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Houston, we have a serious problem. Need a carpenter/engineer's advice asap

Mark_C

Staff member
Officer Emeritus
NJRC Member
Moderator
So, tank has been up in my study for almost a year.
Up against the wall, over a couple of beams that run horizontal with the tank, not perpendicular.
Yesterday, while walking across the (hardwood) floor, it felt like a few panels were loose, they were creaky.
I looked at the tank from the side.



IMG_0676.jpeg

This was level when I installed and filled.
Now the front of the tank is now 1/8" below the back of the tank.
I think it's bowing the floor.

Is this a crisis I need to address now or can it wait a couple of weeks?
My 200 pounds is often around the tank perimeter and I dont feel any shifting of the floor.

I have 2 kids in the house around the tank at times.
Is this safe?

I plan to break down and relocate, but may need to hire someone to help me determine a safe place to put the tank.
If my floor cant handle the 130-140g I may have to move to a smaller tank, maybe a 90 as I had previously.

If anyone can offer any professional assistance I'm happy to pay for their time.

Experienced advice and opinions are welcome.
 
If the floor joists are running along the length of the tank you may only be sitting on 1 or 2 and the plywood and flooring is all that's tying them together. Without removing the ceiling below,jacking the floor and sistering the joists and bolting them together and creating a web style connection to the joists around it I'd fear the middle of the night floor failure and a tank tipping or worse falling through.
 
So, tank has been up in my study for almost a year.
Up against the wall, over a couple of beams that run horizontal with the tank, not perpendicular.
Yesterday, while walking across the (hardwood) floor, it felt like a few panels were loose, they were creaky.
I looked at the tank from the side.



View attachment 28069

This was level when I installed and filled.
Now the front of the tank is now 1/8" below the back of the tank.
I think it's bowing the floor.

Is this a crisis I need to address now or can it wait a couple of weeks?
My 200 pounds is often around the tank perimeter and I dont feel any shifting of the floor.

I have 2 kids in the house around the tank at times.
Is this safe?

I plan to break down and relocate, but may need to hire someone to help me determine a safe place to put the tank.
If my floor cant handle the 130-140g I may have to move to a smaller tank, maybe a 90 as I had previously.

If anyone can offer any professional assistance I'm happy to pay for their time.

Experienced advice and opinions are welcome.
The question is. Is there access to under the floor under the tank. If there is. Than it is addressable
 

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
First off buy toilet paper,
and after that I would try to move the tank to a side of the room to where the floor joists run perpendicular to the length of the tank.
as far as a time frame it didn’t bow in one night so get it moved as soon as you can but I’m sure it will be ok for a couple weeks.
 
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