Dear Maintenance Men | July 2, 2009

Written by AACSC | 25 January 2011

Dear Maintenance Men: I am working out my apartment preventative maintenance schedule. Decks and balconies are next on the list. What are your scheduled maintenance recommendations? Mary

Dear Mary: We recommend following these procedures: Weekly: Wash, brush or hose off the dirt. Quarterly: After cleaning, visually check for cracks, nail popping, peeling, and holes. Move and check under any pots, door mats for rot or water damage. Check and clean all drains and scuppers. Bi-annually: After doing the above, check caulking around metal or wood work. Check where the decking material meets the building. Look for gaps, shrinkage, cracks etc. Eliminate any rubber backed door mats which can retain moisture. Yearly: All of the above. Check for peeling paint, soft areas in the decking, Repair cracks, check caulking. Once a year to every 18 months the deck or balcony should be recoated or painted. With this schedule, your deck or balconies could easily last 10 to 30 years before replacement.