As previously mentioned I'm going to use elbows but keep the conversation going. I'm learning a lot here.
Can you safely box in a truss?
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Rearscreen
Minister of Fire
Since he's only cutting the bottom of the truss, possibly (Im no engineer I just play one on TV...literally) what if a steel I beam was welded into a 12" x 12" square and that became a substitute for the cut out wood piece with pipe running through the middle then the elbow. If it were me personally, I'd like to visually see a straight shot up from where I sit.
How would he only cut the bottom cord? To keep clearances the whole thing needs to go, or elbow in the attic.
Just to make sure everyone is on the same page here. It's very common to box in a rafter, not a truss. Trusses are engineered and often operating at a minimum. No professional would cut that truss unless it was approved and inspected and signed off on by an engineer.
Rearscreen
Minister of Fire
Truss me, I understand. Cutting a truss is a no no in my book. However, what I am suggesting would not compromise the truss at all and would give a clean look in the living space. If rwhite is interested I can draw it and save him years of looking at an elbow in the room. An elbow in the attic was discussed earlier in the discussion.
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I was opposed to having an offset in the room until necessity forced me to accept it when I changed out the Castine for the T6. Now we barely notice it. Not a big deal.
Yes Webby a truss cannot be legally cut without having an engineer sign off on a revisal.
That said if you cut the bottom of it, Tee the pipe in the attic and brace the living chit out of the entire roof assembly you'll be fine. The bottom cord acts as a main collar tie for the truss. If he ran full length 2x whatever will fit height wise and went on either side of the cut truss. Tie those from sill plate to sill plate and then brace across to the cut truss from either side and then back to the adjacent trusses it would actually add structure to the entire thing.
Other option would be to cut the bottom chord, Tee the pipe right as it enters the attic and then sister full length 2x8 or so on either side of the truss as low as you can (respect clearances). Nail it off to all points of the truss web that it crosses and you essentially have your bottom chord back, just moved up slightly.
Sounds like a lot of work but it really would take longer to explain it than do it. To me it'd be preferable to looking at that elbow every day in the living space.
That said if you cut the bottom of it, Tee the pipe in the attic and brace the living chit out of the entire roof assembly you'll be fine. The bottom cord acts as a main collar tie for the truss. If he ran full length 2x whatever will fit height wise and went on either side of the cut truss. Tie those from sill plate to sill plate and then brace across to the cut truss from either side and then back to the adjacent trusses it would actually add structure to the entire thing.
Other option would be to cut the bottom chord, Tee the pipe right as it enters the attic and then sister full length 2x8 or so on either side of the truss as low as you can (respect clearances). Nail it off to all points of the truss web that it crosses and you essentially have your bottom chord back, just moved up slightly.
Sounds like a lot of work but it really would take longer to explain it than do it. To me it'd be preferable to looking at that elbow every day in the living space.
All sounds easy enough, until you add 24" of insulation, wiring, return air ducts, and limited working space... There's a lot of things to worry about in this world, elbows ain't one em!
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