Wood Decks and Balconies

The inspector should inspect:

A. with the unaided eye, for deck and balcony members that are noticeably out of level or out of plumb;
B. for visible decay;
C. for paint failure and buckling;
D. for nail pullout (nail pop);
E. for fastener rust, iron stain and corrosion;
F. and verify that flashing was installed on the deck-side of the ledger board;
G. for vertical members (posts) that have exposed end-grains;
H. for obvious trip hazards;
I. for non-graspable handrails;
J. railings for height less than the 36-inch minimum*;
K. guardrails and infill for openings that exceed the 4-inch maximum*;
L. open-tread stairs for openings that exceed the 4⅜-inch maximum*;
M. the triangular area between guardrails and stairways for openings that exceed the 6-inch maximum*;
N. built-up and multi-ply beam spans for butt joints;
O. for notches in the middle-third of solid-sawn wood spans;
P. for large splits longer than the depths of their solid-sawn wood members;
Q. for building egresses blocked, covered or hindered by deck construction; and
R. for the possibility of wetting from gutters, downspouts or sprinklers.

​

The inspector is not required to:

A. discover insect infestation or damage.
B. inspect, determine or test the tightness or adequacy of fasteners.
C. determine lumber grade.
D. measure moisture content.
E. inspect for or determine bending strength.
F. inspect for or determine shear stress.
G. determine lag screw or bolt shear values.
H. calculate loads.
I. determine proper spans or inspect for deflections.
J. discover decay hidden by paint.
K. verify that flashing has been coated to prevent corrosion.
L. determine that post-to-footing attachments exist.
M. dig below grade or remove soil around posts.
N. crawl under any deck with less than 3 feet of headroom, or remove deck skirting to acquire access.
O. determine proper footing depth or frostline.
P. verify proper footing size.
Q. perform pick tests.
R. perform or provide any architectural or engineering service.
S. use a level or plumb bob.
T. use a moisture meter.
U. predict service-life expectancy.
V. verify compliance with permits, codes or formal standards.
W. inspect for disabled persons’ accessibility barriers.
X. determine if a deck blocks, covers or hinders septic tank or plumbing access.
Y. determine easement-encroachment compliance.