How To Tell When Your Wire Railing Needs To Be Replaced
Homeowners with wire railings should know how to tell when their wire railing needs to be replaced. When railings are left to rust or corrode, they become dangerous. Just imagine a guest leaning against your railing, only for it to buckle under their weight. This article will explore tell-tale signs of wire railing failure, so you never have to face that problem.
Wobbly Railings
Possibly the most prominent sign of a railing that needs a replacement is if they’re wobbly. This is a sure-fire sign your connectors are failing. This could be because the fasteners are loose, or possibly the wood contracted around the connections. If you catch the issue early, you could work with a wire railing hardware professional to fix the problem. However, there does come a point when the railings are too wobbly for a fix. In those cases, a replacement is necessary.
Corroded Connections
Another method for how to tell when your wire railing needs to be replaced is paying close attention to the screws and nails that connect the parts of the railing to each other. Look for corrosion or rust. Corrosion may appear in the form of a white, powdery substance, or it may appear like normal, brown rust. Regardless, corroded connections are a sign that the metal hardware in the railing is breaking down. Homeowners should fix this problem with a prompt replacement.
Pests
If you see one insect moving in and around your railing, it’s a sign there are thousands more. Termites, bark beetles, carpenter ants, and all manner of other nasty critters can do severe damage to your railing. If you start to sense a pest invasion, call an exterminator immediately. The exterminator can inspect your railing and stop the problem from spreading. After a thorough inspection of the whole structure, you and the exterminator can decide if it’s salvageable, or if you are better off with a new railing.
Warped Wood
If you see warped wood on the railing, particularly at the base of the posts, it could be early signs of water damage. The bases are structurally important to a railing. If the wood becomes warped, that could lead to mold, which can destroy the railings even faster. Look out for wooden bases that appear discolored, soft, or splintered.