Now that spring has arrived in Somerset County, New Jersey I'm sure everybody is busy out of doors refreshing their gardens and planting flowers and shrubs were needed. But one thing people don't think about too much, are the decks that connect to their houses. While being actively engaged as a general contractor for over 30 years, I have built many different kinds of decks. It's very important to have your deck checked out every few years, especially when it's elevated or raised. Wood components can weaken due to normal changing climatic conditions.
May is the North American Deck and Railing Associations "Deck Safety Month". It should be a reminder to have those loose or deteriorated components of your deck repaired. And while doing so, it's also a very good idea to take a look at what holds the deck together and how it's connected to your house. If your not handy or too well versed in the art of deck building, a reputable home improvement contractor should be able to point out if there are any serious defects. Being the busy season for contractors, you may consider hiring an experienced home inspector to make a visit to make sure everything is ok under the deck.
Normally, the most easily identified component defects in a deck include loose railings, loose steps and deteriorated decking boards. But there are also items that are not quite so evident beneath the deck surface. One of these items are the joist hanger clips- that are used to fasten the deck joists to the house. Sometimes the joist clips are improperly nailed or fastened/and or become rusted. They would need to be replaced ASAP to stop a further weakening of the structure.
Another installation that's just as important is the fastening technique used to attach the deck to the house, most frequently with the use of a ledger board that needs to be bolted instead of being just nailed or screwed. The prescribed method is to use ½ inch bolts, not screws or nails. This is a requirement in most Somerset County New Jersey area.
One more major element worth mentioning, and that I see a lot of, is deck sway or poor lateral support. A lot of decks that have been built provide post support but do not properly connect to the deck joist system that then creates deck sway. When buying real estate, the house or wall is static and does not move. It's should be the same for a deck. Even thought the deck is used for leisure activities, it should not be considered a play toy. The deck should be built just as solid as your house- from the footings to the guard railings the deck components all need to be fastened correctly.
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