Every spring, we get calls from homeowners across NH and MA who stepped onto their deck for the first warm weekend and noticed something wrong — a soft board, a wobbly railing, a post that shifted over the winter. Months of snow load, ice, and meltwater are hard on outdoor structures, so a quick spring checkup should be as routine as putting the patio furniture back out.
Start with the structure. Check the ledger board (where the deck attaches to the house) for rust, loose bolts, or water staining — ledger failure is the number one cause of deck collapses. Probe posts and joists with a screwdriver; if the tip sinks in easily, you've found rot. Grab every railing section and push hard: railings should not move. Stairs deserve extra attention since their stringers sit close to the ground and rot first.
Next, the surface. Replace cracked or cupped boards, drive down any popped fasteners, and clean off the winter's grime and mildew with a proper deck wash — not an aggressive pressure blast that tears up wood fibers. If water no longer beads on wood decking, it's time to reseal or stain. A good finish every two to three years is the cheapest insurance a wood deck can get.
If your inspection turns up soft framing, a shifting ledger, or more bad boards than good ones, it may be time for a rebuild — and modern composite decking means the new deck can be the last one you ever maintain. Pro Home Exterior Corp repairs and builds decks across the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire, all engineered for our snow loads. Get your free estimate at (603) 479-4831.