Montgomery County will offer free residential deck maintenance inspections throughout May as part of Building Safety Month.
The Department of Permitting Services (DPS) will conduct up to 300 free inspections. Homeowners may schedule appointments starting Thursday, May 1, by calling 240-777-0311 or filling out an online service request. They should select “deck maintenance inspection” and include the property address and contact details at the top of the form.
Inspectors will examine support systems, fasteners, and the ledger-to-house connection. Most collapses occur at that connection point.
“Inspections take less than 30 minutes and focus on overall deck condition,” said DPS Director Rabbiah Sabbakhan in a statement.
DPS offers resources including a deck maintenance checklist and inspection video on its Building Safety Month website. The free inspection program excludes Gaithersburg and Rockville, which have their own permitting offices.
In a DPS video, Field Supervisor Jeremy Shupp explains what inspectors look for during a deck inspection.
Building Safety Month is an international campaign to promote modern, updated building codes. This year’s theme is “Game On!”
DPS will release new podcast episodes on building safety throughout the month. Previous episodes are available on the DPS website.
For more information, visit the DPS website.
