Notching joists gives me hives just thinking about it. My neighbor went that route for a bathroom vent, and now he’s dealing with sagging drywall and a whole mess of “should’ve done it different” regrets.
I get the fear—cutting into structure always feels like tempting fate. But I’ve seen notching work out okay if it’s done right and kept shallow. My uncle’s a stickler for code, and he swears by those metal reinforcement plates you can bolt on after a notch. Not saying it’s ideal, but sometimes there’s just no way around it if you want everything to line up.
About those adjustable brackets, I actually had better luck than expected last fall. The ones I used had extra holes for lag bolts, so I could cheat the spacing a bit without shims. Still had to get creative with my drill, but at least I didn’t invent new curse words this time. Maybe it depends on the brand or just dumb luck.
Eco caulk is a heartbreaker, though. Tried it in Oklahoma—same story as you: dust by spring. I did hear some folks in milder climates have better luck, but for us, seems like the old stuff is still king... even if it feels wrong using it.
Notching joists gives me hives just thinking about it.
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from. I’ve seen too many “quick fixes” turn into long-term headaches after a storm rolls through. Still, if you reinforce properly and keep the notch minimal, it’s not always a disaster. Those metal plates can make a real difference—just don’t skip them or cheap out. And yeah, eco caulk... I wanted to love it, but in Texas heat it just crumbled away by summer. Sometimes the old formulas stick around for a reason.
Notching made me nervous too, but my attic’s got those low-clearance trusses, so I didn’t have much choice if I wanted the fan centered. Here’s what I did: marked out the smallest notch possible, used a multi-tool (way less mess than a saw), then added a beefy metal plate over it. Not pretty, but it’s solid. If you’re in Texas, skip the eco caulk—mine turned into dust by July. Old-school stuff held up way better, even if it smells weird for a few days.
- Notching trusses always makes me pause. Even a small notch can weaken things more than folks realize, especially if it’s in the middle third of the span.
- Metal plate helps, but I’d keep an eye for any signs of sagging over time.
- Multi-tool is a smart call—less vibration than a sawzall, so less chance of cracks.
- On caulk: totally agree about the eco stuff in Texas. I’ve seen it crumble in attics by late summer. Butyl or polyurethane holds up, just gotta air out the place for a bit.
- If you ever redo it, maybe offset the fan slightly to avoid notching? Not ideal for airflow, but sometimes better structurally.
Notching trusses always makes me nervous too—did you notice any flex after the install, or has it held up so far? I’m curious if the metal plate actually made a difference long-term. I’ve had mixed luck with those “eco” caulks in Texas heat...they just don’t last. Did you consider shifting the fan to avoid the truss, or was that just not possible with your roof layout? Sometimes airflow takes a back seat to structure, I guess.