Ceiling issues must be addressed

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Q: My husband and I bought a house two years ago. We knew it was an old house and needed remodeling. But we didn't quite expect all we have gone through so far.All of the walls have drywall over a fiberboard, which is crumbly. We have put in a new furnace and windows, and now we are trying to figure out what to do with the ceiling.Our kitchen, dining room and living room are in a horseshoe shape sharing the ceiling. Before we moved in, the owner told us that the cable man had made these creases in the ceiling by not staying on the beams. Now those creases are showing up everywhere in a random pattern. It looks as if the ceiling is ready to fall down.We hope to find a solution so that we won't have to take it down. It is a plaster ceiling, about an inch thick on top of chicken-wire-style mesh. The ceiling is only 7 feet high.We also have a severe mold problem throughout the house, so we hope to use mold-resistant materials wherever possible.We don't have the money to do very much because all of our savings and our weekly paychecks are going directly to our house payment and loans for the furnace and windows and other minor repairs.If you would have a solution for either problem it would be greatly appreciated.A: The fiberboard you discovered is a wood fiber with a paperlike covering. Once the fiberboard is covered with drywall or sealed with paint, it starts to degrade. As the fiberboard crumbles, it will leave a void between the drywall and the wood framing of the walls.Eventually, the drywall and fiberboard will need to be removed to make repairs. When the wall cavities are exposed, it would be a good idea to install modern wiring and insulation to outside walls and seal the walls against air infiltration.The 7-foot ceiling is another problem that you need to address right away. First, the ceiling cannot be lower than 7 feet, and second, falling plaster is a hazard because when it falls there are no warning signs other than the crash as the plaster hits the floor, or worse, when it hits someone.I would suspect the original ceilings in an older home are somewhat higher than 7 feet. It is possible that once the old plaster is removed from the horseshoe-shaped ceiling, you will discover the ceiling is a soffit or dropped ceiling, which was added some time after the home was built.If it's a false ceiling, it can be removed to reveal the original ceilings that will now require major patching and painting.However, if the current ceiling's plaster covered the original ceiling joists, the first thing you would want to check is the size and condition of the joists.Bowed or damaged joists need to be replaced. A ceiling joist has to support its weight, plus the weight of the ceiling's finish.When you find the time and the money, the new ceiling can be covered with drywall, which is a do-it-yourself project, whereas plastering must be left to the professionals.Check the size of the ceiling joists (width, thickness and height), the span of the joists (how long they are from one support point to another supporting point) and the spacing of the joists (what is the measurement from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist).For support, the joists must be no more than 16 inches from center to center. If the joists are 24 inches apart, you would have to use 5/8-inch-thick drywall to prevent sagging between each joist.A typical ceiling joist is a 2-inch-by-6-inch or heavier piece of lumber. Repair or replace any damaged joist or joists that are undersized.With the ceiling open for repairs, add new electrical wiring and seal any air openings to the exterior of the home; insulate, if necessary.(Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors. Write to him with home improvement questions at C. Dwight Barnett, Evansville Courier & Press, P.O. Box 286, Evansville, Ind. 47702.)