02/13/2026
Truss Damage in New Construction
Trusses are engineered roof (or floor) structural components built at a factory and installed as one piece during construction. These are sometimes damaged during shipping, unloading, or installation. Here we see a damaged nail plate, which is intended to hold truss members together. When damaged or missing, members can be knocked out of place, and the truss's strength greatly weakened. In a worst-case scenario, this could lead to a localized collapse of the structure.
New construction homes should be carefully inspected for broken truss members and nail plates. These sometimes go undetected by city/county building inspectors.
A home inspector needs to inspect all parts of the attic, while avoiding stepping on insulation or damaging ductwork. It's slow, demanding work and is definitely not pleasurable in the summer.
Not all inspectors are up to the physical demands and dangers of inspecting some of these attic spaces.