Segment Description (3 to 4 sentences - include guest names): This inspection involves a town home in Arnold, Md., near the Chesapeake Bay. The would-be buyer and her family have been renting the home from her parents and are considering buying. She wants to stay close to home, but real estate prices in the area have skyrocketed. This 1985 contemporary townhouse may be her only chance to stay in the neighborhood, if it gets a pass from house detective Reggie Marston. But Marston finds trouble out on the home's deck.
Pressure-treated wood should be used in deck construction. The process forces preservatives into the wood and protects it from termites and fungus. But as the buyers in Arnold, Md., learned, pressure-treated wood still requires maintenance. It doesn’t rot, but it does weather like ordinary wood. It absorbs water and if left unprotected will warp, shrink, splinter and crack. Here are some tips to keep your deck from becoming a wreck:
- Power wash pressure-treated wood annually to remove dirt and restore the original color.
- Apply a wood preservative once a year to seal out water.
- Pressure-treated wood can also be stained for protection. Clean the wood first with a power washer, then apply two coats of stain.
- With proper maintenance, a deck made with pressure treated wood can last 20 years or more
Guests Reggie Marston
Residential Equity Management
Home Inspections
Phone: 703-644-0472
E-mail:
Remarston1@aol.com
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