Pole on front porch is loose - how urgent is this?
Question:I live in an early 1980s ranch style (approx 1100 sq feet) home with a carport on the side and a small eve over a small concrete front porch. The front porch and carport are supported by 5 cedar posts - 3 on the side of the carport and two on the front porch.
Recently (within the last year), I had one replaced (cedar).
I just walked out there and realized it's barely attached!
I don't know if this is very recent or has been this way since I got it "fixed" - - but either way I am going to call the fix-it company on Monday and ask them to make it right.
Until then, how urgent is this? Like, should I freak out and try to get it fixed urgently or can it wait for a bit?
Thanks,
Summer
PS- By "barely attached", I mean it's NOT attached on the bottom and loose on the top. I could remove it with one strong push.
Answers:
Carol S is right. Since you can move it, it has no load on it. Probably what happened is that the replacement post shrank over time and so it became loose. The solution is to drive a shim, (wedged piece of wood), under the post. If the repair person comes, he'll probably jack up the roof a little and shim the bottom.
Don't be concerned unless the post can fall and hurt someone.
I doubt that this is holding the roof up. The roof is attached from one end to the other and it apparently is strong enough to hold it all together without the post. I don't think you have an emergency situation. If the weight was on that post it would be pushed down to the ground. Take your time get a better price. Good Luck
If it is that loose it is not providing any support. at all
Might try wedging a slightly longer a 2x4 next to it to carry the load temporarily till you can replace the cedar post.
Check the top & bottom of the existing post .
If it has blackened ,gone soft & you cant find much of the original nails, likely that common bright or galvanized nails were used.
Best to prime the ends of the new post & use stainless steel
screws.
They come in long sizes & have small heads which are easy to countersink & wood putty over
Cedar will cause regular nails to corrode in a hurry.
Cedar railing on my porch almost fell out after just a few years.
No sign of nails which were just shot in w/ nailgun by the jenious who built it.
Best regards
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