Reseal your deck

Throw a bucket of water on your decking to see if you need to reseal. If the water beads up, then your sealant is still working. If the water is absorbed by the decking, then it's time to get some sealant. A deck that isn't sealed properly is vulnerable to the elements and may experience rotting, warping and splitting. Performing routine maintenance is far cheaper than replacing the deck so make sure you keep your decking in tip-top shape.

--LIterature by Kudzu
--Photo by My San Diego Home Inspector

Railing dryrot prevention tip

Tip: If you have posts anchored to the side of your deck, be sure there is sufficient space between the deck and post to allow water to pass by and dry. Trapped water causes rot. This picture shows what happens over time when a post is fastened up against the deck (facia) board. One way to avoid this is placing large washers (2-3) between the posts and the facia board.