[jhillman]

I am finishing my basement and have just one room left that I need to run a heating duct to. My main heating duct runs parallel to the one bearing wall that goes down the middle of my basement. The room I need to heat is on the other side of the bearing wall. I planned to put a new duct takeoff on top of the main duct and run it over the bearing wall and into the room I need to heat. I noticed recently that there are pieces of wood between every floor joist above the bearing wall that completely block access to the room. The only openings are where there are other ducts servicing the upper floor. Does anyone know the purpose of these plates of wood and if it is safe to remove one? Here is a picture of the wood I am talking about:

 

[yuri]

I would NOT remove them until I talked to a structural engineer. If they are load bearing then they are there for a reason. Most builders don't waste wood for no reason. I also noticed that your joists join in that area.

 

[Aggie67]

Those are draft blocks, smoke blocks, blocking, etc, depending on where you live (local vernacular varies). Code requirement in most all code books. Talk to your inspector and tell him what you want to do, and ask him what you can do to comply.

 

[yuri]

Aggie, why should we pull a permit? Thems cost money.

 

[Aggie67]

Aggie, why should we pull a permit? Thems cost money.

I'm sure Yuri knows, but for everyone else, do a google search for the following words:

permits the property insurer and lawsuits

Click on the link for the No Lawsuit Guide to Real Estate Transactions. It should open up to the passage on doing work without permits.

 

[beenthere]

All of a sudden, you want everything legal.


Always check your local codes, before removing blocking/bridges.

May only have to replace it close to original location.
Or, they may say you have to cut a hole in it, and pass your pipes through it.

Remember: Your insurance company has 2 kinds of lawyers working for them.

One kind to prevent or minimize how much they pay to someone that sues you.
One kind to prevent or minimize from paying you.

 

[jhillman]

Those are draft blocks, smoke blocks, blocking, etc, depending on where you live (local vernacular varies). Code requirement in most all code books. Talk to your inspector and tell him what you want to do, and ask him what you can do to comply.

Thanks for the clarification. I will call the city tomorrow to talk to an inspector about what my options are.

 

[COLDIRON]

First sentence

All of a sudden, you want everything legal.


Always check your local codes, before removing blocking/bridges.

May only have to replace it close to original location.
Or, they may say you have to cut a hole in it, and pass your pipes through it.

Remember: Your insurance company has 2 kinds of lawyers working for them.

One kind to prevent or minimize how much they pay to someone that sues you.
One kind to prevent or minimize from paying you.

CHECK OUT THE FIRST SENTENCE "WISE GUY " tHAT'S WHAT HE IS A WISE GUY WITH KNOWLEDGE.

 

[beenthere]

CHECK OUT THE FIRST SENTENCE "WISE GUY " tHAT'S WHAT HE IS A WISE GUY WITH KNOWLEDGE.

Better to be a wise guy.

Then someone with chip on shoulder.

 

[Wildie]

I think that kctermite covered fire blocking thoroughly, in an earlier post!
I'm left with the impression that the wood blocking could be removed and be replaced with sheet metal. It would then be necessary to cut a hole in the sheet metal, to accommodate the heat duct!

 

[Mazz]

If it's just for heating I'd run the ductwork down along the wall and have the vent near the floor. I guess it's OK too for cooling.