Building a deck? Or wondering if your deck is safe?
As part of Deck Safety Month, building inspectors in Richmond, Chesterfield County and other localities in Virginia are offering to inspect older decks for free this month and advise homeowners of potential problems such as wood rot, rust, corrosion and failed connections.
The effort follows a deck collapse in Richmond that injured 21 people in November. The deck, on an apartment building at 1305 W. Cary Street, was filled with people when it sheared away from the building, slid down and wedged dozens of people against the structure. The deck had been constructed without a building permit or an inspection.
"We would like to help owners prevent a catastrophe through this effort," Lynn Underwood, president of the Virginia Building Code Officials Association of Virginia, said at a demonstration in Richmond yesterday to highlight Building Safety Week and Deck Safety Month. "Outdoor decks cause more injuries than any place in the home."
The presentation, attended by state housing officials, contractors and others, was held on the refurbished porch of the Stewart-Lee House at 707 E. Franklin St.
Built in 1844, the house was used by General Robert E. Lee in 1861 as quarters for Confederate officers and later by his family. It is home now to the Home Builders Association of Virginia.
The historic porch was renovated to older standards that were grandfathered in. Giant windows, for example, starting at the floor level would not be allowed under today's guidelines.
But the porch does conform to such requirements as proper sealing, narrow railing spacing, tight column connections and solid electrical connections, and is considered safe.
Unsafe decks are a nationwide problem, according to the North American Deck and Railing Association.
Between 2000 and 2008, at least 30 deaths were reported from deck collapses, and more than 75 percent of people on a deck when it collapses are injured or killed, the trade association says.
"With 40 million decks in the United States that are more than 20 years old, it's important for homeowners to check their deck," according to the association's Web site.
Most people take safety for granted when they walk into a building or get into an elevator, David Smith, state deputy secretary of Commerce and Trade, said during the presentation.
High building standards "keep us safe and keep our families safe," he said.
Natural disasters can cause widespread property destruction, Underwood said. But today's building codes dramatically reduce the damage, he said.
"Fewer lives are lost to fire and structural failure," he said. "Fewer cases of sick building syndrome are reported, and fewer fires or deaths are caused by improper electrical connections."
Contact Carol Hazard at (804) 775-8023 or chazard@timesdispatch.com.
Deck safety
Five localities are participating in a deck-inspection program, providing homeowners with free inspections this month. Hanover and Henrico counties do not have formal programs in place but will respond to requests for deck inspections, as will Chesapeake.Chesterfield County:
(804) 748-1057
Richmond: (804) 646-7000
Newport News: (757) 926-8861
Norfolk: (757) 664-6512
Roanoke: (540) 772-2065
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