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8 Warning Signs That Your Property Needs Colorado Springs Deck Repair
In Colorado Springs, residents wait and wait . . . and wait some more, all through the long winter and early spring for the warmer months to arrive so we can finally enjoy our outdoor living spaces again. Once summer hits, the backyard deck becomes a prime entertaining space that's perfect for socializing with friends and family, grilling dinner on the barbeque, watching the kids and dogs race around, and just soaking up the sunshine—unless your outdoor space has problems that require Colorado Springs deck repair service.
If your deck is in rough shape and suffering from problems like splintery wood, popping nails and crumbling steps, that will put a stop to all your warm weather fun. Those issues aren't just unsightly cosmetic problems, they're dangerous hazards that could cause injury to an unsuspecting guest or family member. It's best to get it back in great condition with professional Colorado Springs deck repair in spring, so you can use your outdoor space all summer, uninterrupted.
You may be wondering if you need deck repair from a Colorado Springs handyman right now, or if you could afford to wait a season or three. This guide explains some of the major signs that indicate you need professional repair services right now. If you notice these issues with your deck or porch, count on the team of experienced deck repair professionals at Mr. Handyman of Colorado Springs, S. Littleton and Parker to get your deck in a condition that suits the needs of your household, not to mention looking as good as the day it was installed.
1. Gray, Splintered Deck Boards
If you always make sure to put on shoes before you step outside because you don't want to risk getting a nasty splinter in the bottom of your foot, that's a big red flag. Your deck should be smooth, clean and even enough to walk on in bare feet without any concerns about splinters, broken boards or gaps between boards. When the timber on your deck or porch turns gray and weathered-looking, it's an early sign of water damage. It means sealant has worn off the boards—or was never there to begin with. Your Colorado Springs deck repair handyman can take care of it by sanding your deck and replacing warped or shrunken boards, then applying a fresh coat of paint or stain followed by a layer of sealant.
2. Rotten Timber
If you have a wood deck that hasn't been diligently maintained, sooner or later you'll need Colorado Springs deck repair to deal with the homeowner's worst enemy, wood rot. This is a very common problem, and a lot of deck repair issues relate back to it. Any timber that is outdoors and not fully protected from the elements is susceptible to rotting, because wood rot is a form of decay that only affects timber with a moisture content of 20% or higher. Your outdoor structures and surfaces are often soaked by rain or snow melt during inclement weather, and don't necessarily get a chance to dry out before the next deluge. nNeedless to say, that can really raise its moisture content. That's why wood that remains completely dry indoors can stay intact and solid for more than a century, but outdoor timber is so vulnerable to softening and crumbling apart due to wood rot.
When it's allowed to worsen and spread, wood rot can threaten the structural integrity of your entire deck. Not sure if your timber has begun to rot? Examine exposed wood carefully for these signs of wood rot trouble:
Patches of discolored wood appear lighter or darker than the surrounding material or have a different hue such as white, yellow or purplish
Wood with a stringy or spongy-looking texture, or that appears to be webbed with cracks
Timber that's crumbling into "sawdust" or breaking apart in cube-shaped pieces (called cubical fracture)
When you touch a suspicious patch with a utensil, it sinks right in with little or no resistance
There's no way to return rotted wood to its former condition, so in this case, the best repair solution is usually to remove the affected wood and replace it with new, pressure-treated lumber that is resistant to moisture incursion. But if it would be difficult to remove the affected piece or there are other reasons to keep it in place, and the patches of rot are minor, your Colorado Springs handyman may be able to take care of it by scraping out the rotten parts and filling the holes with epoxy wood filler. Once the cured filler is sanded down to make it smooth and even, it can be painted over to make the repair invisible.
Why Is Gutter Cleaning So Important?
If you're wondering why we skipped from talking about wood rot straight to gutter cleaning, bear with us—these two topics are definitely related. Under normal circumstances, your rain gutters collect all the rainwater that falls on your roof and direct it safely into downspouts where it can be disposed of away from the house. But when they're packed full of debris such as dirt, dead leaves and animal nests, all that water has nowhere to go and spills over the edge, drenching your wooden deck and everything else in it's path with tens of thousands of gallons annually.
Needless to say, that raises the moisture content of your timber and wood rot soon follows, among many other repairs. Overflowing gutters can also cause a lot of other serious problems for Colorado Springs homeowners that range from a leaking roof to a cracked foundation. If you're not up to the task of climbing a wobbly ladder and scooping handfuls of muck out of your gutters, don't worry—your local handyman could handle that task for you, along with dozens of other repair and property maintenance services.
3. Slick, Grime-Covered Surfaces
When spring arrives in Colorado Springs and the snow disappears, it can leave quite a lot of grime behind. A deck that's covered in a slippery coating of algae or a crust of dirt and grime build-up is obviously unattractive, but it's also a potential slipping hazard that could lead to a fall. Dirt build-up could also harbor harmful bacteria that eats away at the finish on your boards, leaving them exposed to the effects of harsh weather and creating the need for more serious repairs. For those issues, pressure washing is one of the most efficient and effective ways for your handyman to take care of deck repair. Colorado Springs, CO pressure washing service involves the use of high-pressure jets of water to blast away grime, stains and debris from your outdoor surfaces and items that normal cleaning methods won't remove.
4. Paint or Wood Stain Are Peeling
Speaking of pressure washers, they're not just for cleaning off dirt. Pressure washing is also the best deck maintenance tool to remove peeling paint or deck stain. Peeling paint is an early warning sign of moisture damage, and as we've mentioned, a high moisture content in timber leads to damaging wood rot. It happens because moisture gets into the wood and causes it to swell, pushing on the paint from underneath and causing it to lift and then peel apart. While penetrating wood stains don't flake or peel, it can definitely happen with solid stains.
What Other Items or Surfaces Benefit From Pressure Washing?
Pressure washing is the most effective cleaning method for a wide range of outdoor items and surfaces in Colorado Springs. That's why it's part of our Colorado Springs home repair checklist. It can be used to clean everything from the siding on your house to porch furniture and large sports or play equipment like a swing set. Pressure washing can also clean oil stains off a driveway or clear decades of grime and moss growth off a brick patio. You may not even know what color your masonry patios and driveway are until they've gotten a professional power cleaning.
5. Wobbling, Loose Railings
A deck that rises one or more stories above the ground obviously needs a safe, secure railing to prevent someone from taking a tumble off the edge. But even if your deck is nearly flush with the ground, a loose, weakened deck railing could cause injury if someone leans on it expecting it to hold their weight—and it doesn't. Sometimes this Colorado Springs deck repair issue is caused by stripped screw holes or popping nails at the places where the railing is connected to the wall or another section of railing. If that's the case, we may be able to re-secure it by drilling new holes. However, if the problem is related to wood rot that has weakened the timber of the railing, it will make more sense to replace the railing with a brand-new, solid handrail.
6. Creaking Stairs
Do your stairs creak and groan every time you step on them? It's not you, it's them. As deck stairs age, they deteriorate and suffer from the same types of issues that affect the rest of the structure. Stairs take a lot of abuse and normal wear and tear over time. Tripping and taking a tumble down the stairs is easy enough as it is, you don't need the added hazard of stairs that are falling apart, so it's important that they be in solid, safe condition to avoid injury. Whether your steps need Colorado Springs deck repair services or an entire replacement, you can rely on our team of handyman professionals to get them back in safe, attractive shape so you don't need to worry.
7. Insect Invaders
Anyone in Colorado Springs who has had the misfortune of dealing with termite or carpenter ant infestations knows exactly how much damage destructive types of insects can cause in a short span of time. If you spot signs of their work on your outdoor timber surfaces, your handyman can replace the damaged timber. It's important to get rid of the infestation first though, or they'll just repeat the process with your newly repaired timber.
8. Pools of Water Around Footings
When you are looking around for Colorado Springs deck repair warning signs, it pays to check those more difficult-to-reach areas as well, especially around deck posts and concrete deck footings. Water pooling around footings is a major red flag that can be caused by landscaping changes, grading that wasn't done properly or just shifting soil over time that has created drainage issues. The problem is that pooling water can wash soil away from a post, leaving it unstable. Or, the freeze and thaw cycle during the winter can cause concrete footings to crack and crumble because the freezing water causes the soil to constrict and put too much pressure on the concrete. Professional inspections and Colorado Springs deck repair services will help you avoid dangerous complications with your structure's footings. Grading and drainage issues are serious problems that need to be corrected by an experienced handyman professional.
What Causes Deck Sagging?
When a deck is noticeably sagging or sinking, it's likely due to a serious issue with the posts or footings. If it is very old or wasn't installed correctly, the soil may have eroded away underneath the footings. That can pull the whole structure downwards as the posts sink into the soil, eventually causing a collapse. It could also be an issue with wood rot in the posts causing them to crumble and buckle, which is incredibly dangerous. In either situation, timely repairs are critical before it gets worse, and you should not allow anyone to walk on the deck until it has been looked at by a Colorado Springs deck repair professional.
Want a Summer-Ready Deck? Call Mr. Handyman for Colorado Springs Deck Repair
Whether you're in Colorado Springs or a nearby area such as Monument, Palmer Lake or Fountain, you can trust the team of decking professionals at Mr. Handyman of Colorado Springs, S. Littleton and Parker to deliver the highest standards of quality workmanship and excellent customer service.
Pick up the phone and give us a call today at 719-496-1970 to find out more about our reliable Colorado Springs handyman services, or to schedule a convenient appointment time so we can take care of all the home remodeling, repair and maintenance tasks on your list.
