I bet you haven't seen your deck since November! We finally see the much of the surface of ours after the warm temps today. On Saturday I spent 8 hours in continuing ed. classes that focused on geothermal and decks. I have to say I learned a lot about both, but what I learned about decks has made me look at them with more respect after seeing what can really happen if they aren't built correctly. I learned that about 80% of all decks do not meet code and are unsafe. Last summer there were two decks that collapsed and made the news when people got hurt. There are many more stories that never make the news. There are some key things we must look at when inspecting decks as home inspectors or home owners.
1. The header board is the board that is attached to the house with lag bolts or approved screws. If it is not bolted to the house correctly it could pull away and the whole deck will come crashing down.
2. Where the correct joist hangers used with the right fasteners? There should not be drywall screws or non-galvanized nails. The nails need to be galvanized and the hanger needs to be the right size. Is there any rust on the joist hanger? If so, you may need to replace them.
3. Are the joists spaced the correct distance apart per manufacturer guideline?
4. Are the deck posts sitting on the footings and in the center of them? Are they anchored down so if they were hit with a lawnmower, for example, they would not move from the footing?
5. Are the decking boards fastened correctly for the type of decking used?
6. Last year there were 26,000 reports of people falling from decks due to railing failure. If your railing moves when you lean against it, you need to fix it. The best thing you can do is talk to someone at a home improvement store or call a professional to determine what needs to be done to give the deck lateral support. The railing spacing should not be more that 4". If it is more than that small children could fall through.
7. Do the stairs have a handrail? Look on the underside where the stairs are attached to the deck and make sure they aren't pulling away. This is more common than you think. Your stairs should be supported with joist hangers and not just nailed in.
When in doubt call a professional to look at your deck. It could save someone from getting hurt and will give you peace of mind for your summer entertaining!
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