Safe Home Improvement In Alabama: A Guide For DIYers
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) home improvement rose significantly across the country and while things are slowly returning to the days before the coronavirus, DIY remains very popular for homeowners who still have more time on their hands than they’re used to.
In fact, we’ve noticed many homeowners tackling projects around the house with gusto and while we certainly appreciate their enthusiasm and desire to transform their homes, we must step in with a word (or two) of caution - pay attention to safety and make sure you adhere to local building requirements.
Eliminate handrail hazards
Handrails installed improperly can cause nasty falls as well as other safety issues. That’s why most local housing codes have handrail requirements in place. Common handrail-related issues that could create falling hazards include:
Handrails that a person cannot fully grasp
Handrails that are too short or even too high
Handrails that are too close or too far from the wall or other surface
In order to install handrails properly, we would encourage you to reach out to your town to make sure you fully understand any requirements they may have. A quick Google search is probably not going to be too helpful as a lot of information on the web is outdated or completely inaccurate.
Don’t forget about your detectors
Broken or improperly installed carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are common issues overlooked by homeowners and yet are a must in order to protect your family. According to the National Fire Protection Association, smoke detectors should be installed on each level of a home, in every bedroom, and outside every sleeping area. Larger homes may require more alarms and wall mounted alarms may come with their own set of requirements.
As is the case with smoke detectors, installing carbon monoxide detectors is another must-do in Alabama and really it just makes sense. Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed on each level, near each sleeping area, and near attached garages.
If you’re not sure where or how many detectors you should have in your home, please reach out to your local fire department or another expert in your community for clarity.
Check your deck
According to the North American Deck And Railing Association, 50% of the over 40 million decks in America were built in the early 1990s – more than two decades ago. If your deck looks a little worse for wear, give it a good once-over to ensure the safety of your family and friends who hang out on it.
One area to examine closely is the deck ledger. It is a piece of wood that connects your deck to your home. A poor ledger connection is the number one cause of deck failure, which as you can imagine, is extremely dangerous. To check on the health of your deck ledger, go under the deck to evaluate the ledger and the anchors that secure it to your home. If the ledger is soft or water damaged, or if the bolts are rusty, a repair is in order to keep the deck up to code and your family protected.
Metal flashing is important to prevent wood from rotting where it connects to your home. Worn or missing flashing can lead to more serious issues so make sure you have flashing properly installed and that there aren’t any signs of water damaged (look for wood discoloration).
Any deck that is 30 inches above grade should have guardrails and guard posts should be attached to the deck structure in accordance with local requirements to ensure they can bear the imposed loads.
When In Doubt – Contact Your Local Inspector
Any time you’re tackling a DIY project around your home that may affect the safety of your family, must adhere to building codes, and that might require a building permit, it is best to reach out to your local inspector before you break the proverbial ground. We believe it is better to go into the project with eyes wide open, all t’s crossed and all i’s dotted. It’s not just a matter of forgoing a permit or violating a code, it’s your family’s safety at stake.
Call In The Home Improvement Pros
If by the time you’ve reached this point in the article, your confidence in your knowledge and ability is trending down or if you’re worried about safely renovating your home and aren’t sure you have the time or skillset to do so, please reach out to Serve One Construction.
Specializing in home remodeling, deck building and repair, termite damage repair, and handyman services in Mountain Brook, Vestavia, and Hoover as well as throughout the Greater Birmingham metro, our locally owned and operated company is ready to help!
When you contact us, you can expect honest communication, professional building, and services that are backed by a one-year labor warranty!
