In the library of inspection articles i read an article on deck receptacles. In 2005 the NEC required at least one outdoor receptacle in the front and in the rear of
the house, not more than 6 feet from the ground. In 2008 the NEC also added that if a balconies, decks, or porches that are accessible from the inside of the dwelling and are more than 20 square feet they also are required to have at least one receptacle as well. These were put into place do to safety concerns due to the high amount extension cord incidents.
My research assignment was on deck failure.
When starting a deck inspection start from grade level and work your way up. You do this because if you are able catch a problem while you are still on the ground then you can stop yourself and clients from walking around on an un secure deck that could fail causing injury. Rail failure occurs more frequently than deck collapse. This is because of the improper spacing or bracing of the balusters which will not allow them to with stand the weight load on them, causing them to fail.
This is a picture of a missing baluster on a deck. The missing baluster is dangerous because a child could fall through and get hurt. This finding should be noted on the inspection report and repaired as soon as possible.
Balusters on decks are not to exceed four inches. A four-inch sphere is not to allow passage between balusters. All handrails are required to be grippable if four or more risers. The deck railing does not have a grippable railing which should also be noted on the inspection report.
Above is picture of a deck off of a mobile home. The deck butted up to the home but was free standing. It was constructed of pressure treated lumber and properly supported by 6x6 posts. The top portion of the deck was more than 12 above the surrounding ground and therefore I would recommend having railings installed by a licensed contractor.
The article I chose is titled “Deck Receptacles”. In this article i learned that receptacles are required to be installed on homes. Which at first i did not understand the reasoning for this. But as the article continues it explains that if not receptacles are present then extension cords are used which creates a tripping hazard.
This deck has no ledger board attachment to the solid structure of the home. The four leg posts are supported by a concrete block foundation underneath it. There are no clamps holding the legs in place however they were cast into the concrete. This can cause issues when the wood begins to deteriorate.
Decks with rotted steps pose serious fall hazards which could lead to disability or worse. This picture was taken as I walked in to the home. Consult with a contractor to correct the rotted and missing members. Injury or death may occur if not fixed
Reason for the 2008 Code Supplement in the Deck inspection section was directly related to the use of extension cords on balconies which often turned hazardous. Extension cords break down under sunlight causing insulation issues and exposed hot wires. Other problems were over loading.
The first riser of the deck stairs is 11 inches tall and presents a trip hazard. This stair also is missing a landing and the solution to both issues would be to install a level landing at the base of the stairs and trim the first riser to make within 3/8" of height of all other risers. The grade at the landing may be brought up to blend with the landing and then slope away from the landing at a grade not to exceed 8%.
I studied the illustration entitled “Deck Ledger To House Connection”. The maximum drop of the deck from the house floor is shown as 6" and the connector uses a through bolt to attache to the band joist and floor system of the house The strength of this type of connector is robust and should be used wherever it is appropriate.
In the picture provided there were a few things to note. This deck is more then six feet above ground meaning that the post should have the proper bracing which is lacking. Next is the lack of railing on the side closest to the deck which could be a falling hazard.
It was very interesting to find that of the millions of decks completed only 40% are done correctly. My first assumption was that the leading cause of deck failure would be the type and size lumber used in building it but separation from the house was not at the top of my list. This lesson was a topic of interest for me as many houses have decks added to their houses.
Noted deck steps are not properly supported. They do not have stringer straps/hangers installed and are only supported with nails. The current condition and installation of the deck stringers poses a safety concern. Further evaluation/repair by a qualified contractor is required.
Bats are nocturnal mammals and found all over the world. Indications of a household bat infestation are the accumulation of guano. It is not safe to touch any animal droppings with unprotected hands. Bats often leave smears of grease and dirt from their coats on the entry point to their roost. Rabies is perhaps the most serious disease transmitted by bats in North America.
Some of the main reasons decks fail are from poor designs and not following standard practices when it comes to footing design and keeping wood from rotting, distance from grade and drainage, inadequate timber sizing, missing flashing, poor techniques attaching the deck ledger board to the existing structure’s band joist.
This is a side door to a house. There are 5 stairs and a graspable handrail on both sides of the stairs. The stairs are cement so they are enclosed. The balusters on the porch are spaced 3 3/4 in apart. There is some spalling on porch do to moisture intrusion.
We inspected a deck damaged by a fallen tree. One of the immediate problems with the structure is there are no posts to support the deck. What we observed was the deck being supported by two concrete blocks at four points. The deck was also partially supported by stairs. This could lead to the deck shifting in the dirt or the concrete blocks shifting/falling. This was not a sound structure.
As an inspector looking closely at the specific connections across the frame of a deck I will want to see that proper joist hangers were used and they are not missing any fasteners. I also want to see how well the beams are connected to your support posts.
We read an article about deck receptacles. In 2005 the NEC required one exterior receptacle for the front of the dwelling and one for the rear. In 2008 the NEC added to this requirement by stating balconies, porches and decks that are accessible from the inside of the dwelling should have at least one receptacle with the perimeter of the balcony, porch or deck. Balconies, porches, and decks with a perimeter of less than 20 sq. feet are not required to have a receptacle installed.
