How Often Should You Have Your Deck Inspected
Decks have a lifespan so it is important to consider deck inspection services on a regular basis. In fact, it is advised to have an annual inspection or safety check for any deck over 10 years old.
According to the National American Deck and Railing Association, over 40 million decks in the United States are over 20 years old. This is because they were built before the code requirements were even put into place.
As a result, many decks were not built tough enough to last that long. In fact, many residents got hurt due to deck-related incidents, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Deck Safety
There are many things to check when you are concerned about the safety of your deck. Such would include the following factors that may affect the overall safety.
- Corroded or missing fasteners or screws
- Excessive wobbling
- Missing flashing and weak railings
- Split or decaying wood
- Weak joints
You may check for wood decay by exposing the post where it goes into the ground. There should be a problem when you are able to push a screwdriver into the wood.
If you need professional deck inspection services, it is essential that you contact a deck building professional. It is his/her obligation to ensure that the ledger is properly secured, and if the footings are huge and tough enough to support the structure.
Deck Inspection Cost
There are various costs when it comes to deck inspection services, which depending on the location of your structure and how detailed the inspection will be. Thus, it can range from $25 to $199, from a 30-minute review to an hour of inspection. The details of the inspection will include structural checkup, general safety check, and common building code violations.
The knowledge of the current building code and the deck-building expertise and experience are among the deck inspection services you are going to pay. This will ensure that your deck will not collapse due to natural causes. On top of it all, a written inspection report must be furnished to you so that you are updated of the current condition of your deck.
Overall, you are not obliged to get professional deck inspection services to do repairs right away. In fact, the written report can be supported so that you can get a second opinion or compare repair quotes. So you can hire your own contractor to do the job or you can do it yourself if you think that you can do better.
When to Hire a Professional?
If your deck has aged and shows signs of wear, including wobbly stairs, separating planks, or softwood, then that is more than enough proof that your deck has become structurally unstable.
Unless you are a professional deck repair specialist, it is best to hire a licensed deck building professional to do deck inspection services. He or she will be able to identify problems, including improper construction, rot, or sinking foundation with exact details.
If you want to target your efforts and avoid wasting money on a particular deck repair or remodeling project, then you should hire a professional right away.
Deck Inspectors for Southern California is happy to offer our services in Los Angeles, Orange County as well as San Diego and all Southern California surrounding areas like: Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Santa Monica, Anaheim, Temecula, Vista, Escondido, Carlsbad, and El Cajon
