Cigarette Believed to Be Trigger of Massive Condo Fire

A safety expert believes a cigarette is to blame for sparking a massive fire on a deck on a condo in Florida. We recommend the use of fire resistant Class A rated solid surface decking over wood and synthetics for superior protection.

Watch the news clip below

 

Fire Pit Ignites Wood Deck - 60K in Damages is The Result

DO NOT USE FIRE PITS ON DECKS! DO NOT USE FIRE PITS ON DECKS! 

A family escaped with smoke damage to the interior and about 60k in dagaes to their deck and exterior of the home when embers from a fire pit on the wood deck apparently were blown out onto the deck. The deck ignited and the siding did to. Lucky these people weren't killed...

From wkbn.com 

"The Girard Fire Department says the family had been burning wood in a fire pit on the wooden deck on Sunday night. They believe that wind may have kicked up an ember in the ashes and started the blaze."

Watch the TV report here 

Connecticut Bans Grills on Decks and Balconies at Multi-Family Complexes

A good first step to helping prevent fires and loss of property and life...Connecticut banned using propane and gas grills on decks.

From the Hartford Courant-
A little-noticed change in the newly revised Connecticut State Fire Prevention Code, which took effect May 7, prohibits the use and storage of any type of grill or cooking device on decks, beneath overhangs or within 10 feet of the building.

Read the article at the link below. 

http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-no-grills-law-20150730-story.html

Fire That Appears to Have Started on a Deck Kills Dog, Destroys Home in Washington

A fire consumes a home in Washington state. 
Early reports indicate the fire began on the deck. 
The family lost their home and a pet dog as a result.
Photo KREM.com 

Please, don't grill or smoke on your deck. That's the advice we keep giving and sadly, not a day goes by without a report of a grill or cigarettes starting the fire. We recommend solid surface decking systems that are Class A fire retardant. Read more on our website.

From Contra Costa Times-As Berkeley begins balcony inspections, records suggest safety problems are common in region

Photo by Contra Costa Times Photographer  Karl Mondon
shows two balconies falling off a building in San Francisco.
The sliding doors are not blocked to prevent access, a
dangerous condition.

An investigative report on Berkeley's new deck inspection ordinance by Matthia Gafni, David Early Sr & Thomas Peele shows that other Bay area cities with inspection requirements reveals the difficulty in forcing building owners to repair their buildings. Gafni interviewed me on my opinions and expertise on the subject. 

"A rotting deck railing at a San Francisco house suddenly snaps during a birthday party, and three people fall onto concrete below, suffering serious injuries. Posts tenuously prop up the collapsing balcony of four San Jose apartments that city inspectors may soon order vacated, fearing an imminent collapse.

In Concord, inspectors find balconies at an apartment complex badly rotted and order immediate repairs, citing danger to residents.

These details -- gathered from inspection records reviewed by the Bay Area News Group -- suggest just how common the types of problems are that doomed a Berkeley balcony and killed six young adults last month."

My personal professional opinion is landlords and property management companies have decided to not fix decks until someone dies. Read my opinions in the article here at this link. http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_28538504/berkeley-begins-balcony-inspections-records-suggest-safety-problems

Signs Your Deck Needs To Be Inspected

We have had a lot of traffic recently to our site from people who are concerned about their decks. We want to assure you that your waterproofed deck probably isn't going to collapse, but many wood decks do collapse on a near everyday basis in the US. How can you check your waterproof solid surface deck to see if it has any warning signs of danger?

Do use our photograph's to check your deck for signs of problems and dangerous conditions. If you find these conditions, you'll want to have a deck inspector review your deck and give you a report with a basic scope of work to use to obtain bids with. Don't let a deck waterproofing contractor write his scope of work, they may be complete and truthful or they may be adding extra work and profits on.

Even if your deck is in no danger of collapse, water getting under the surface of a waterproof deck can cause damage to framing and the plywood substrate.

1.) Therefore, cracks on a deck are a warning sign. Look at your deck carefully in the field of the deck. Many times plywood moving will cause a deck to crack.

Urethane deck with seam tape showing through coating.
We recommend a professional inspection and evaluation. 

Long cracks in the field of the deck
should be inspected and repaired. 

Some decks crack because of moving plywood. This deck's
coating cracked because of plywood not being level. 

Cracks at the edge of a deck may indicate a more serious issue underneath.
Further evaluation is recommended.

2.) Rusted metal flashings on deck edges or at deck to wall areas. Rusted areas in field of deck. Rusted railing bases.

Rusted railing bases have lost their strength and now may present a hazard
as they won't be able to retrain you from falling. An inspection and fast repairs
need to be done in many cases to maintain safety. 

Any type of plant growth around a railing bases indicates moisture
conditions underneath. 

Rust on the metal flashing like this is a sign that further inspection
should be done and a scope of work written.

3.) Ponding Water. After a rain storm, your waterproof deck should be dry within 24 hours to at most 48 hours. Water should not ever pond longer than that. An inspection of the problem areas can help you determine what work can and needs to be done to correct a ponding water issue.

Ponds in the middle of a walkway always create problems.

Water sitting at the wall can attack exposed sheet metal causing rust and leaks.

Water sitting on an edge indicates a high edge. 

Watch for future articles discussing drains and scuppers.