Deck Danger: Five Warning Signs

April 30, 2007 — -- More than 92 million homes in the United States have a porch, deck, balcony or patio, and experts say that an astonishing 20 million of those decks are in need of immediate replacement or repair. These are the five warning signs that your deck needs immediate attention.

If your deck has rotted wood, the beams may not be able to support the deck or anyone standing on it.

Wood naturally cracks with age, but a deck with cracks throughout or large cracks in portions is a sign of major weakness.

It is a big problem if all you see are nails holding your deck together. All decks should have a combination of nails, screws and metal connectors or fasteners supporting the structure.

Even if your deck has the proper support system, it's at risk of collapse if the connections are corroded. Rust is a red flag that metal connections are corroding.

Even if your deck has all the proper types of support, you can still have a weak deck if the support is loosely connected or corroded. A shaky handrail is a sign you can see from the surface of the deck.

For more information about building a deck, visit the following Web sites: