Attic Investigation

I'm not anxious to climb into the attic itself; I bought a Tyvek outfit for that. I snapped some photos from the comfort of the attic access.

Photo 1. Sorry it's so blurry.

Photo 2. This one's better

Photo 3. BA1, BR2

Photo 2 shows the wall behind the headboard of the bed. I've looked inside--it's a 2x4 @ 16 stud wall with a 1" air gap at the brick chimney. The vertical 2x4 is all that holds the roof where it meets the chimney. The rafters that are interrupted by the chimney rest on the little 2x4 header. I imagine there's a similar support on the downhill side. The main roof structure on the east side is the rafters on either side of the chimney.

Photo 2 also shows a 2x4 brace from the hip rafter. If that rests on the wall we want to remove, we'll have to replace it with a brace that rests on another wall (the headboard wall).

Notice that both bedrooms feature "strongbacks," which were more common back in the day. The ceiling joists are 2x6@16, but a 2x4 running perpendicular gives them added strength and protects against the joists rolling over (just as solid blocking would).

Next step: Tyvek coveralls, face mask. Climb into attic, move the debris over the BR1 vestibule and see what's there.

Update: October 1.

Looks like the vestibule wall is not load-bearing.

2x6 CJ bears on BA1 wall. Soffit 2x4 CJ bears on that wall, too. Nothing bears on the little protruding wall where the bedroom door used to be.

They cut off the CJ over the vestibule--we can sister up another 2x6 and rest on the BA1 wall.

Your intrepid explorer.

The flat 2x6 provides a drywall nailer.