Telltale Signs It’s Time to Install a New Deck, Part 2

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the initial signs that your current deck might be nearing the end of its lifespan and requiring replacement. Worn down decks are both a potential safety hazard and an aesthetic concern on your property, so it’s important to be able to recognize the red flags present.

At Utah Fence Warehouse, we offer a variety of deck and railing services along with our fence material supply and contractor services. Here are several additional indicators that your deck might be wearing down and in need of a replacement.

Wobbling Deck Boards

Do you feel insecure as you walk along a deck, as if you could fall through? Does the deck actively wobble during contact? These are signs that it’s simply nearing the end of its life, often due to joists that are pulling away from the rim or ledger they’re attached to. When this happens, they twist out of vertical positioning, weakening their support capabilities and requiring replacement.

Lack of Ledger Flashing

Ledger flashing is a seal placed on the ledger board of your deck, ensuring that water will not make its way in between the deck and the attachment to your home (the ledger). Even minor leaks here can lead to major concerns, such as mold or massive rot concerns on a vital support area of the deck.

If the rim joist is allowed to rot, the ledger board can fall off and collapse the entire deck. To check this, you can go under your deck and look for a metal or plastic lip on top of the ledger board. If your deck does not have one of these, you should strongly consider a renovation.

Local Regulations

In other cases, your deck may have been built in a way that no longer conforms with state or local regulations. These may include areas like perimeter guards, building codes and others. If you’re unsure on this, our team will be happy to inspect your deck and inform you of whether it’s up to code in several important areas.

Major Damage

Finally, often the clearest indicator that your deck needs to be replaced is major damage that’s past the point of repair. We’re talking about issues like sagging frames due to rot, railings or other attachments becoming loose or detaching, or visible rot or termite issues showing up. As rot or pest issues become a problem, they are liable to spread quickly and impact the entire substructure of the deck, making it unsafe and requiring replacement.

For more signs that your deck might require replacement, or to learn about any of our deck and fence contractor services, speak to the staff at Utah Fence Warehouse today.