Check Your Deck Before You Wreck Your Deck, Fairfax Officials Warn

VIENNA, VA – The Fairfax County government is warning residents to check their decks.

The county is reminding citizens that deck, porch and balcony failures cause thousands of injuries each year, citing the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Jay Riat, a Fairfax Building Division project manager, has some advice for checking on your outdoor structures here. The county has also published a checklist by the North American Deck and Railing Association here.

Some of the key points of guidance for homeowners is as follows:

• Check decks, porches and balconies annually and regularly have them inspected by a licensed contractor.
• Pay special attention to the condition of any wood and weakness in any connection points.
• Pay special attention to rust or corrosion on any materials holding the deck together.
• Look for signs of mildew, which can damage wood. If the deck’s waterproof sealing has worn away, reapply it.
• Look for small holes in wood, which can indicate insects.
• Look for areas water can collect and find ways to prevent it.
• Minimize stress on decks and other structures by, for example, shoveling away snow that can accumulate there. Do not put heavy objects like hot tubs on a deck.
• Make sure your deck is out of the way of any possible falling tree branches.

The county resources also include advice on general deck safety.

Earlier this month, Fairfax firefighters were called to a deck fire in Herndon.

The City of Harrisonburg had to warn residents to check their decks and porches after a collapse in August 2025 injured several people. And ABC8 news reported that three people fell into a five-foot hole when their deck failed underneath them.