Good call on the textured composite—I had a similar slip issue a couple years back and ended up adding grip strips to avoid replacing the whole deck. Worked out okay, but not ideal aesthetically. Curious about your yearly checks though...do you inspect underneath too, like joists and supports, or just eyeball the surface boards? I've been debating if it's worth crawling under there every year or if every couple of years is enough.
I usually do a quick surface check every spring, but every other year I make a point of crawling underneath—especially since my deck's attached to an older historic home. Learned the hard way that moisture loves hiding spots around joists and supports. Last year, I found some rot starting near the ledger board...caught it early enough to fix without major hassle. Do you guys think climate plays a big role in how often we should inspect underneath? Seems like wetter areas might need more frequent checks.
You're definitely on the right track checking regularly, especially with an older home. I live in a pretty rainy area myself, and moisture can really sneak up on you. Catching issues early saves a ton of money down the road...trust me, learned that lesson too.
