Is Your Deck Safe? — A South Jersey Homeowner’s Annual Checklist

If you own a deck anywhere in South Jersey — Marlton, Mullica Hill, Cherry Hill, Deptford, Voorhees, Berlin or beyond — it’s worth giving it a once-a-year “safety audit.” Decks take a beating from weather, humidity, freeze–thaw cycles, and wear over time. A small issue may not look like much — until a bigger problem happens. Here’s a simple, actionable checklist to make sure your outdoor living space stays safe and solid.

✅ What to Check (The Deck Safety “Once-a-Year” Round Up)

1. Ledger board, flashing & attachment to the house

• Make sure the ledger board is properly bolted (not just nailed) to the house. Nails alone don’t cut it.

• Confirm flashing is intact, sealed, and draining water away — no gaps, rot or water stains near where the deck connects to your home.

2. Support posts, footings & joists under the deck

• Walk underneath (safely) — look for rot, wood decay, moisture damage, or insect damage on beams, joists, posts, stringers.

• Check for signs of sagging, shifting, or soft spots under the deck or around posts.

3. Fasteners, connectors, hangers, hardware & metal parts

• Inspect screws, bolts, joist hangers, connectors — look for rust, corrosion, looseness, or missing pieces. Rusted hardware weakens the structure.

• Tighten any loose fasteners — replace corroded ones promptly.

4. Deck surface, boards, stairs, railings & guardrails

• Walk the deck surface: check for soft/sagging boards, loose or popped fasteners, cracks or splits.

• Test railings and banisters — push against them. A railing should feel solid, not wobbly or loose.

• Inspect stairs: tread condition, stringers, riser integrity, handrail stability.

5. Water drainage, moisture & flashing around vulnerable areas

• Make sure water isn’t pooling near footings, ledger, or under the deck. Poor drainage can accelerate rot or structural decay.

• If you see signs of mold, mildew, or persistent dampness — that’s a red flag.

6. General wear & environment — check after storms or heavy weather

• After heavy rain, snow, freeze-thaw cycles: check stability again. Weather stresses test your deck’s durability.

• Trim back nearby bushes/trees so foliage and moisture don’t linger under or against deck components.

🛠️ Why This Matters — What the Experts Say

• Organizations like NADRA (North American Deck and Railing Association) publish homeowner-friendly checklists every spring — because many decks across the country are overdue for evaluation.

• A large share of deck failures occur at the house connection (ledger board) or due to deteriorated structural elements, not the surface boards themselves — deck collapses are often sudden and unexpected.

• Even relatively new decks benefit from periodic inspections — climate, moisture, rain, freeze cycles, and usage all contribute to gradual wear and hidden damage.

🏡 What You Should Do — Simple Steps to Keep Your Deck Safe

• Schedule one “DIY inspection” per year (spring or fall) — go through the checklist above.

• Tighten loose hardware, replace rusted fasteners, fix flashing or drainage issues immediately.

• If you find rot, structural concerns, or serious decay — call a licensed deck contractor. Partial fixes aren’t enough for safety-critical components.

• Document what you find — good photos + notes — especially if you plan to resell or make future upgrades.

• Consider upgrading older wood decks to modern standards: proper footings, flashing, composite materials, safe railings, code-compliant staircases.
  

If you want a fresh review — or a build/re-build that meets modern safety and code standards — get in touch. We serve many towns across South Jersey (check our Service Area Page) and we’ve written guides like why framing matters and the best time of year to build that help you understand what good looks like.