That 2x4 I thought was fine nearly cost me a deck rebuild

I was pulling forms off a small deck last week and noticed a 2x4 in the joist bay that looked solid from the outside. Turns out it was pressure treated on the surface but had rot running through the core, probably from a bad cut that let water sit for years. I pulled it out with barely any effort, just a light tap from my hammer, and the whole section shifted. The homeowner was standing right there when it happened, and he said "good thing you caught that now" but I was sweating because the permit inspector had already signed off. My question is how often do you guys trust visual checks on older lumber versus actually probing every few feet with a screwdriver. I usually do a quick poke on load bearing stuff now, but I want to know if there's a faster way to spot this kind of hidden rot before it becomes a problem.

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diana_black14d ago

Yeah good thing you caught that now" is homeowner code for "I'm definitely not paying you extra for the demo." But yeah, I've been burned the same way. Pressure treated wood is a liar, it'll look perfect on the outside and be mush inside. I poke load bearing stuff with a flathead now, every couple feet, but honestly that only catches the obvious stuff. Faster way? Stick a moisture meter on anything that's been wet for more than a season. They're cheap and they'll save you from that "light tap" moment where you're holding a deck in your hands. Also, trust the inspector's signoff about as far as you can throw it. They're checking for code, not for rot someone painted over.