Abandoned Oil Tank Search/Sweeps in NJ
See Sample Home Inspection Report
Middlesex County
*The Company with the Money Back Guarantee
* Licensed Professional Inspectors
* Affordable Prices
Call for Free Price Quote and
Home Inspection Information
908-757-3400
The main web site has over 130 Safety, Maintenance and
Real Estate tips for the new buyer.
Main Web Site Link - http://www.gwarreninc.com/
Safety Tip, wooden deck safety issues
The spacing between the balusters on a deck or porch should be no more than 4 inches wide. Wider than four inches is considered a safety hazard because small children have stuck the head through baluster and have gotten some serious injuries. Another area of concern is under the bottom of the safety rails, some times but not common is to have a large space under the rail that a small child can crawl under and fall off the deck. Another safety hazard with wooden decks is the finish of the wood particularity the hand rails. The rain and harsh weather warps and splinters the wood which can cause some large splinter injuries. For this reason the condition of the wood surface should be sanded if rough and the deck water sealed at least once every two years. While inspecting for deck safety check the steps and the steps hand rails. Make sure that the hand rails are sturdy and not loose and check the steps for wood rot or softness in the wooden steps. Another problem noted with wooden deck steps is the footing of the steps. If the steps are not setting solid on concrete but are just setting on the ground, sooner or later the nose of the stringer will start to sink in the dirt and the steps will pull away from the deck. Wooden decks require a lot of maintenance and if the up keep is neglected it’s very easy to lose a deck because of wood rot and water damage. Because of the high maintenance some of the newer decks are being constructed with vinyl covered rails and the floor is constructed with composition type material that looks like wood but is much more weather resistant than treated wood.
NOTE- The composition type material cost much more than the standard wood
material but requires a lot less maintenance .
DECK INSPECTION
Our certified home inspection includes a visible inspection of: DECK MATERIAL - Although there are many types of material used for decks, for the purpose of this article, we will example the most popular type deck which is the wooden deck. Usually wooden decks are be made with treated lumber to avoid wood rot and termites. Our certified home inspection includes a visible inspection of exposed areas of : DECK SUPPORTS - Besides having the proper treated wood and condition of the wood, equally important is the deck support system. Our inspector will inspect very carefully the following exposed areas of : (A) The way the deck is mounted to the house. The deck should really be lag bolted to the house not just nailed. And, it should sit on a strong ledger strip or it should be supported by metal brackets that are attached to a header and ledger strip. (B) The support posts should pressure treated wood and should rest on a concrete footing and not in direct contact with the soil.
Our certified home inspection includes a visible inspection of : DECK RAILS AND STAIRS - the deck rail and stairs should be checked for condition and safety. A raised deck should have a rail around the parameter as a safety precaution. If the deck is used by small children, extra protection is needed with the guard rails, the rail opening between the balusters should be no more that four to five inches wide. With safety rails having the balusters only 4 inches wide children cannot stick their head through the balusters and get injured.
The spacing between the balusters on a deck or porch should be no more than 4 inches wide. Wider than four inches is considered a safety hazard because small children have stuck the head through baluster and have gotten some serious injuries. Another area of concern is under the bottom of the safety rails, some times but not common is to have a large space under the rail that a small child can crawl under and fall off the deck. Another safety hazard with wooden decks is the finish of the wood particularity the hand rails. The rain and harsh weather warps and splinters the wood which can cause some large splinter injuries. For this reason the condition of the wood surface should be sanded if rough and the deck water sealed at least once every two years. While inspecting for deck safety check the steps and the steps hand rails. Make sure that the hand rails are sturdy and not loose and check the steps for wood rot or softness in the wooden steps. Another problem noted with wooden deck steps is the footing of the steps. If the steps are not setting solid on concrete but are just setting on the ground, sooner or later the nose of the stringer will start to sink in the dirt and the steps will pull away from the deck. Wooden decks require a lot of maintenance and if the up keep is neglected it’s very easy to lose a deck because of wood rot and water damage. Because of the high maintenance some of the newer decks are being constructed with vinyl covered rails and the floor is constructed with composition type material that looks like wood but is much more weather resistant than treated wood.
NOTE- The composition type material cost much more than the standard wood
material but requires a lot less maintenance .
DECK INSPECTION
Our certified home inspection includes a visible inspection of: DECK MATERIAL - Although there are many types of material used for decks, for the purpose of this article, we will example the most popular type deck which is the wooden deck. Usually wooden decks are be made with treated lumber to avoid wood rot and termites. Our certified home inspection includes a visible inspection of exposed areas of : DECK SUPPORTS - Besides having the proper treated wood and condition of the wood, equally important is the deck support system. Our inspector will inspect very carefully the following exposed areas of : (A) The way the deck is mounted to the house. The deck should really be lag bolted to the house not just nailed. And, it should sit on a strong ledger strip or it should be supported by metal brackets that are attached to a header and ledger strip. (B) The support posts should pressure treated wood and should rest on a concrete footing and not in direct contact with the soil.
Our certified home inspection includes a visible inspection of : DECK RAILS AND STAIRS - the deck rail and stairs should be checked for condition and safety. A raised deck should have a rail around the parameter as a safety precaution. If the deck is used by small children, extra protection is needed with the guard rails, the rail opening between the balusters should be no more that four to five inches wide. With safety rails having the balusters only 4 inches wide children cannot stick their head through the balusters and get injured.
G Warren Inc. Service area
Home Inspection Avenel NJ 07001Licensed Home Inspector Avenel NJ 07001
