Mike McGinnis, the owner of North Texas Fence and Deck wants to remind you that May is “Deck Safety Month”. He notes that hardly a week passes that the news doesn’t report on another tragic accident involving the collapse of a deck. Most deck collapses can be prevented with proper inspection and maintenance. When was the last time your deck was inspected? If you are building a new deck, avoid cutting corners. Hire a professional that is licensed and insured for projects of this nature.
Decks are enjoyed daily during the warm months. You don’t want to make headlines with your family being injured, so inspect the bottom side of yours today. If you don’t know what to look for, hire a professional deck builder to perform the inspection.
Decks collapse for several reasons. In some cases, builders have cut corners when building the deck, but in almost all cases, improper maintenance played a key role in the deck’s failure and the subsequent injuries. McGinnis reminds homeowners and homeowner associations that decks are not made to last a lifetime with little or no maintenance. Decks are usually constructed of wood and even though the materials are pressure-treated, decks have a finite life cycle. Of course proper maintenance can extend its life.
When do homeowners need to replace a deck? Like anything else, the answer to that question depends on the type and frequency of preventive maintenance. But a good rule of thumb would be that if your home is more than 10 years old and you have not regularly inspected and maintained the deck, now would be a good time to get a free estimate on replacing it. Upgrading your deck can add a lot of enjoyment and value to your home.
Source: North Texas Fence and Deck
Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2014. All rights reserved.
