A deck, kitted out with outdoor furniture and some lush, colorful outdoor plants, could be the pride and joy of your home. All year round, this outside addition to your house could be a tranquil haven for you, or perhaps somewhere to duck out from the rain when a downpour starts.
Although a nicely done deck can look great, it’s always important to be sure you’ve got the safety aspect of these wooden planks under control – especially if you’ve got young children running around.
This is where Deck Safety Month comes in – designed to remind those who have chosen a home with this kind of extension that there’s still the odd thing to keep an eye out for when making sure your home is a safe haven for your family.
The History of Deck Safety Month
This awareness month was created by the North American Deck and Railing Association, although of course their safety teachings are meant to be heard across the world.
The Association aims to raise awareness of some of the small things which might go unnoticed during the standard, day to day maintenance of a deck.
They encourage homeowners to ensure certain parts of the decking floor have been attached correctly, make sure that metal sections such as connectors and bolts show no sign of rust, or simply keep an eye out for rotten wood. The NADRA want to be sure deck owners have it covered.
How to Observe Deck Safety Month
If you are lucky enough to own a deck, whether that be a simple, single ground floor decking setup or a fancier two floor with a staircase job, this is the perfect month to get round to fixing those niggling things you just haven’t had the time to get round to yet.
Even if when it was built your deck was of the highest quality, as a rule a standard deck lifespan is around 15 to 20 years. All that time out in the wind and the rain can cause serious wear and tear to that wood and metal.
So even if yours isn’t especially old, it could be worth checking out the NADRA’s web page just to be sure you’re on top of any risks as they might occur.
Observe Deck Safety Month, and your deck could be standing strong for many more years to come!
