| Before you start, make sure you understand all of | | | | structural element of the house. If it does, you will |
| the wall's functions and know how well they can be | | | | have to limit the width of the opening to 14 feet, |
| served when it's gone. Check to be certain that the | | | | because a bigger span entails too many risks and |
| space the wall divides will not seem ill-proportioned | | | | difficulties. To replace the weight-carrying function of |
| without it. Note that besides serving as a partition a | | | | the wall, you will have to install a visible overhead |
| wall may carry pipes, wires or heat ducts. Keep in | | | | beam, as well as end posts for this beam that may |
| mind that although removing a wall may join two | | | | also be visible, so that instead of removing the wall |
| spaces together it does not actually add any more | | | | without a trace you make an arch. These intrusions |
| space than the few square feet in which the wall | | | | can be minimized by surfacing the structural members |
| stands. | | | | with wallboard to match the walls, or by positioning |
| To size up the job, look the wall over. The number | | | | furniture, such as bookcases, to hide the posts. |
| of outlets and switches will suggest how much wiring | | | | The key clue to a load-bearing wall is joists crossing |
| lies inside it. A bathroom directly above may be | | | | its top plates perpendicular to them. You may be able |
| hooked to plumbing that goes down through the wall. | | | | to see the direction of the joists from your attic; |
| From the basement you may be able to detect | | | | you may have to cut a peephole in the ceiling next |
| whether heating pipes or conductors rise within the | | | | to the wall to be removed. The basement can also |
| wall. | | | | yield clues. If you find a girder or a wall running under |
| If all you find is wiring that terminates at outlets in | | | | and parallel to the partition in question, you can be |
| the wall, you can remove it when you break the wall. | | | | quite sure that the partition carries weight down to |
| A hot-air duct connected to a wall register can be | | | | this support. If any doubt remains, assume that the |
| cut back to the floor and capped with a grid. Even if | | | | wall bears weight. |
| you encounter many pipes and cables, you may be | | | | As the converse of a load-bearing wall, a nonbearing |
| able to remove the bulk of the partition and leave | | | | wall usually runs parallel to the joists and perpendicular |
| part of one end of the wall to carry the various | | | | to the long walls of the house. Walls enclosing small |
| conductors, which can be moved there by a plumber | | | | spaces like closets are probably non-bearing walls - |
| or an electrician. | | | | but be sure to check. Because nonbearing walls serve |
| More critically, you should be aware that the wall may | | | | no structural function, they can be removed without |
| bear weight from above, thus serving as a vital | | | | leaving an arch. |