This is an improperly connected railing around a second story deck that has pulled away from the siding and is unsafe.
I inspected a deck that had many significant issues: Hand rails were not attached properly and pulling away, posts were in constant contact with soil with improper drainage, rotting and cracked lumber and deck screws sticking up just to name a few of the problems.
The article I read was Deck Receptacles. I says basically the same as in the videos however, I believe its a good idea to actually read this information than just hear it. It helps me retain the information better.
Here is a photo of a ledger board that is not properly sized or installed correctly. Instead of the correct sized treated lumber, 2 x 4’s were stacked on top of each other and 1/4" lag bolts without washers were used for attachment. After noticing severe wood rot on support posts no further inspection was done for safety reasons.
After reading the illustrated deck inspections section, I have noticed that in the Midwest area of the country many installations have been done with the deck posts coming into contact with surface grade and posts have been sunk directly into the concrete pier. Not good and not long lasting.
This was a deck failure due to inadequate fasteners, but the real cause was the retaining wall falling over kicking out the deck post.
Inspecting decks
It was good. I enjoyed it
This porch has an array of problems that would need to be brought up at the inspection. The first thing i noticed was the deck boards were pushed tightly together and did not have the necessary 1/8th space. This will cause water and debris build up and eventually start the decay process.
This deck is about 12 feet tall and has no cross bracing. Recommend adding cross bracing to reduce twisting of 4 inch post and possible deck failure.
The deck is relying on nails to support the load, notice the outside girder is not notched into the posts, nor do they have any brackets to support the load. The 4" posts are about 12’ tall but have no cross bracing. The rim joist connection to the house is by nails, recommend adding proper fasteners. The dryer vent is exiting under the deck which could cause moisture problems on the joists and deck boards, recommend moving vent to a better location.
Decks with a usable area of 20 sf or more require at least one electrical receptacle. It must be waterproof and have a GFCI protected receptacle. It should also have a waterproof cover that protects it from water during use.
Here is my inspection for a dock (Similar to deck).
Here is a common problem that I see with deck connectors. Missing or inadequate number of fasteners.
Although this picture is a bit fuzzy, it shows the railing which is separating from the adjoining structure. This shows signs of loose or inadequate fastening and presents a safety hazard. The recommendation would be to have all fasteners tighten, repaired or replaced.
For the sake of this course I performed an inspection on my own deck. I found the deck boards to actually be fence boards, and mounted too close together with some popping nails. This presents a structure issue with inadequate support between joists, the potential for rot and decay between board due to improper shedding of water, and a safety issue with the potential for injury to feet from the protruding heads of nails. The supports underneath were properly laid out and all wood for the joists, ledger board and post appeared sound. The railings did show some signs of splitting which presents a safety hazard for the potential of rail failure. The spacing for all balusters was good but the hand rail going down the stairs was not graspable which I noted as a safety concern.
This is a safety concern due to the step support coming out of the joist hanger. All three supports were like this and the steps are subject to fall at any time.
I always see improperly attached decks and earth wood contact.
Most deck footing on slopes do not conform to the 7’ rule.