sagging roof/ceiling

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Hi,
I'm working on my neighbors single wide mobile home with a metal roof here in southern California. The problem is a sagging ceiling and roof. She thinks it started a couple of years ago when she had it re-roofed and the weight of the workers walking around on the roof started the sagging. I've removed the stained ceiling panels and a good 2 gallons of water sitting there. Looking at the trusses, one can see they have been pushed down a good 5 inches. The bottom board of the truss which the ceiling panels adhere to is not straight or horizontal as it should be, it is now bowed and the top board which should be bowed is now straight. Please see photos.
I have the 4x4 and jack to push everything back into place. I've noticed some of the small metal support brackets between the two boards have popped out. I've read your Forum about placing plywood to the trusses for added support. My question is: should the plywood go on before I jack it up or after its in place? Or does it matter? I was also thinking of running a 2x4 across as the bottom board of the truss (for added support) and keep the 1x2's as the top board for their bowing abilities. I just keep thinking what's going to hold up the trusses after I get them in place. I remove the jack and they pop back to their sag? I would appreciate any thoughts, wisdoms, ideas, etc. on this matter.

popsicleblues

P.S. Your website, the information, and the people are by far the best. All your hard work is appreciated!
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Once trusses are sagged like that in the photo it will be near impossible to get them perfectly strait again.

You can fish plate the trusses while they are jacked up to see if that would help. I would use 1/2 inch real plywood and many screws on a trial section to see how well it will work. You will need to do both sides of the truss to prevent twisting. Once you get the fish plating done release the temporary jack and see how well it holds the truss up. Caution!! I have done this before and what I did was to over jack the trusses a bit then fish plate. I did this so when the temporary support was removed the trusses naturally will relax a bit even when fish plated and this seemed to prevent it. If you do this be careful not to jack to much. You do not want to disturb the roof any more than necessary.
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I hav the same problem in one of my rooms.I havnt tore out the ceiling.But figured I would run a 4x4 across room for suport.It would be seen but Im making everything rustic and will sand the 4x4 to make it look ok.
This maybe off topic alittl bit.Wen you took the out the ceiling was there paper up between the metal roof and trusses? Im redoing sum of my ceiling cuz of condensation.I asked about this belo.I replaced the paper I found in the ceiling with black roof paper.But Im wondering if that mite catch on fire from the heat of the metal.I covered my trusses with plywood in this area on both sides and was thinking about puting plywood between the joist up close to the metal.And covering the ceiling with plywood befor finishing the ceiling.
Any advice,ideas or criticism.Good luk with your trusses.
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I would run a 4x4 across room for support??

How are you going to support the 4X4's. Depending upon the loading of the raised trusses the particle board or plywood floor will not take much load in a 4X4 concentrated spot for the stiff leg to the floor. You could try and hit a floor joist but they are usually 12 to 16 inches in from the wall on most mobiles because the first joist is usually under the wall so you cannot get to it.
You might try to open the floor and use joist hangers to set a 4X4 or double 2X4's under the spot where the stiff leg for the truss support will be. Just a thought.
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Hi,

Would you guys mind separating these post. The questions are similar but yet we need to keep them separate so that each poster gets the proper response. Kritter please repost your question in a new thread.

Thanks, ~Yanita~
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Hi,
Thanks for the information. I will try the plywood technique and let you know how it works. When I opened the ceiling there was the regular insulation. Next to the metal was 1/4 inch light weight board type insulation. You can see it in the photos. It has a brown exterior and white interior. I had to remove most of it do to water damage. Which brings another question. Should I try to replace this 1/4" board or just go with regular insulation? Would painting the metal with one of the thick rubberized materials help any?
thanks
popsicleblues
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Hello,
This is my first time here and I hope I get this right.
I moved into a double wide 3 years ago that is from the early 1960's it is here in Florida and the roof has also been walked on to "Cool Seal" for leaks and the weight of it actually caved in the panel inside. The trusses are 1 x 1's with pieces of paneling sandwiched in between
so there are 2 - 1 x 1's with a piece of paneling and that is on the top board and the bottom board. It has no bracing or side to side support and they ultimately snapped in two. The cheap ceiling panels constructed of something similar to drywall but not drywall cracked and fell in multiple places throughout the house. I attempted to brace and shore up the structure with no success, The outer walls are 1 x 2's and they are 36" apart! there is little or no support for the roof but being as lite as it is, it is not surprising. So!! I tore down the walls and built 2 x 4 outer walls and spanned them with 2x 6 roof trusses and replaced the roof with plywood and shingles. This was the only option I had. Has any one seen this type of poor workmanship in any of their older mobile homes?? I thought that like most older wood homes they would be better built than a production home today, But I was and am sadly mistaken.
Okay, sorry for the long winded story. And thanks to Mark for allowing me to come aboard.
Sincerely,
Tim;-)
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Popsickle, I suspect from your discription thst the walking on the roof did not cause the damage, it may have been what STARTED the problem. If you founf water between the roof & ceiling there is a leak somewhere. the water is what caused the ceiling to sag.

Tim, Homes that old are what we call "pre HUD". There were no standards back then. It was up to the builders to determine how the home was constructed, some were built like battleships, some like paper airplanes.
BTW, welcome to the forum, in the future please start a new thread for your questions, it makes it much easier for everyone to track it and make sure you get an answer. Greg
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Hi Tim,

Welcome aboard! Yep, your method is about the best you can do. Fixing those old trusses can be about impossible, to say the least.

Thanks for the information!

Maureen 8-)
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