Good call on upping your inspection routine. A few thoughts:
- Decks are sneaky—rot and structural issues often hide beneath the surface, even if things look solid at first glance.
- Your BBQ incident sounds rough... but it's a valuable wake-up call. Better a bruised ego (and foot) than a serious accident down the line.
- Annual checks might feel tedious, but they're smart preventative maintenance. Plus, catching issues early usually saves money in the long run.
Sounds like you're on the right track.
Honestly, annual checks might be overkill for some decks. I mean, if your deck's pretty new and built with quality materials, every two or three years could be plenty. My parents' deck lasted ages without yearly inspections—though admittedly, Dad did fall through a board once during a family BBQ... maybe I'm not the best example here. Still, sometimes common sense and a quick glance can save you from going full-on inspector mode every summer.
I tend to agree—annual inspections might be a bit much, especially if you're mindful about upkeep. A quick visual check each season, looking for obvious signs like warped boards or loose railings, usually does the trick. But I'd suggest paying extra attention after harsh winters or heavy storms; weather can accelerate wear and tear unexpectedly. Better safe than sorry...and definitely better than falling through mid-BBQ!
I usually just eyeball mine casually every few months, but last spring after a nasty storm, I noticed one of the railings was way looser than it looked. Turned out water had seeped in and rotted the wood underneath—couldn't even tell from a quick glance. Ended up costing more than I'd planned (typical, right?), but it made me wonder if maybe a thorough check once a year isn't such a bad idea after all...
"Ended up costing more than I'd planned (typical, right?)"
Yep, been there myself. Last fall, figured I'd patch up a few loose boards real quick—ended up discovering half the joists underneath were rotting away quietly. Hadn't checked thoroughly in years, just eyeballed it like you. Lesson learned: a quick yearly crawl underneath saves a lot more cash than waiting till things get ugly...
