I want to thank everyone who gave me advice and encouragement and tips. I would like to thank you individually, but at this point I am physically and emotionally exhausted. Let me just bring you all up to date.
1.I submitted a sample to an EPA certified asbestos testing lab today.
2.The assessor came in this week and took pictures and , looked in the attic for water damage and said it looked like it was just pulled down by gravity. There doesn’t appear to be any water damage or roof damage.
3. The crack isn’t widening or getting longer, but the drywall around it is sagging more.
4. I just contacted my handyman to come in on monday and put in some structural supports to hold off the collapse.
5. I bought some large heavy duty tarps to cover some furniture in the room in case the ceiling goes, and block the access to next room.
6. I suckered my neighbor to take an antique cabinet my father left me and told him the rule was he had to take the mid century liquor bottles too.
7 I unloaded a 12 place setting of white china with a half inch gold rim on a friend because She’s starting to have grandchildren and wants to ‘go fancy’ for thanksgiving some day.
8 Same thing for 8 place setting of wine, water, and liquer glasses to someone else.
9 I can’t tell how many trips there have been to Salvation Army
10 The sad emotional thing about this is everyone who left things to me (things I didn’t want) they’re all dead now. And after I took care of my mother’s estate I don’t want to leave things to my cousin (my ‘heir’) that become a burden.
The incident of the ceiling that is falling is grinding to an end. May have another turn down from the insurance company around Xmas.
The structural engineer just left. He’s puzzled, but found the nails–litterally smooth sided nails–holding up the drywall, have loosend over the years and the weight of the drywall and texurizer is pulling the ceiling down.
Something like this: Spontaneous Ceiling Collapse | Hensel Plastering, LLC
We had quite a chat because I had read several articles about it. Then he pulled one nail out and I put it in a plastic bag–for memories I guess.
Will my insurance company cover it? IF they do, it will be a surprise Xmas present, because it’s probably not (coverable) wear and tear).
I am sorry you are still having trouble. It can take a long time to nail down cause of loss. We can usually figure it out promptly but in cases where it is not obvious it can be left to the homeowner to establish cause of loss. Insurance pays us a basic fee to inspect and estimate, which only allows for a limited amount of time spent.
Adjusters are usually looking for us to define if the cause was sudden and accidental. It does not sound like that is the case. I have to say though that anytime I have seen drywall sagging it was related to moisture. It is very odd that it has sagged due to wear and tear, if so
I suspect not enough nails were used.
Not five minutes ago, the roof inspector left. It’s just awful.
There was not just water in my family room this morning (from rain last night) but there had been leakage as long as a year ago.
I called a structural engineer and he sent a Roof inspector, but before he got there, I had someone cut a hole in the ceiling big enough to get into. No one else had inspected the space above the ceiling before with that much access.
I’m a little confused here, because carpenter talk, so if I have this right, and I may be wrong.There was something about the joists were connected to the rafters with something smaller than a 2x4. 1x2? There’s no air circulation under the roof, the flashing in the corner of the bathroom upstairs which was an addition, was installed badly and the caulk had been installed over the nails over the flashing and that seems to be where the leak originated.
I’m sorry I’m not more clear on this, I had to interpret what he was saying.
I don’t know if the insurance will cover this, but they’re talking about a second claim.
Well it sounds to me like it is all related, but it may be easier for them to act on it if they treat it as a second claim. The fact that they are suggests to me that they are trying to help you.
It does not sound good to me though. If I understand right, allowance was not made for airflow in the attic, this is a workmanship issue, not sudden and accidental. Some attic spaces are intentionally not vented however, this is common with a lot of older style flat roofs, and in that case the builder did nothing wrong.
Somehow the roof has leaked though and if you can show that it is due to a sudden event that your policy covers, you are in luck. Hail and wind are typical, but if you are in a region with winter, snow and ice can also damage the roof and allow water in.
That’s the first hopeful news I’ve heard since this started. I feel a little better.
I also found out my handyman will go up on a roof for minor repairs. And as a good customer for 20 years,he’ll do the caulking on the weekend. It will take less than an hour. That will take a load off my nerves.
Yesterday while I was out, my handyman got upon my roof and caulked not only the flashing that the roof inspector pointed out as causing the direct leak we were looking for, but the others that he mentioned as as aside. For $80 . And sent pictures!
Well I still have to fix the structural issue and the ceiling.
Been a long time since I’ve posted on the leak in my ceiling, and it took 11 months to get the leak repaired, due to the COVID. I got a good deal since my contractor didn’t overcharge me. One contractor bid $37K. It ended up costing me only $9,000.
You can buy thin 3/8 sheet rock. Apply directly over the damaged & loose ceiling. Use long drywall (2 1/2" long) screws directly into the ceiling joists. You’ll definitely need a screw gun.
I’ve done it for a lead abatement job. The homeowner had peeling paint. Removing the old sheet rock and creating dust was too dangerous.