Square One Home Inspection
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Home Inspections for Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Ripon, Waupun, and Beaver Dam Areas
Have You Flashed Your Deck?
Isn't it wonderful? You and your family are enjoying the summer on your brand new deck. BBQ parties, maybe a birthday party, or just a weekend spent relaxing in the backyard and relaxing on the deck.
That new deck has been quite an addition to the home. It took a few weeks to have it installed, then it needed to be stained and sealed, to protect it from the elements. Nowadays, decks are big money. They range from your standard wooden deck, to the more expensive composite decks. Either way you go, your new deck is an expensive investment, and one that you want installed properly.
To ensure that your deck has been properly installed, I recommend hiring a home inspector to review the project after it has been completed. Having a yearly inspection for your deck is not a bad idea either. Decks are a place where many serious injuries can and do occur. They happen because of improper installation and not performing yearly maintenance on them. In the Fond du Lac area your home inspector, Square One Home Inspection, can help you with this part.
One area that you want to focus on is the deck flashing. This is a very important part of the installation process, unfortunately, it is also a step that gets skipped far too often. Here I will point out what a home inspector is looking for in regards to properly flashing your deck where it meets the exterior wall of your home.
If this is done properly, it will prevent water entry into your home. Most times, when your home inspector finds water entry in this area of your home, it is a result of improper or misssing deck flashing. When this is done incorrectly, or not at all, it can be a costly and time consuming repair.
Notice how the components are placed and installed in the illustration. Each component needs to be ran properly, so that any water will be shed to the exterior of the home. One of the most common mistakes is to install the underlayment and simply attach the flashing. In this scenario, the underlayment will be behind the flashing, creating a possible water entry point into the home.
If you have a deck, I encourage you to go take a look at how it is attached to the home. Look to see if you can see the flashing and if it has been properly installed. If you think you may have a problem, I encourage you to have your home inspector evaluate it, and make sure that everything is done properly. By having your home inspector check it out for you, you may save yourself lots of money in the long run. If problems are detected by your home inspector early, the damage or possible damage will be much less than when the water damage becomes readily visible, thus costing much more to repair.
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