MAY 11, 2018
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Home & Real Estate www.CityLivingSeattle.com
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BALLARD, FREMONT, GREEN LAKE, NORTHGATE, PHINNEY/GREENWOOD, RAVENNA/ROOSEVELT AND WALLINGFORD
Is my deck safe? What to look for. Photo by Artem Bali from Pexels
BY KIMBERLY MARTIN, CYNEBURG SCAPES
Q:
The question most parents worry about when allowing their child out into the world for the first time is, Will they be safe? Same goes when buying a car; most of us think about the safety ratings of the vehicle first and foremost. But what about your deck? Do you know the condition of that base of your outdoor entertaining or lounging area? It may have been inspected when you bought your home, but have you thought about the safety of it since? Now, you may be asking yourself, Why would my deck have been safe when I purchased my home but may not be now? There are a few reasons that immediately come to
mind. First—especially if you have a wood deck and have not done proper yearly maintenance—rot or decay may have made your deck unsafe since you moved in. The second reason is that, over the years, the way we build decks has evolved and is dramatically different from how they were built even five years ago. As decks fail (meaning they collapse, or people fall off them), changes are made to the way they need to be built to make them safer. This means that your deck will not collapse even if you have 15 of your best friends out dancing on it or, say, that if your Uncle Bob has a wee bit too much to drink and stumbles heavily into the deck railing, he won’t fall off the deck. The most common question about deck safety is, What should I look for? Here are a few items that may indicate that your deck may not be safe and needs repair and up-
grades: • It has soft spots where the deck boards give. • The deck sways side to side with a few people on it. • There is some rot in the railing or the railing is wobbly. • The steps have a lot of bounce to them. • Lastly, and this is my personal favorite— the deck boards have started to come away from the structure underneath. The next important question is, What should I do in the event I see one or more of the above items? If you are handy (aka you know what you’re doing) and have time to review the codes to repair the deck, take the time to do so as soon as possible. If you are like most people, however, and are not qualified or just do not have time or want to take the time, call a licensed con-
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tractor. Make sure they have experience with decks and deck repair, and get them to come out and take a look. Most will do an initial consultation and estimate at no charge. After ensuring your deck is up to standard, go ahead and give Uncle Bob a call. He misses your backyard barbecues.
Kimberly Martin and Cyneburg Scapes are members of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. Cyneburg Scapes helps create your outdoor envisioned space to attain your vision and allow you to enjoy the outside of your home as much or more than the inside.
Dennis Pearce, Realtor Green, Eco-Broker, CLHMS 206.931.9945 Dennis@raincitydigs.com Keller Williams Greater Seattle 1307 N 45th St #300 Seattle, WA 98103 Local Business Owners:
Contact me this week, if you’d like your business to be featured in front of my 2500+ local Facebook fans! magnets can make life easier, visit Moen.com/Magnetix. As manufacturers create and innovate, you may find magnets are the driving force behind more items that you use daily.
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