Inspection & Writing Assignment:
There was snow on the ground. So it made it hard to see the actual deck materials. So I moved some of the snow. It appeared that the deck was intact correctly and sturdy enough. It made me feel confident enough, that I didn’t suspect anything else was wrong but I did perform as much of the inspection as possible.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Decks and their code requirements are too often taken for granted. The code requirements are not widely known and the reasons behind injuries are not often reported on or kept track of. There are no national databases of deck failures which would be greatly beneficial in informing the public of the safety hazards involved in deck failures. The most common failure point is a separation from the side of the house.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I choose the Deck Child Saftey illustration. I learned that I’ve witnessed a lot of improper deck safety issues. More less, I realized why the required measurements wee put in place. Being that I’ve seen children of all ages playing and try to stick their heads under or in between spindles and bottom railing.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I learnt that Real Estate Agents can also sign inspection agreements on behalf of their clients. In such cases, there are two ways that the client can be held accountable to the terms of service - apparent authority and implied authority.
Apparent authority is when the client explicitly authorizes the agent e.g. via an email. Implied authority is wherein, the real estate agent is considered to have implied authority to enter into a binding inspection agreement on behalf of the client as the client has retained the real estate agent to assist in finding a suitable home.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This is a picture of the home’s deck. It shows the decking is rotted and in need of repair or replacement. This could be a sign of major structural issues within the deck. It is recommended to have this repaired by a specialist.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I have read the article titled “Inspecting a Deck, Illustrated”. More than 2 million decks are built in North America every year. many of which are unsafe. Most deck collapses happen during the summer because people spend more time on their decks when the weather is appropriate.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The attached image shows a set of stairs leading up to a deck behind a home. In this inspection there were many saftey concerns and issues with the deck. In this image you can see the posts supporting the stairs are cut flat, there is no grippable handrail and the paint is in very poor condition. In several spots you can see the start of rot and many places have individual boards that have been replaced. Also the spacing in the balusters is potentially unsafe for children.
Research & Writing Assignment:
https://www.nachi.org/gallery/?level=picture&id=733
The hyperlinked image shows a ledger board with proper fastening and flashing. A common problem amongst decks is improper fastening and flashing. Flashing should be placed both above and below the ledger board to allow it to properly shed water preventing water intrusion into the home through fasteners and helping prevent rot within the ledger board.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The girders pictured are treated and and properly spaced twelve inches above the ground. The cantilevered end of the deck is less than one fourth of the total length which is adequate. The joists hangers and ledger board are properly constructed except it is missing flashing. The butt joint is properly located above the 4x4 post.
Research & Writing Assignment:
In the article; Inspecting a Deck, Illustrated: I have learned that only 40% of all decks are completely constructed safely. 90% of all deck collapses are because of the ledger board is improperly supported. The majority of the load on decks is weighted near the the ledges and railings where people congregate and need the most amount of structural support.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
In this portion of the inspection I visually observed the home owners wooden deck. My visual inspection revieled the spacing between the planks were correct so no water can puddle on the surface. I also measured the distance between the guardrail and posts, and they were all sufficient for safety. The structural integrity of this deck is good with the wood not visually rotting or decaying in any areas.
Research & Writing Assignment:
In this portion of the inspection I studied the Inspection Graphics Library: Exterior Decks: Hand Rail Return. I learned that all handrail returns should be continus for the entire length of the stairway and the return must connect directly for optimum support.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Most residential codes require the top of the guardrail to be least 36inch from the deck surface. infit should not permit a 4" space to pass through.decking should have 1/8th of the inch gaps between boards so the paddles won’t form.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Inspected a home where the tenant showed me a significant issue in the master bedroom. Water damage and the local environment has caused black mold and wood rot within ceiling due to poor roof tile maintenance. Because of the lack of attention to roof health has caused not only degraded roof conditions, but now health concerns.
Research & Writing Assignment:
wood can decan & degrade over time with exposure to elements, is a problem that worsens with time. Members within the deck frame that has decayed may no longer be able to perform the function for which they were installed, paint can hide decay from the inspector and should be noted in the report.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Roof Health is a key component for all domiciles. This applies especially to wood shake, tile and other high maintenance roofing systems. When I inspect a roof, I also look at how repairs have been made (ie- new flashing installation) and to see if it was installed per industry standards. Also, another item I look for is the gutter systems to ensure that water flow direction extends pass the foundation and/or walls of the home preventing structural integrity anomalies.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Improper attachment of deck floor joists is a common issue noted by many home inspectors. In some of the worst instances, the only attachment noted are 2 framing nails, butt-nailed from the opposite side of the ledger, or even toe-nailed from the inside of the ledger/joist connection. This is wholly improper and can lead to severe injury.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The importance of ventilation under a home that has a crawlspace is sometimes overlooked by homeowners. Good ventilation helps keep the crawl
space dry. At times, especially during winter months, homeowners will put small styrofoam panels in the the vent openings. It is not advisable to close off all the vent openings in a crawlspace, even in the winter months. The crawlspace needs adequate ventilation year-round.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Older deck with outdated railing and fasteners; The guardrail on the steps is missing blisters placed every 4". As it is, the guard rails are climbable. The beams are fastened to the posts with nails. They should be resting on top of the posts or properly cut-into and bolted together. The ledger board is also fastened by nails. Bolts are required.These are safety concerns that should be addressed immediately. Recommend further evaluation by a licensed structural carpenter to determine the full scope of the upgrades needed.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Girder-Post connection; Here’s one I write up often. The older the deck, the weaker the connection fastenings. If solid otherwise I recommend fastener upgrades to include girder-post connections. Girders should rest on top of posts or be cut into posts if the dimensions qualify. Proper steel brackets can also be used.
