Decks are quite popular, especially in suburban homes, and for a good reason: home decks are aesthetically appealing and extend your home’s living space outdoors. A deck is a brilliant place for your family and friends to hang out in and is arguably one of the most often-occupied outdoor space in your home. As such, you need to ensure that your deck is a safe space for everyone to enjoy and ensure your home deck safety with our home deck safety tips.
#1 Sturdy and Stable Construction
The primary safety concern when it comes to decks is structural integrity. If your deck isn’t constructed correctly, there’s a huge chance that it can collapse and result in injuries. Poor construction can also result in uneven flooring (which can cause tripping incidents), loose railings, and even nails sticking out from the boards, all of which would end up with someone getting hurt. Although DIY is a popular option when constructing your home’s deck, it’s best to know your limits and know when it’s the right time to hire a contractor to carry out your deck-building project instead professionally.
#2 Quality Materials
Whether you’re making constructing the deck on your own or have a contractor do it for you, you must use high-quality, durable materials. Using water-resistant, Class A fire rated decking materials would ensure that your deck would be much safer as it’s more resilient against water damage that can result in accidents such as tripping over warped and uneven boards, and also reduce the risk of fire from breaking out and spreading from your deck to your home by having fire-retardant properties. If you don’t have access to such materials, make sure that you use a deck sealer to prevent moisture from permeating and damaging your wooden deck. Some deck sealers are even tinted and provide both UV protection and a pristine look.
#3 Regular Inspection, Cleaning, and Maintenance
Make it a habit to keep an eye out for any loose railings or boards, signs of water damage (such as decay and warping), fungi and molds, as well as insect damage and fix any issue immediately before they worsen (or before someone ends up getting injured because of them). Although decks should be thoroughly cleaned and maintained at least once a year, it’s still recommended to scrub or power-wash away any sap, mold, or dirt on it.
#4 Grilling Precautions
Grilling is one of the most common activities done on the deck. Unfortunately, a lot of accidents can occur when grilling. For starters, wood and heat (fire and embers from the grill) do not mix well, so make sure that you have a deck grill mat, and place the grill away from your deck’s railings and anything on the deck that can catch on fire. It’s also important for your deck to have a fire extinguisher to quickly put out any fires that may break out from grilling.
#5 Preventive Pruning
One thing that can damage your deck, and even injure anyone on it, is falling branches. Although trees are an excellent source of shade, they can also be a hazard. Strong winds can snap off branches that can fall on your deck, deck furniture, and anyone directly under it. As such, it’s important to have the trees in your property inspected by a tree specialist or lawn care professional to see if it needs pruning. It’s also recommended to have trees undergo preventive pruning when there’s news of an incoming storm.
#6 Clean and Clutter-Free Stairs
Always make sure that your deck’s stairs are always free from dirt, mold, stains, toys, and tools to prevent tripping, slipping, and falling incidents. It would also be best to ensure that your deck’s stairs have sturdy and easy-to-grasp railings just in case someone slips or trips.
Conclusion
Quality construction, maintenance, and good housekeeping are the keys you need to help make your deck, so make sure that you follow these tips to guarantee that your deck becomes a safe and cozy place for anyone to lounge in.
