May is Deck Safety Month in Virginia.  And, the city of Norfolk has been inspecting decks all month long for free.  Back in 2005, 28 people attending a beach house wedding in Sandbridge were injured and rushed to the hospital after the deck they were on collapsed.  Rusty nails were to blame.  It’s is disasters like this that have prompted the city of Norfolk to get involved.

We spoke to Lynn Underwood who is a code official for Norfolk.  He told me that people may not have used their decks in months and if your deck has not been properly maintained, your deck may be unsafe.

According to the Virginia Building and Code Officials Association Hundreds of people are injured each year due to failures in their deck.  These are injuries that could have been prevented.

From the wood, the bolts, support beams all the way to the stair railings.  all need to be inspected to insure a safe deck.  Underwood says one of the most important things inspectors look for is how the deck is actually connected to the house. Also, if you notice cracks  in wood planks or if you notice your deck flooring is spongy when you walk on it, it could mean that you have an unsafe deck. 

  If you have a concern about your deck contact your local inspections office to see what type of inspections they offer.

Please check out my latest Web report.  While you are on our website just click the 10 On Your Side tab and you will see this story.  Let me know how you liked it.

If you have a story idea please email me.

kelly.welsh@wavy.com

Thanks,

Kelly