This is a lower, front side picture of a poorly constructed deck. As can clearly be seen, the beams are beginning to sag beyond what is an acceptable level. This could defiantly lead to a dangerous situation if not updated properly.
I chose a photo that depicted the pick test, with an example of both good and rotting wood. If the wood is in good order, the wood will splinter, making a loud cracking sound. If it is rotten, it will barey splinter or make any noise at all.
I read an article titled “Deck Receptacles”. I learned that balconies, decks and porches, that have access from the interior of the home, are required to have at least 1 GFCI receptacle outlet.It needs to have a weather-proof cover and a cover when in use. This is due to the use of extension cords, because there weren’t any outlets, and they were causing many injuries. (Due to tripping, etc.) Inspectors should note missing oulets as a “safety Issue”.
After inspecting the outside deck I observed the following:
-All wood used in building the deck was pressure treated
-Deck posts were 6x6 and not higher than 12 feet
-This is a free floating deck not connected to the home
-Guard rails were attached by posts and spaced 6 inches apart
-Infills were properly spaced at 4 inches apart
-Decking was spaced appropriately allowing water drainage
-Fooding depth could not be determined but was 14 inches in width (12 inch minimum width)
I read about garage inspections and what deficiencies to look for. I learned that you should not use plywood gussets at truss connections. There should be no alterations to the framing unless recommended by a structural engineer. Roof trusses bear weight at specific points and the weight should bear on the exterior walls, not on interior walls. Electrical receptacles in garages must be GFCI protected, without exception.
Deck inspections: Bracing- Decks taller than 6 feet above grade should have diagonal bracing. From post to the girder, post to Joists (Not illustrated) in 2 directions. Free standing deck often miss the diagonal bracing under the joist when the decking is not run diagonally, this should be in 2 directions also, along with any needed post to joist/girder bracing.
In this picture you can see that this deck is not properly mounted to the ledger with joist hangers and the ledger is not properly secured to the structure with the proper bolts. This deck should be assessed and repaired by a contractor and shouldn’t be used until the proper repairs have been made.
I read an article on deck inspections and learned that about 2 million decks are built or replaced every year and that out of about 45 million of those decks only 40% are completely safe. Also learned that most of the deck failures or collapses happen during the summer months.
This photo shows a decking boards that are not staggered and nails that are too close to the end of the boards. The placement of the nails have caused the boards to split. Staggering the boards improves stability and appearance.
I read creating your home inspection brochure. At first I was under the impression that not using a picture of yourself was the way to go. Now I feel very strongly that the picture is very important to sell yourself.
Deck inspections: This deck has a cantileiver structure on 4" x 4" with no guard or hand rails. The stair stringers are spaced at about 30"and support by the ground. The pressure treated posts are on concrete bases covered with soil, and toe nailed into the girder. This deck should be reviewed by a contractor recommended corrective action taken.
The deck joists are cantilevered within the acceptable limit, but the deck beams are not bearing directly on the posts. Instead, they are bolted to the sides. This puts them in shear. This should be corrected before proceeding with deck construction
One way to approach the inspection of a deck is through the chain of connections: posts to footers, beams to posts, joists to beams, joists to ledger board, ledger board to house. Making all of these connections correctly and soundly is the foundation for a proper deck.
This is a photo of the underside of a set of deck stairs. The stair treads are visibly separated from the stair stringer. This is a safety defect, as the stair treads could become completely detached and cause injury to a person. This should be further investigated and repaired by a qualified technician.
“Inspecting a Deck”
Out of 45 million decks in existence, only around 40% are completely safe. A deck must be designed to to support the weight of people, objects, and snow loads. A deck must be able to resist lateral and uplift loads.
The attached photo shows the front porch of the dwelling. The porch has two separate entrances to the interior, both of which qualify to be the egress. The porch has two support columns and is slightly elevated off the ground surface although the highest point is approximately two feet requiring no guard rail. The step up to the porch is approximately seven inches.
Deck Receptacles. Porches, patios, decks and balcony’s require the presence of a electrical receptacle with one exception, any area smaller than twenty square feet. Since the majority of these spaces are larger than twenty square feet, this is rarely the case.
My Article for this section is Deck Receptacles. They are electrical outlets that are outside and that has a reinforced covering for the weather.
The must be at least one receptacle in the front and back of the house. They must be no higher than 6 feet from the ground.
This Deck has seen its best days, a long time ago. It needs to be taken down altogether. The guardrails are mostly gone. The wood is rotten and painting will not help or restore them. Its really time for a replacement.
A 2x12 stringer has a maximum unsupported span of 6 feet. These stairs are likely to deflect and cause the stringers to either pull loose from the framing or shear along the grain. Recommend a licensed contractor evaluate and repair.
