Inspecting your deck

 

Summer is the time when your deck is being used the most. Summer barbeques, kids playing, kicking back and just relaxing, these are all great ways to enjoy the use of your deck during the summer months. The one thing you don’t want to worry about is the wear and tear your deck endures over the seasons. It’s recommend during the summer that you take a few minutes to inspect your deck and make any repairs necessary. Deck maintenance isn’t just a summertime project, you should consider washing and sealing your deck in the springtime and thoroughly cleaning up debris and cutting back the trees later in the fall.

Since it’s summer, let’s focus on inspecting and making repairs to your deck. There are a couple ideas of what you should be looking for.

  1. Materials – Check thoroughly to see if there is any rotting on the wood. The wood will be softer if it is rotting. You can fix this by chiseling out the rotted wood and fill in with wood preservative to stop further rotting. If the damage is larger, you may need to replace the wood.
  2. Ledger Board – The ledger board is the framing that is attached to your house. You will want to check to make sure there isn’t any rust or holes and that the ledger is in overall good shape. If the ledger is worn out, consider replacing.
  3. Supporting Post – Inspect all the joints and beams. Again, look for anything that might be rotting and make sure the hardware (nuts, bolts and nails) don’t have any rust.
  4. Railings and Balusters – Look for any loose posts and handrails. Make sure to tighten them with screws, not just nails for the best long-lasting results.
  5. Support Posts – Look for loose connections between posts and the deck’s beams. Tighten and replace ½-inch through bolts as needed. Posts should be 6 inches square or larger, and no taller than 14 feet.

Deck inspecting can save you money by finding the problem before it gets worst. Remember, you can also give House Doctors a call to fix any deck issues. Now, get out there and enjoy your deck!

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