Twice a year is reasonable, but I'd suggest paying extra attention after any big storms or heavy rainfall. Even sustainably treated wood can surprise you—I've seen decks that looked fine one month and had soft spots the next. Better safe than sorry with structural stuff like this.
"Even sustainably treated wood can surprise you—I've seen decks that looked fine one month and had soft spots the next."
Yeah, this is spot-on. I used to think checking once or twice a year was plenty until I stepped through a board after a particularly rainy spring... talk about an unexpected adrenaline rush, lol. Now I'm a bit paranoid and tend to poke around after any big weather event. It's funny how owning an older house turns you into an amateur detective—always suspicious something's secretly falling apart!
Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way myself. Flipped a house last year with a deck that looked totally solid—until I leaned on the railing and nearly face-planted into the bushes below. Now I'm constantly tapping boards and checking underneath... paranoia or just good sense?
"Now I'm constantly tapping boards and checking underneath... paranoia or just good sense?"
Definitely good sense. Had a similar scare myself—stepped onto a friend's deck once and felt the whole thing shift slightly underfoot. Now I do random spot checks every few months. Better safe than sorry, right?
"Now I do random spot checks every few months. Better safe than sorry, right?"
Every few months sounds reasonable... but it depends a lot on your climate too. Moisture, snow, or intense sun can speed things up. I'm in a rainy area and noticed some rot setting in quicker than I expected, even with treated lumber. Anyone else find weather conditions making you reconsider how often you inspect?