Construction expert warns of deck safety after weekend collapse
Posted Jun 9, 2015 10:13:10 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A deck collapse last weekend in Cole Harbour has the Nova Scotia Home Builders’ Association warning people to check their own decks.
Paul Pettipas told The Rick Howe Show, codes have been upgraded over the years, so if your home was built in the 80s and 90s, your deck could be a danger.
“Look at how your deck is held to the home, if you see nails, put the lag screws in, and make sure that the water has not run in behind that plate that the deck is hooked into, ” he said. “What we’ve seen in some of these accidents is, there’s nothing but rotten wood in behind.”
Pettipas explained, just like cars, decks need regular maintenance, especially after the winter we had.
He added other deck safety tips are just common sense.
“You cannot put 30, 40, 50, 60 people on a deck.”
Pettipas said if you want heavier items on your deck, you need to plan accordingly.
“If you’ve got a hot tub on your deck it’s an entirely different story,” he said. “You’ve got to put more posts on there, you’ve got to support that weight.”
Pettipas said if you can see air between your house and your deck, that’s sign it’s moving away from your home and it needs to be fixed.
