7 Things to Look for when You Check Your Outdoor Deck for Safety
Summer is the season of sudden deck collapses, with accompanying injuries. This summer has already seen several serious deck collapse incidents, including the collapse of a large deck at a Miami area sports bar that dumped about 100 people into Biscayne Bay.
Our deck collapse injury lawyers emphasize that it’s important to check your deck frequently for safety. Check the deck thoroughly at least once per year; twice is preferable. If you see any signs that indicate your deck might be in need of replacement or repair, you might want to have a professional inspector experienced with outdoor structures take a look at your deck. And hire a licensed, reputable contractor to make any needed repairs or replacement.
7 things to look for when you check your outdoor deck for safety are:
- Missing or loose connections: Our deck collapse injury lawyers point out that failure of structural connections is one of the major causes of deck collapses. Decks connection hardware should consist of appropriate bolts, screws, and metal connectors. If your deck was built using nails as the connecting hardware, the structure could fail at any time. And you need to repair and reinforce the deck using appropriate connection hardware.
- Loose or unstable guardrails: Injuries and fatalities could occur if a deck guardrail gives way suddenly. The costs of the resulting liability could greatly outweigh the minor costs of repair and maintenance.
- Loose or unstable stairs and stair rails.
- Rot: Humidity, moisture, and varying weather extremes could cause the wood of a deck to rot more quickly than you might think. Probe areas with something sharp like a screwdriver. If the metal sinks quickly and easily into the wood, then it’s likely rotten and in need of replacement. Our deck collapse injury lawyers note that many of the newer types of treated wood resist rot more readily than older types, but sometimes cause hardware to corrode more quickly. Check what type of treated wood is best for your climate and environment.
- Cracked or split wood: Especially at the hardware connections, wood might show a tendency to split. What looks like a tiny crack could severely weaken the whole structural member. Replace cracked or split wood before it gives way.
- Corrosion in the hardware connectors.
- Loosening of the ledger board that connects the deck to the main structure: Most often, when a deck falls away from the main structure, our deck collapse injury lawyers know that it’s because the connection at the ledger board has separated and given way. Inadequate or absent flashing that allows moisture to creep in and cause rot; or use of nails rather than bolts as connectors could lead to sudden separation of the ledger board and deck from the house.
Learn more about Deck Safety and What to do if a Deck Collapses: Download our FREE Book
Our FREE in-depth guide to deck safety could help you learn how to safely maintain your deck and avoid sudden deck collapses. But if a deck collapse occurs and you or your loved ones are injured, don’t hesitate to contact our veteran deck collapse injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC for a free, no obligation legal consultation to discuss the accident and evaluate your eligibility for fair financial compensation for your injuries.
We’re among the relative handful of attorneys with practical, successful experience with complex structural collapse injury cases. We’ve helped injured victims nationwide achieve successful outcomes to their structural collapse injury claims. We could help you too.
Cal us direct at 281-369-4363 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your free legal consultation today. Put our more than 12 years of experience to work for your family’s benefit