May is Deck Safety Month

Check Your Deck® During Deck Safety Month® this May

Atlanta, Georgia – Your deck is the perfect place to enjoy warm weather with friends and loved ones. However, a poorly maintained or unsafe deck could possibly collapse, causing serious injuries to you and your guests. During Deck Safety Month® in May, experts at Scott Home Services, Inc. recommend homeowners Check Your Deck® before starting to plan family activities.

“Our number one priority and message to local residents is to ensure that their decks are safe for use,” says Matthew Scott, President, Scott Home Services, Inc., a Certified Master Deck Professional and member of the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA). “Outdoor structures like decks are exposed to sun, rain, snow and extreme temperature changes over the years. The need to maintain and inspect them is critical for keeping decks strong and safe.”

Scott Home Services, Inc. a professional deck inspection company, supports the work of NADRA, which has created campaigns and educational programs, along with certifications for home inspectors, deck builders, remodelers, builders, code officials, engineers, architects, distributors, lumberyards and manufacturers to improve proper installation practices. The organization has also developed checklists and safety awareness information for consumers to assure they have details available to them to evaluate their decks. The information can be found at www.NADRA.org.

“Your roof has a life expectancy. Your windows have a life expectancy. What about your deck?” Says Michael Beaudry, executive vice president of NADRA. “Consider the snow and ice from just this past year. These weather factors cause additional stress on outdoor structures and create a need to evaluate. With more than 50 million decks in the U.S., it is estimated that 25 million decks are past their useful life and need to be replaced or repaired.”

“It’s important for homeowners to check their deck on a yearly basis.” says Matthew Scott, whose company is in Atlanta, Georgia. “It’s time to Check Your Deck®!”

Consumer Checklist

According to Scott, a key element to homeowners enjoying their decks for years to come is making sure it is safe and code compliant. NADRA’s “10-Point Consumer Safety Checklist” is an efficient way to take a good look at the different parts of the deck, with an eye to what might need maintenance, repair or replacement. The free checklist can be found at www.NADRA.org

Homeowners should consider a professional deck inspection. “A professional inspector or builder will thoroughly examine your deck, provide information on your deck’s capacity limits, identify any dangerous problem areas and give you some insight of what to keep your eye on in the future,” says Scott.

Scott reminds homeowners that older decks require closer scrutiny and regular inspections. Many decks were built before code requirements were established to protect consumers. Some of these older decks may have deck-to-house attachments using only nails instead of the current recommended construction using deck tension hardware that greatly helps in the prevention of ledger failures.

Deck inspection requires special knowledge, expertise and experience. The team at Scott Home Services, Inc. is available to assist homeowners with deck inspections and can be reached at 770-394-8952 or by visiting scotthomeservices.com.

About Scott Home Services, Inc.: Scott Home Services, Inc. has been performing home and building inspections since 1973. Our inspectors are Master Deck Inspectors, certified by NADRA. We are certified Home Inspectors by the American Society of Home Inspectors, EIFS certified, and Code Certified. We are also certified to perform an inspection that is compliant with InterNACHI Safety Guidelines for COVID-19.

About NADRA:

The North American Decking and Railing Association is the voice of the decking industry, representing the interests of deck builders, inspectors, manufacturers, dealers/distributors, lumberyards, wholesalers, retailers, and service providers alike. NADRA’s mission is to provide a unified source for the professional development, promotion, growth, and sustenance of the deck and railing building industry in North America so that members can exceed the expectations of their customers. Visit www.NADRA.org to access all of NADRA’s Deck Safety Month® resources.

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