what im doing here"*

[@bassfishermanify]

Should have used a longer metal beam support to span from metal post to metal post. The top of each metal post would be directly under each end of the metal beam support. Instead of relying on the screws for the load. Seeing as screws have a low sheer strength. I'm sure the screws are structural grade though. Great video though.

[@brustar5152]

Exactly this! Wondered about that myself. Another issue is angle not being required but two 3/8" thick plates through bolted and "clamp" tightened would replace the lost bearing capacity of that main beam had they been sistered to the outside of that beam to past both steel posts.

[@Mr4starrguy]

Iron beam is over kill but if worried about strength put a lolly column under it. Instead of screws use through bolts.

[@garysouza2277]

@@Mr4starrguy-Who knows how long the house has sat with that 4" hole cut out of the beam.. Something's better than nothing, and nothing's what he had, so all the "engineers" who are criticizing like to talk...

[@obfuscated3090]

@@Mr4starrguy Steel (iron is no longer used) is cheap and overkill is always good. Weldor here who would have used much more of it. Wood is used because it's cheap, not because it's good.

[@petermeitzler9981]

This is fantastic! Thank you!

[@jdubya54]

Tom Silva. Da man!!!!