Yeah, stairs are sneaky for sure. Last spring, I was checking out a rental property and the deck looked totally fine at first glance. But when I stepped on the second stair, it gave way just enough to make my heart skip a beat. Turns out the underside was completely rotted through—couldn't see it from above at all. Now I poke around underneath every few months... better safe than sorry, right?
I feel you on the sneaky stairs thing—had a similar scare a while back. Our deck's pretty old (historic house problems, haha), and it looked solid enough from above. But one day, while repainting, I noticed a soft spot near the railing. Turns out moisture had been sneaking in for ages. Now I do a quick check at the start of every season, just tapping around and looking underneath. A little maintenance goes a long way, especially with older structures... better than an unexpected tumble, right?
Had a similar issue with our porch steps last summer. Thought they were totally fine until my foot went straight through one morning carrying groceries—talk about an adrenaline rush. Now I do random spot checks whenever I'm out there watering plants or whatever. Honestly, seasonal checks are great, but sometimes I wonder if that's enough, especially after heavy rains or snow melts. Ever thought about doing extra checks after rough weather?
Had a similar scare myself a couple years back—deck boards looked perfectly fine on top, but underneath was a different story. After a heavy spring rain, I noticed some slight give underfoot and decided to investigate further. Turns out moisture had been pooling beneath, causing hidden rot. Since then, I've made it a habit to do thorough checks after major weather events, especially focusing on joints, fasteners, and underside supports. Seasonal inspections are good practice, but severe weather definitely warrants extra vigilance...better safe than sorry.
I usually stick to a seasonal routine myself, but your point about severe weather is spot-on. After a big storm last summer, I found a couple loose fasteners that weren't obvious before. Now I double-check after heavy rains too...can't be too careful with structural safety.