First time porch inspection, any advice?

So I inspected a house yesterday and it had a built up porch at the back. This was my first inspection with a porch and I’m not too familiar with them. Here are a couple of pictures that I took. Anything stand out?

Bright common nails shouldn’t be used for exposed outdoor applications.

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Wrong nails for the hangars. Other then that there is not enough info to have an opinion.

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Hi, Adam Hope all is well, I don’t see any deck Ledger Flashing, you should be able to see it lipping over the top of the ledger under the deck like flashing on top of a window. :grinning:

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If the deck is ‘covered’, is flashing necessary??

Yes, it is. It has to be protected from wind-driven rain.

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Yeah I figured I didnt snap enough photos

Is that a cover over a porch or the underside of a deck or balcony? The reason I ask is it looks like they used beadboard for the decking materials??

And as others have stated, the hangars are improperly installed, they also didn’t attach the rim board or beam to the post.

Regardless, here you go Adam, what I call the deck bible. This document explains the proper way to construct a deck.

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The flashing is sometimes installed behind the ledger board. Should protruded below the ledger.

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@gneff I use both methods, flashing behind the ledger and flashing on top of the ledger so moisture does not get trapped between the ledger and the house.

Here is an example of how I used to do it.

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Yes exactly like that. thanks for the pic.

You had access to flashing tape 40 years ago?

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Of course Marcel is talking about the flashing and not the improper ledger attachment. :wink:

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Correct, I don’t know what was used in that photo.
Here is the last one that I flashed about 12 years ago, which is similar to that photo.
P6100007 P6100010 P6110013
And the ledger was attached using these;
P6100006 RSS_ZoomedIn_Head-550x309

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Just sayin’…

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Those pictures were to show flashing conditions, but since you bring up the fastener schedule, what do you think is better, fasteners that follow the schedule and only attached to the rim joist or or a structural fastener that is spaced x2 every 16" and long enough to penetrate every joist by 2" for a span of 6’ for a porch? Using your schedule, I could have had a fastener every 30".
So I think it will go nowhere and exceed your schedule.

ESR 2442: RSS screws have been evaluated for structural and corrosion resistance to be in compliance with the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC). RSS fasteners are an industry leader for strength and corrosion resistance.

High tensile torque and shear strength means a 5/16” diameter RSS™ screw has the same strength as a 1/2” lag screw
I think I was well qualified even then to decide how to attach a ledger board on a house. I have had more challenges than that.

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What’s wrong with it?

Exactly, What is wrong with it. It does have some sort of lag bolts? They look like timber lock lag bolts.

From here it looks like they don’t meet the minimum diameter requirements, but even if they did, they aren’t properly spaced or staggered.
See page 16 figures 19 & 20.

Not my rules Marcel and undoubtedly you were and still are well qualified to attach a ledger, but when it comes to the construction of decks or balconies I personally strictly adhere to engineering drawings and if none are available then the deck construction guide is what I follow.

So if I there were prints onsite specifically stating the use of RSS screws were acceptable I’d certainly have no problem with it, but if not, as far as I’m concerned they would not be an adequate substitute, Per 4.1 of the report you posted.