FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Beaudry
Phone: 215-679-4884
Email: Info@NADRA.org
Check Your Deck® During Deck Safety Month® in May
QUAKERTOWN, PA – (April 24th, 2018) –The North American Deck and Railing Association declared May as Deck Safety Month®. Each year, NADRA raises awareness about the importance of checking your deck through a national deck safety campaign.
NADRA’s Deck Safety Campaign creates an opportunity to: Educate. Inspect. Correct; ultimately, helping to prevent injuries and bringing an awareness to the importance of regular deck inspections.
“Your roof has a life expectancy. Your windows have a life expectancy. What about your deck?” Says Michael Beaudry, executive vice president of NADRA. “Consider the snowfall accumulations from just this past year. These heavy loads cause additional stress on outdoor structures and create a need to evaluate. It’s time to Check Your Deck®!”
Just like other products exposed to the environment, over time your deck will need to be replaced. Asphalt shingles have a life expectancy of about 20 years*. Aluminum and vinyl windows are expected to last 15-20 years*. Beaudry continues… “With more than 50 million decks in the U.S., it is estimated that 25 million decks are past their useful life and need to be replaced or repaired.” It’s important for homeowners to check their deck on a yearly basis.
Educate: NADRA has created campaigns and educational programs, along with certifications for home inspectors, deck builders, remodelers, builders, code officials, engineers, architects, distributors, lumberyards and manufacturers to improve proper installation practices. NADRA’s Deck Evaluation/Certification Program has educated hundreds of Home Inspectors to help evaluate unsafe structures. Read more about the class here.
Inspect: Homeowners should consider a professional deck inspection. “A professional inspector will thoroughly examine your deck, provide information on your deck’s capacity limits, identify any dangerous problem areas and give you a map of what to keep your eye on in the future,” says Beaudry. Older decks require closer scrutiny and regular inspections. Many decks were built before code requirements were established to protect consumers. Some of these older decks may have deck-to-house attachments using only nails instead of the current recommended construction using deck tension hardware that greatly helps in the prevention of ledger failures. Deck inspection requires special knowledge, expertise and experience.
NADRA is working diligently with ASHI, The American Society of Home Inspectors, as well as, AIBD, The American Institute of Building Design. The associations are working towards educating and certifying thousands of industry professionals to meet the need for inspecting the millions of decks that are past their useful life. Homeowners can search for qualified inspectors at www.NADRA.org.
Correct: Through the evaluation and inspection of your deck, repairs and/ or replacement should be addressed. NADRA deck builders adhere to a strict code of ethics and are required to submit proof of licensing and insurance as required by their state. Homeowners can search for qualified deck builders at www.NADRA.org.
About NADRA:
The North American Decking and Railing Association is the voice of the decking industry, representing the interests of deck builders, inspectors, manufacturers, dealers/distributors, lumberyards, wholesalers, retailers, and service providers alike. NADRA’s mission is to provide a unified source for the professional development, promotion, growth, and sustenance of the deck and railing building industry in North America so that members can exceed the expectations of their customers. Visit www.NADRA.org to access all of NADRA’s Deck Safety Month® resources.
*Source: National Association of HomeBuilders/Bank of America Home Equity, Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components 2/07.
© Copyright 2018 North American Deck and Railing Association. All rights reserved.
###
