Mother nature can really take a toll on fences of all types throughout the wintertime. With the constant melting, freezing, and re-freezing of snow and ice, even the strongest fences can see wear and tear over time.
Luckily, there are a few simple bits of maintenance you can do to your fencing in the winter that’ll prevent long-term damage and extend the life of your fence for years to come.
We’ll walk through some of the best maintenance you can do for the time spent, brought to you by one of Utah’s oldest fence companies – Western Fence Co. Believe it or not, some of these items can take you as little as 15-minutes to complete, but can lengthen the life of your fencing for years.
Complete Fence Repairs Before the Weather Moves
Just like cracks in the sidewalk expand as snow melts and re-freezes, small cracks or dings in your fence can enlarge and wear your fencing down incredibly quickly in the wintertime.
Don’t let small damage become large damage by taking care of it early. The expansion and contraction that melting snow causes can weaken fence posts and cause unwanted structural damage.
Trim Overhanging Branches & Tree Limbs
If your fence line has any overhanging branches or tree limbs, it’s very important to trim them well before you see any snow or ice.
As precipitation comes down, water tends to gather and drip from tree limbs. If you have too many tree limbs around your fencing, this can cause ice buildup around the base of your fence, weakening your posts and causing structural weakness.
The other danger is heavy snow collecting on top of weak tree branches, causing them to ultimately snap and fall down on your fence. A large tree branch that collapses due to snow could cause some severe damage to your fencing and should be prevented at all costs.
Avoid Leaf Piles to Prevent Corrosion & Warping
Leaf piles seem innocent enough, right? Surprisingly, if you don’t rake away all of those leaves along the base of your fence line – leaves leftover from the fall – you can cause significant damage to your fence over time.
Moisture can get trapped in the leaves sitting along the base of your fence and cause your posts to rust (if it’s a metal fence) or warp. They could also provide shelter for unwanted pests and insects.
Don’t Attach Anything to Your Fence
One of the easiest ways to damage your fence is to leave items like pool toys, ladders, sleds, and yard equipment on your fence going into the winter.
Just like trapped moisture in leaves can damage the structural integrity of your fence, leaving unattended items attached to your fence can cause just as much damage in the winter.
If you need any help repairing your fence or installing new fencing or gates, Western Fence Co is a Utah Fence Company operating for over 70 years. Contact Western Fence Co. today for reliable, trustworthy, and experienced fence work.
