My Ceiling is Falling/Collapsing...Help? (1 Viewer)

[rascal]

bump

 

[shadyridr]

bump

hopefully not on his head

 

[Steve Tasker]

talked to uni, he said it's fine to crash at his place.

It (literally) wouldn't be the first time.

Last time he drove me to Whataburger at like 11 PM and demanded I get a value meal, and then ordered me a Powerade to drink, even though I only wanted a sandwich.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Their general contractor came over this morning and I gave him a quick look around. I guess he's a longtime family friend of theirs who has done/supervised various projects at the house over the years. Some notes per my landlord via text:

- contractor works with a "plaster/drywall guy" who handles jobs like this very regularly. This is a very common problem among houses built before 1900 (of which the city of Buffalo has a lot). The plan is to reinforce the existing plaster to the lath and then plaster over it.

- it is safe to continue sleeping in the room, the wall and partial ceiling opposite the collapse were "reinforced" a few years ago.

- their plan is to go room by room throughout the place and determine where any weak spots are and then reinforce the plaster as a preventive measure. They will patch the plaster in the bedroom but should be able to get the job done without taking down the rest of the plaster in the room.

- there is no timetable for when this construction will take place. She is in the process of setting up an appt with the plaster contractor.

 

[Johnny Rock]

Seems like adding a bunch of extra weight to plaster that may be separating from the lath will only exacerbate the problem. I'm curious how they actually reinforce it.

 

[skol asylum]

Time to find a new place to live.

 

[Sand]

Posting from phone - picture of ceiling - http://i.imgur.com/0T8y5pE.jpg

Have they done a test for asbestos yet? If not, why the #### are you posting instead of getting out?

It's impossible to know if the fuzz type material (looks like it from the picture) is asbestos, but you do not want to find out the hard way.

Be smart, get out, and have it tested. Your brother should be doing the same.

Asbestos in plaster will be pretty locked in, unlike pipe insulation (which is felt-like). And it isn't like you "catch the asbestos" and you're dead a week later. It takes a decent bit to do damage to your lungs (so much hype about the stuff). In plaster the stuff wouldn't worry me much. In pipe insulation I'd wanting abatement immediately.

 

[ROCKET]

Seems like adding a bunch of extra weight to plaster that may be separating from the lath will only exacerbate the problem. I'm curious how they actually reinforce it.

Exactly.

If they go around and screw plaster "buttons" ( round metal washers) to try and hold the ceiling together then they are wasting their time. The keys have broken off with age and the integrity of the ceiling is gone. Sounds like a cheap fix to me that won't hold up for long.