Worry

Naturally i want everything to work out fine, and i worry that stuff will go wrong so i try to fix the world around me so that it goes right. Of course this contradicts the immutable Second Law of Thermodynamics therefore my life is destined to be stressful, so long as I am looking after myself that is.



Talking of stress, and the reason for this post really, is my latest worry on the building is the weight burden on a certain steal beam which holds up a wall, half a roof, and soon, so it seems, a new ceiling of considerable weight. The beam is mottled with rust spots, seems to have a slight sag on it, and sits on a column of brick that seems to have cracked away from the main wall.  The same column also holds another steel  beam which also holds up a wall and a roof.



Without mentioning any details i ask my builder if there is any concern for weight. He seems unconcerned.

Building control is coming today on another matter, i will raise the issue from a side angle.
My father is an engineer and is coming later anyway so I can ask him also.

Watch this space.

* * *

The next day

So no big deal, as expected. I expected the worry, just not the big deal. My dad the engineer didn't seem too concerned, the weight being taken is not large for this type of beam, and there is no evidence of wall cracking from the other side which was hard-wall plastered 18 years ago. Apparently the beam had in it's history also held up another steal beam perpendicular to it about the centre, and this beam supported the lifting of engines and other heavy mechanical parts of vehicles at a time when the building was used as a garage. So the beam of concern had been well tested in it's history.

That said, it maybe just as well to put in some ties on the cracked side of the wall.

Also the new lobby housing the staircase will act as additional support.

Am I still worried? Ok, a teeny bit, but I can live with that.