Keeping Your Family Safe on the Deck

Springtime signals the beginning of the season to enjoy the outdoors, which for many homeowners means time on the deck enjoying the sunshine and relaxing outdoors. You may also want to enjoy that outside space with your loved ones and animal friends, but there are some safety concerns to take into consideration when little ones and animals are involved. Whether you have an elevated deck or a ground level deck, there are still some safety features you should put in place. Let’s look at some ways to make your deck a safe and fun place for the whole family to enjoy.

Railings

Railings are the biggest safety feature you can consider for your deck. Railings are in fact so important for safety, that in Maryland decks are required to have them in order to pass inspections. Not only do decks have to have railings, those railings have to be of a certain height, and the rails have to be spaced a specific distance apart. In addition to railings on a elevated deck, it’s also a good idea to have railings on a ground level deck that is only slightly elevated, and railings on stairs are also required.

Accessibility

Another thing to think about when considering deck safety is the accessibility of your deck. If you have little ones in your house, make sure that in addition to railings, you have some security measures in place to limit accessibility to the desk. Locks on windows and doors are a good idea so your little ones can’t get onto the deck without your supervision. While railings can prevent most falls, some small children may climb over the rail and get hurt. In addition, if you have an elevated deck make sure to have a locking gate at the bottom and top of the stairs to prevent kids and pets from going up and down off the deck without your knowledge.

Shade

If you have furry friends who will be enjoying your deck, adding some sort of shaded area is a good way to keep them safe from the extremely hot temperatures Maryland summers sometimes have. If your pets will be spending any significant amount of time on your deck, adding shade can keep them from overheating. Likewise shade can help prevent sun damage to you and your loved ones.

Designing your deck with the safety of your family in mind can help put your mind at ease and will make your deck a place for the whole family to enjoy worry free. To discuss your deck design, or renovations that you’d like to make to your deck, call us at North American Deck & Patio today for all of your Maryland deck builder needs!

“Jim at North American patio and deck's came up with the most ingenious way of utilizing our small very slanted very water drained environment and turned it into a virtual oasis. Making this deck the envy of all our ambitions and gem for the community.”

– C. Cross