Building Inspector Offers Advice On Avoiding A Deck Collapse Disaster
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Four people remain hospitalized after a deck gave way during a weekend barbeque in Jefferson County. Investigators said they doubt any charges will be filed against the homeowner.
What happened in Jefferson County could happen to a lot of homeowners in Colorado. CBS4's Shaun Boyd spoke with a building inspector who had some advice on how to avoid a disaster.
Decks are a notorious do-it-yourself project for many homeowners. Unfortunately, many don't know the correct way to build a safe deck. Other homeowners think because their decks have been in place for years, they are safe. But some of the biggest dangers are hidden underneath the deck and homeowners don't find out until it's too late.
It wasn't poor construction, but poor maintenance that inspectors say was the cause of the disaster in Jefferson County. The deck was built over 30 years ago and had deteriorated. Under the weight of two dozen people, it gave way. Veteran house inspector Ron Tipton said it wasn't surprising.
"I'm surprised that we don't hear more about accidents like that happening," Tipton said.
He said too many homeowners don't know what to look for when checking to see if a deck is safe or not. He said to start with looking at stairs and railings. Rungs should be no more than four inches apart so a child can't squeeze through them and stairs shouldn't be able to shake at all.
Tipton said the biggest risks are found underneath the deck. Many older decks were nailed instead of being bolted to the house.
"You want to see those bolts going back into the rim joist of the house," Tipton said.
Joist hangers are also critical for deck support. Also, look for splitting or rotting wood. Tipton said most homeowners don't see any of it because they don't think to look. He said that's the biggest danger.
"If you have an older deck -- 20 years or older -- it's time to have somebody come and take a look at it," Tipton said.
When building a new deck homeowners need to draw a permit to make sure it's built to code.
Tipton said he inspects about 500 homes a year and about 25 percent of them have decks that aren't safe.
