Thread: should I worry about this deck?

'cause there are bolts drilled through tiles & cracks. do I need to worry about water intrusion & structure damage. this is a breath deck anyway.
thans

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I believe they mean it's only big enough to go out on and take a breath of fresh air.

Conditions will only get worse. Clearly typical forces against the guardrails are causing stresses against the tile. Anchor holes through the tile are probably not oversized to allow for movement of the bolt without stressing the tile.
Additionally, rubber gaskets/grommets should be installed between the tile and the guardrail brackets. However some AHJ don't like that.
There are ways to make this install work. They are complicated and prone to failure over time.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

Worry? No. Report? Yes. An issue? Yes.

What exactly do Canucks mean by "breath deck"?

Sorry, they put the perforated cover underneath the deck. Is that a solution for the possible water intrusion from crack? But the 2 vents may ruin the deck structure if they are outlets. I can not tell they are inlets or outlets. I know this question is silly. But any one can give me some leads?

No idea what they would be inlets for.
So your inspection doesn't include turning on bathroom/kitchen X fans and verifying where they come out?
You didn't turn on X fans one by one and see if those vents are for those appliances?

Yes, I did turn on each fan but frankly i DID NOT CHECK the vent outside. All my mentors did not do that. Probably they were so experienced. I will do this from now on.

So, these 2 will cause the rotten deck for mostly they are outlets. correct?

Thank you

To answer your other question:

Originally Posted by Peter louis

.. they put the perforated cover underneath the deck. Is that a solution for the possible water intrusion from crack?

No, my guess is that the vinyl is for aesthetics, but in a worst case scenario it could be an attempt to hide something.

Can anybody give me any leads what the pipe in garage & vent at the corner of the deck are? WHAT IS THE YELLOW STAIN? I also suspect the other 2 openings. one is combustion air in, the other is a vent. if so, are they too close to each other?

Your opinion is treasure to me. Thank you.

Pic 1 - no idea can't tell what that is at all from the pic
Pic 2 - probably an old dryer or bath exhaust fan flapper
Pic 3 - same pic you previously posted that I think is at the ceiling of the deck. If these are on the ceiling of the deck, the openings being too close together is the least of your worries.
First off write it as D&H in red print on your report if either is venting a gas appliance.
Beyond that there are more questions than answers. You stated you think they are vent and combustion air pipes. If that's the case, are we talking about a 90+? If so then the pipes would need to be PVC and comply with a number of other criteria, including not being vented onto a deck over people's heads. Those clearly appear to be metal pipes.
If we are talking about conventional gas furnace, then the install is even more D&H. Old natural draft furnace or induced unit? Doesn't really matter since neither should be venting upside down.
Look at the bigger picture. Always VERIFY terminations.
Yellow staining? the rusty spots at the faded paint on the metal ceiling panels? looks like rusting from moisture.
Could be from a roof leak but probably heavy condensation exposure if those pipes are what you think.
If you can't conclusively state in your report what those pipes are for ... then you need to find a way to get back in that house. From the 'assumptions' you are stating, occupants could get carbon monoxide poisoning on that deck.

Thanks Markus. Yes, it is hard to tell the PIC1.

PIC 2 probably a dryer vent.

Pic 3, I think one is fresh air in for heater & boiler combustion. the other is a vent for bath or kitchen. or both are the vents for kitchen & bath. anyway, I think I have to let the owner know this is not a good prctice, do not I.

this is a 1996 built house. What is the PVC pipe criteria for vent? By the way what is D & H?

Ok, here we go again...
If Pic 3 is combustion air for a boiler, first off WHY? what's going on inside the house? Additionally ...
- Is that pipe connected to the boiler, to the room, how close to the boiler, how long/short of a run? In case of a problem will that pipe act as a conduit for flames to travel in, roll around the unsealed 'termination' (using that word very liberally her) and spread fire quicker through the structure?
If one is for a kitchen, highly unlikely it is compliant for any standard hood or micro exhaust. Yet to see one that doesn't require 6" min.
If for either kitchen or bath the lack of a proper louver will allow for cold air and rodent entry in the winter
PVC vent pipe criteria - you need to read up on that in relation to 90+ units.
D&H = dangerous and hazardous, common Housing Court vernacular around here. Realtors and developers really hate it. Not that clients want to hear it either.

Originally Posted by Peter louis

Can anybody give me any leads what the pipe in garage & vent at the corner of the deck are? WHAT IS THE YELLOW STAIN? I also suspect the other 2 openings. one is combustion air in, the other is a vent. if so, are they too close to each other? Your opinion is treasure to me. Thank you.

PL, From the size and position of the black pipe in garage (pic 1), I think it is a centrol vacuum pipe (normal is white PVC). Did you see any vacuum outlet in house.

The yellow stain around the vent (pic 2) is the aged expanded foam insulation.

The two vents (pic 3) are hard to tell.