How I Missed It
During my pre-purchase inspection, I climbed into the attic. Looked around with my flashlight. Checked the insulation depth, looked at the sheathing, examined the visible framing.
The problem was in the back corner. Behind the HVAC unit. I saw the ductwork, noted the unit looked reasonably installed, and didn't crawl all the way back there. It was December. Cold air was blowing through the soffit vents. I was in a hurry.
Inspectors are human. We make judgment calls about what to examine closely and what to glance at. I made a bad call. It cost me.
What the Previous Owner Did
Based on what I found, here's what happened. At some point, probably in the 1990s based on the HVAC equipment age, someone installed a new furnace and air handler in the attic.
The unit didn't quite fit where they wanted to put it. Two rafters were in the way. Instead of repositioning the equipment or installing proper headers, they just cut the rafters.
Not clean cuts, either. These were jagged saw cuts about 16 inches from the ridge. Each cut rafter was now two separate pieces with nothing connecting them.
The Ductwork Hack Job
It got worse. The main trunk line ran perpendicular to the rafters, which is fine. But they'd also notched three other rafters to run branch ducts. Deep notches, about 2 inches into 2x6 rafters.
Those notches were right in the middle third of the span. That's the worst possible location for notches because that's where bending stress is highest.
My old inspector mentor, Tom, used to say: "The middle third is where lumber breaks." He was right.
Why Nobody Noticed
The roof wasn't visibly sagging. Not yet. The sheathing was holding things together, and the roof loads in my area (mild winters, no major snow) weren't enough to cause immediate failure.
But one of the cut rafters had deflected about 1/2 inch. You could see it if you sighted down the rafter line. That deflection was working its way through the ceiling drywall below. Hence the crack that finally sent me into the attic for a closer look.
The Ceiling Crack That Started It
The crack appeared in our master bedroom ceiling about three years ago. A diagonal line, maybe 18 inches long, running from near the exterior wall toward the center of the room.
My wife Maria noticed it first. "Is that crack new?" she asked one morning.
I looked at it. Figured it was just the house settling or thermal movement. Told her I'd patch it eventually.
The crack got longer. Slowly, over months. By the time I finally decided to investigate, it was nearly three feet long and had spawned a secondary crack branching off from it.
That's when I got serious. Cracks that grow aren't settling. Something is moving.
What I Found Up There
I grabbed my good flashlight, my phone for photos, and crawled back to that corner I'd avoided during the purchase inspection.
The Cut Rafters
Two rafters, completely severed. The ends weren't even close to each other anymore. About a 3/4 inch gap had opened up where each cut was made.
The roof sheathing was holding everything in position, but it was never designed to do that. Sheathing is a diaphragm, not a beam. It wasn't meant to span unsupported spaces.
One of the cut sections had rotated slightly. I could see daylight through the gap between the pieces. That rafter was doing absolutely nothing structurally.
The Notched Rafters
Three more rafters with notches for ductwork. The deepest notch was about 2 inches into a rafter that was only 5.5 inches deep. That's removing more than a third of the lumber at the most stressed location.
One of the notched rafters had a visible crack running from the notch toward the bearing end. The wood was failing exactly where Tom said it would.
The Missing Collar Ties
While I was up there, I noticed something else. Several collar ties had been removed or cut. Collar ties are the horizontal members that connect opposing rafters and keep them from spreading apart.
Without collar ties, the weight of the roof pushes the walls outward. Our exterior walls hadn't moved noticeably, but the missing ties explained some cracks we'd seen at the wall-ceiling junction in other rooms.
Getting It Fixed
I called a structural engineer the next day. Tom's old advice: when you find something scary, get a real expert.
The Engineer's Assessment
The engineer, Dr. Patricia Vance, spent about an hour in the attic. She took measurements, photos, and made notes. Very thorough.
Her report confirmed what I suspected: the modifications had compromised the roof structure. The two cut rafters were now non-functional. The notched rafters had reduced capacity. The missing collar ties were allowing some spreading.
She provided specific repair recommendations. Sister new rafters alongside the damaged ones. Add hangers or scabs to restore the cut sections. Install new collar ties at proper spacing.
The assessment cost $475. Worth every penny for the clarity it provided.
The Repair Work
I got three bids from contractors who do structural work. The winning bid was $6,200, which included:
Sistering new 2x8 rafters alongside the two cut rafters, running the full span from ridge to bearing wall.
Adding structural scabs and steel plates to reinforce the notched rafters.
Installing eight new collar ties where they'd been removed.
Repositioning a section of ductwork that was still creating conflicts.
The work took two days. Most of it was done from inside the attic, though they had to remove some ceiling drywall for access.
Total Cost
Engineer: $475
Structural repairs: $6,200
Drywall repair and painting: $900 (I hired this out rather than doing it myself)
Total: $7,575
Not cheap. But far less than if the roof had actually failed. And now I can sleep at night knowing the structure is sound.
Common Attic Framing Problems
My situation isn't unusual. Here's what I see regularly when inspecting attics.
HVAC Modifications
HVAC contractors sometimes cut or notch framing to run ductwork. They're focused on airflow, not structural engineering. Some do it right with proper headers. Many don't.
Anytime you see ducts running through or around rafters, look closely at whether the framing was modified.
Storage Platform Cuts
Homeowners who want attic storage sometimes cut away web members from trusses to create usable floor space. This is particularly dangerous because trusses are engineered systems. Removing any member can cause failure of the whole truss.
The rule is simple: never cut a truss without an engineer's approval. Ever.
Collar Tie Removal
Collar ties obstruct headroom in finished attic spaces. People remove them without understanding they're structural. Over time, the roof spreads and the exterior walls bow outward.
Improper Repairs
Well-meaning but unqualified repairs. Boards nailed across cracks instead of proper sistering. Collar ties replaced with undersized lumber. Support posts resting on ceiling drywall instead of bearing walls.
Sometimes these "repairs" are more dangerous than the original damage.
What to Look For in Your Attic
If you have attic access, here's what to check.
Sight Down the Rafters
Stand at one end and look along the rafter lines toward the other end. They should be straight. Bows, dips, or deflection indicate problems.
Check Every Rafter
Walk (carefully) along the attic and visually inspect each rafter. Look for cuts, notches, cracks, rot, or insect damage. Pay special attention around HVAC equipment and ductwork.
Verify Collar Ties
Collar ties should be present at every third rafter pair at minimum, and more frequently is better. They should be properly attached with nails or screws at each end.
Look for Modifications
Fresh-looking lumber among old lumber. Areas where insulation was disturbed. Ductwork running in unexpected directions. These can indicate modifications worth examining closely.
Don't Assume Anything
Previous owners may have done things you wouldn't expect. I certainly didn't expect someone to cut through load-bearing rafters and leave them hanging. But they did.
The Lesson I Learned
Inspect thoroughly, even when you're the expert. Especially when you're the expert. Overconfidence is dangerous.
I knew attics. I knew what to look for. I thought a quick walk-through was enough. It wasn't.
If I'd crawled to that back corner in 2012, I'd have found those cut rafters immediately. I'd have either negotiated a repair or walked away from the house. Instead, I owned the problem for ten years before discovering it.
Now when I inspect attics professionally, I get into every accessible corner. Even when it's cold. Even when it's cramped. Because the problems are always hiding in the places you don't want to go.