Deck Safety Tips – Is Your Vinyl Deck Safe?
Deck Safety Tips and How to Care for Your Deck
In this post, our deck experts offer some great deck safety tips. We’ll talk about how to ensure your vinyl deck is safe. Whether it’s a brand new vinyl deck or a deck reconstruction, as a home or building owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your deck is safe.
Deck Safety First!
Older Vinyl Decks
Older decks require a close look on a regular basis. An older deck was likely built before there were building code requirements to protect consumers or when building codes were less stringent. For example, older decks often use nails to attach the deck ledger to the house, which over time can loosen. These deck safety tips also apply to staircases and railings – you need to check them regularly to ensure that they’re still secure.
Newer Vinyl Decks
Even if your vinyl deck is only a few years old, you should still check it regularly for safety. This is particularly true if you “inherited” your deck with a home purchase. You have no idea who built the deck or whether it was built properly or to current codes.
For brand new deck builds, talk to your contractor. They should be up to date with the latest deck building codes in your area and should be willing to go above and beyond to ensure you and your deck are safe.
Important Deck Safety Tip – Get an Inspection
If you are at all unsure of the safety status of your deck, get a professional opinion. Building inspectors are cognizant of the latest building codes and know what to look for in a safe deck. Don’t wait until you see a problem. If your deck is old or it has been a while since an inspection was completed (if at all) then you should get it looked at.
Vinyl Deck Contractors
Any issues that may crop up when you take a look at your deck or when it is inspected should be looked at by a professional contractor. You want any and all deck repairs to be up to code so it will last and to make your vinyl deck safe for the long term. You will want to make sure that your contractor is a member of NADRA – North American Deck and Railing Association. This is a good indicator that they are familiar with and follow proper safe deck building procedures.
Keep checking back here for more Tufdek™ deck safety tips plus deck maintenance. We want you to enjoy your vinyl deck without worrying about safety issues. Of course, protecting your deck with a new vinyl membrane can make all the difference. With a waterproof deck surface you can make the wood structure last that much longer.
If you have any questions about deck safety or waterproofing your deck, please don’t hesitate to call our deck experts at 1-877-860-9333. We’d be glad to help.
