Hi folks- we have a 2.5 storey home from the 1930's with a finished attic. It didn't have ductwork to the attic so we hired an HVAC company (very reputable, we've used them a number of times over the years) to install ductwork from our furnace. The ducts would up through the main level flooring, into the 2nd storey closet and into the attic.

The initial path for the ductwork didn't end up working, so instead, the worker actually cut out about a 2" wide piece of the west rim joist from top to bottom (as in, he cut it RIGHT out, the joist is now two joists) to get the ductwork as close to the corner as he could. In that gap, the ductwork went through.

I wouldn't have noticed if they hadn't gone for lunch and while they were gone I was checking the progress, then I had to leave for work.

Is this a major problem? Should I have them come back here and support it?

 

Rim joist or floor joist? Big difference.

 

Rim joist for sure. There is nothing resting on top of it, the floor joists meet it and are nailed into it.

 

And is this on an exterior wall? Maybe posting a picture could help us see what you see.