At first glace, it would be obvious to notice 2 decks, 1 is a balcony and the other is no longer. There are probably 2 reasons why this deck collapsed, 1 being it pulled away from the house because of loose back fill. Also, it could be bad cantilever weight distribution. Hard to say which but first thing is to check underneath to see.
Dryer vent safety is very important because of the potential hazards it can cause. You want to make sure its connected to the dryer of course and then connected to a vent leading outside of the home. It shouldnt be restricted in any way, because it could lead to fire.
Upon inspection of a ground level deck the following was noted. The deck was lower than 12" from ground level and therefore does not require handrails. In some cases the perimeter beams were in contact with the ground. This was acceptable as the original building material was pressure treated wood. Deformation was noted due to the age of the deck but does not pose any safety concerns. The deck does not fully obstruct the window in the basement bedroom but a proper window well is installed for easy evacuation.
Review of the gallery item ‘Bracing Parallel to Beam’ the following was noted. The photo provides the cross bracing requirements in the event a deck is built over 12ft high. It clearly states the dimensional specifications as well as the materials for bracing and bolt up.
IN THE PICTURE WE CAN SEE A PORCH WITH ACCESS STAIR. THE STAIR HAS OPEN RISERS WHICH REPRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD FOR CHILDREN AND TRIPPING HAZARD FOR ALL USERS. LEDGERS ARE PLACED LESS THAN 36 INCHES APART AND GUARDRAILS AT BOTH SIDE SHOWS PROPER HEIGHT.
the photo illustrates a deck stair that is unsafe and improperly build. The riser heights are different by as much as 1 inch, the railing is loose and balusters exceed the 4" maximum spacing requirement. It is recommended the stairs be corrected to the proper heights, the railing sections be anchored and supported, the ballusters be corrected by resetting to proper spacing
Examing the images of inspector attire I would not recommend image 9 wearing a sport jacket, tie and shoes. Image 6 is usable and image 3 is risky wearing shorts for safety issues. Inspectors are required to kneel down, climb ladders and stairs, be mobile so proper work attire is recommended
This veranda is high enough off the ground that it would require a enclose bannister and has four steps therefore requires handrail on at least one side that has lesson 6 inches on the bottom and four and three eights of an inch between rails.
A butt joint should not be made in mid air it should be made above a column with support and properly attached To the column to support both halfs of the joists and they should be of adequate size to support.
While inspecting decks it is always advisable to get underneath of the structure to verify its attachment to the building. The picture attached shows the ledger bolts in place. When inspecting these I learned that tapping the end of the bolt with a hammer can verify its tension and ability to hold the ledger to the building.
The article I read was titled “Dryer Vent Safety” Most of the homes that I have been in have a sub par dryer vent. I am amazed at how many vent directly into crawl spaces. The material of the vent pipe is also of concern. Knowing now that it all needs to be made of solid rigid metal.
This post is supporting the front porch of a house that is about 100 years old. The post is notched to support and accept the girder. The notch weakens the post. Also, the fasteners holding the girder in place have been painted, and are not clearly visible. The fasteners may be inadequate, and the post and girder could separate. Also, there are no joist hangers or other metal supports present.
Deck boards should be installed so that the boards are staggered and are long enough to cover 4 joists. This will give the deck stability. An other way to install deck board is diagonally. this will reduce the side to side movement of the deck considerable. If the deck boards are installed perpendicular to the joist and the deck does have some side to side movement some diagonal boards under the deck might the deck more resistance to this type of movement.
Decks should have an electrical outlet installed, regardless it is a code requirement or not. Electrical outlets need to be GFCI protected and have a weather proof cover. Decks are used for many different functions and most likely require power at one point and time. With out an outlet on the deck it is most likely that extent ion cords will be used. These cords might not be in a good condition and plugged in to a non GFCI outlet witch could be dangerous. The other danger with extension cords is tripping hazard.
There is evidence of a rotten supporting beam, located on the cat walk left of the house. It is recommended this area of stairway not be walked on until action is taken. The railing seams to be sagging, and is in need of rtepair.
Proper lumber, and hangers are very important values when building a new deck. Lack of depth in your lumber can cause your deck to sag, and will create undesirable traits. Using the proper hangers and fasteners will yield long lasting results.
The space between vertical railing on a deck should be no more then 4 inches. This would make it very difficult for a small child or pet to slip through or get any part of their body stuck between the rails.
A clogged filter makes the HVAC equipment work harder and use more electricity to adequately cool the same amount of space as a clean filter would allow. It also allows some dust to pass through the filter which can lead to a clogged evaporator coil. Filters should be changed every 30 days during heavy use or every 90 days if the equipment is only used on occasion.
I studied the image Deck Ledger to Brick Veneer. Ledgers should be attached to the structure of the building, and not to the veneer. Veneer is not capable of supporting the loads placed on a deck. I have seen an entire wall of brick veneer separate from a building.
In the gallery showing the installation of non-metalic staples for electrical conductors and drilling of holes through wall studs I learned that the cables must be in the flat position when being stapled and also that the holes in the wall studs for passage way for wires must be 1-1/4" from the edge of the stud.If hole is less than 1-1/4" from edge of stud then a 1/16" metal plate will be used at edge of stud for re-inforcement.
