An Uplifting Experience
Truss uplift has nothing to do with plastic surgery or under- garments. It is a phenomenon common in homes built with roof trusses as opposed to rafters.
If a house suffers from truss uplift, the top floor ceilings literally lift off the interior walls in the winter. They drop back down in the summer. Needless to say, this is a tad disconcerting to the homeowner. At first glance, one might assume that the floors have settled. Actually the ceiling has gone up – sometimes creating a gap of as much as two inches where interior walls meet the ceilings.
What is a Truss?
Trusses are prefabricated structural assemblies which hold up the roof and the top floor ceilings. Trusses tend to be a stronger lighter and less expensive approach to roof framing.
Trusses are strong because they make use of the most efficient geometric shape we know of – the triangle. Trusses are a series of triangles fastened together with gusset plates. The outside members of a truss are called chords while the inner pieces are known as webs.
