To those of you living in homes or apartments with balcony or deck, I’m sure you understand how big of an advantage it is. It provides an extra living space that will serve as your haven for relaxation and entertainment. Be that as it may, there are certain rules that you have to follow when it comes to its use and maintenance.
Here, we have a checklist that you can use as reference to ensure property repair and maintenance of your balcony and deck is carried out:
For balconies and decks made of timber
- Check for signs of deterioration, decay or insect infestation – Try to probe it with a sharp object. If the timber is spongy, it indicates that there is timber damage.
- Check the integrity of the flooring and decking boards
- Inspect for signs of sagging, warping, splitting and bending
- Examine the timber and see if there is a need to repaint it or reapply stains and oils
- Check the beams and post connections for any signs of degeneration
For balconies made of concrete
- Inspect if there are rust stains or exposed steel reinforcing on the underside of the balcony.
- Check to see if there are signs of deflection (leaning).
- Check for the presence of cracks and flakings of concrete.
Stairs, handrails and balustrades
- Look for signs of instability such as corrosion, rot and looseness.
- Check for signs of looseness where wire balustrading has been used.
- Make sure that handrails, stairs and balustrades are fastened securely at all points.
