Getting the band back together.
What is a band?
Another term with many meanings.
Today, we are most interested in the band in your crawlspace. Usually, there is also a second band between the floors in a two-story home.
This band is, usually, two boards that run the perimeter of the house and support the exterior walls of the home.
This part of the framing is crucial. The floor joists connect to it, supporting the floors. The walls sit on it, meaning all the exterior walls, doors and windows, depend on the band for support.
Sometimes, people call the band a sill, but it’s actually the name of another board nearby. The band should sit on top of a sill. Sometimes, people call the band a rim joist, but only if it’s not connected to any joists.
We often notice damage to the band near exterior doorways and where decks connect to the house.
When the paint wears off or the door is damaged, water can easily reach the band through the door frame. Doorways without protection, such as a patio sliding door without an awning, often face this issue. Decks attached to the house are usually bolted to the band. Without flashing, water gets trapped and rots the band. Termites can also make a mess of a band, but they don’t care if there is a deck or door there.
Repairing the band under a house is challenging, but it won’t make you as popular as being in a band.