I chose to review “Visual Inspection of Concrete”
by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard. I was a highly informative article to me because I plan to do inspections in primarily in Florida. In Florida concrete is the favored building material due to its strength and resistance to the Florida elements. I learned that Cement + water = cement paste, Cement paste + sand = mortar, Mortar + aggregate = concrete.
The deck is in passable condition and does not contain any rot or damaging from weather at the time of inspection. Steps are well lit and decking is adequately spaced. Inspector suggests a graspable handrail on the stairs and a guardrail along the perimeter of the deck to insure safety of inhabitants.
The article I read was on “Deck Receptacles” by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard. The article basically stated the simple ruling of electrical outlets needed outside on decks. None is needed on decks with less than 20 square feet of usable area and if there is one needed, it should be no higher than 6 1/2 feet from the ground. However homes that were built before the 2005 code were introduced are exempt. Every outdoor outlet must have a weatherproofing system and also be GFCI.
I chose the article “Inspecting a Deck”. It is important to know the right materials to use when building a deck. Only 40% of all decks in the US are considered safe. It is important to understand the correct load paths when inspecting a deck.
I have attached a picture of a deck that is to close to a down spout. The deck os showing signs of decay due to the water from the down spout and also because the deck doest have sufficient ground clearance
I see a lot of noticeable problems with this deck, the rail post only have one screw or nail holding the rail to the girder/beam, also the stairs only has one ungraspable hand rail. No light at the top of the stairs. These issues is cause for concern…
Deck components: Deck components are very important on new deck builds. Deck should be built correctly and by internachi guide lines. Safety is a major concern when it comes to deck components and as home inspectors it it job to educate the home buyer deck safety and eat to watch our for in the future…
This is a picture of both an patio and deck combination. The hand rails are continuous and smooth. There is 4 inches of space between the pickets. The deck has 1/8 inch spacing to prevent puddling and thee are no obvious defects with the bracing or hangers
Step stringers are made of no less than 2x12 pressure treated boards and should not be less than 5 inches of space at any point after being cut. The steps should not be any more than 3/8 in difference in height to prevent tripping
Of course this is an accident waiting to happen. Stairs are attached to the 2 thing strips of wood attached to the rim joist. Stair stringers should be attached to the rim joist or at least have a contractor com out and modify the deck with additional rim joist to support the stairs with additional support posts.
Three photos every inspection report should have at the end. I am going to institute this in my reports. Pictures of water meter at three different times and angles to verify I have not left anything on or to show there, as be a water park
Leakage problem.
This photo shows two adjacent low to the ground decks. One deck was built with a plywood floor, and the other used standard wood deck planks that were installed tightly together. Both show extensive damage and decay from standing water and should be replaced.
Decks are an important part of an inspection because so many of them are built by homeowners with little knowledge of building codes and construction standards. They can built out of easily attainable materials, so a DIYer is capable of building something that might look ok the untrained eye, but presents a real safety hazard to people.
The attached shows the improper use of attaching the ledger to the home structure. Bolts should be staggered beginning 5" from the end and a minimum of 2" from the top and 2" from the bottom of the ledger board instead of down the middle.
Deck best practices for child safety call for railing to no larger than a 4" sphere. For stairs, the rails should be no more than 4 3/8" sphere and the space below the bottom rail and the stair stringer should be no larger than a 6" sphere.
I chose to write my essay based on the article “Inspecting a deck, illustrated.” I learned that of the 45 million decks only about 40% of them are structurally sound. It is important to inspect the deck from the ground up as it may be unsafe to walk.
I chose the attached photo to discuss in this essay because it involved deck safety. As you can see, the hangers are attached with screws. Hangers are supposed to be attached with hot dipped galvanized nails. I would recommend that this be repaired by a professional contractor.
This is a picture of the underside of a multi level deck at the rear of a split level house. The construction is of pressure treated lumber. There are properly sized joist hangers with approved fasteners,however not all available fastener points have been utilized. There is no visible flashing. This particular section of deck is attached to another section and is approximately 12’ from the house,therefore is the reason for the lack of flashing.
As of 2005 the NEC requires at least one exterior receptacle at the front and rear of the house. These receptacles will be no more than 6.5 feet from the ground. All porches,decks and balconies with 20sf or more of usable surface area and are accessible from the interior are also required to have at least one receptacle.
