I’m Selling My House. Should I Install A Fence?

There are few financial decisions larger in life than deciding to purchase a home. In fact, the only other financial decision equalling it could be the act of selling your property. When it comes time to sell your home, you need to ask yourself how you can get the most bang for your buck while minimizing the time your property sits on the market.

Cosmetic and aesthetic upgrades can be an ideal way to create some interest in your property, so today we are going to focus on the benefits of a new fence installation.

Do I Need A New Fence?

At Western Fence Co, Utah’s oldest fence company, they know a thing or two about making aesthetic upgrades to properties. However, is a new fence the right way to make your home stand out from the rest of the pack? To make that decision, we need to ask ourselves a few key questions.

How Is My Curbside Appeal?

First impressions are everything and there is no quicker way to lose a sale than by failing yours. Make your home pop off the street with professional fencing installation. A new wrought iron or ornamental iron fence can bring elegance or a stylish touch to a property in need of a new way to sparkle. Western Fence Co specializes in customized projects, so make sure that yours is taken care of by the right Fence Masters.

How Does the Neighborhood Look?

Are fences the norm in your neck of the woods? If so, make sure that you install one on your property. When selling a home, owners should do everything they can to match their local demographics. If shoppers look at homes for sale near your property and yours is the one without a fence, they’ll have to install one themselves. Save the legwork, make a sale, and install your new fence ahead of time.

Should I Upgrade My Current Fence?

If you are the owner of a property with an old or outdated fence, should you consider updating it before you move? A fence in need of repair can potentially bring down the entire curbside appeal of your property. A simple repair from Western Fence Co can alleviate this worry while raising the overall value of your home while it is on the market.

Contact Western Fence Co Today!

No matter where you are on your home selling journey, the team at Western Fence Co can make sure that your property is properly taken care of. As the oldest fence company in all of Utah, Western Fence Co specializes in residential and commercial fencing as well as design and installation services.

Contact Western Fence Co Today!

Benefits Of Installing Your Fence In The Spring

Theoretically, you can install a fence on your property during almost any time of year — which may have encouraged you to put it off indefinitely. However, now that spring has sprung, you’re looking at the ideal time of year to put that fence up. Let’s look at some key benefits of a springtime fence installation.

Spring Means Nice Weather

Obviously, the clear skies and comfortable temperatures that accompany spring make it an ideal season for starting (and completing) outdoor projects. Even if you’re not installing the fence with your own two hands, you may find that the process goes more quickly and easily for your contractor.

Spring Preparations Ready Your Plants for Summer

If you have a green thumb, you may already be planning your garden, planting seeds, and dreaming of the lovely flowers or tasty vegetables that will result from your efforts. However, every gardener knows that plants require care and protection against damage as they grow. You don’t want to wait until those plants sprout to start protecting them against animals and other intruders, so now’s the time to put up that protective fence.

You’ll Appreciate the Privacy and Security as Things Get Busy

As spring transitions into summer, your neighborhood will naturally start hopping with block parties, barbecues, holiday reunions, and kids out of school. With all the hustle bustle, you want a fence that will not only keep the outside world at bay but also protect the loved ones on your property. For instance, a beautiful fence made from cedar, redwood, vinyl, or composite materials will provide the perfect combination of privacy and security — but not if you wait until the chaos starts to schedule the installation.

Installers Are More Available in the Spring

People naturally forget to take care of important tasks until the last minute. This means that many homeowners who want and need professional fence installation for the summer will wait until the summer to put in their requests. If you’re one of them, you may find yourself at the end of a long waiting list as swamped installers fulfill orders. By scheduling your fence installation during the spring, you can beat the crowd and have your fence up and ready well in advance of those summertime activities.

Spring is a time for new beginnings, including a brand-new fence to beautify, preserve, and protect your home. Western Fence Co. is standing by to install the ideal fence for your needs during this ideal season for it. Contact us today.

Should You Repair Or Replace Your Old Fence?

If you maintain your fence by resealing and removing brush, it can last between 10 and 15 years! Of course, no fence lasts forever. Apart from becoming an eyesore that mars your neighborhood, a damaged fence can bring down the value of your property or increase the cost of insurance or violate the rules of your HOA. You’ll eventually have to decide whether to make repairs or replace it entirely.

When You Can Repair Your Fence

You can fill holes or cracks with putty to prolong the life of your fence. Replacing a single panel or section is another option if the job is small and affordable. Many people use the 20% rule, which says you can repair your fence when less than 20% of it is damaged.

This might seem like a low number, but repairing and reconnecting multiple parts of a damaged fence can quickly become costly and time-consuming! It’s even possible for a repair of a small section to cost more than replacing your fence, making repairing financially unwise.

When to Replace a Fence

If you follow the 20% rule, you’ll want to replace your fence well before even the majority of it becomes damaged. On top of that, you should opt for a replacement fence if your fence is at the end of your life cycle. You’ll wind up replacing it soon, anyway.

When you’re dealing with certain issues, it just makes sense to replace your old fence. Termites, especially the subterranean variety, can form large colonies in your fence beneath the ground. By the time you notice them, your fence may be substantially damaged and can easily break or fall. In this case, replacing your entire fence is the best and safest option.

Dry termites do less damage beneath the surface, so you may be able to get away with repairing only the infected part of your fence and applying a pest-control product instead of doing a complete replacement. Either way, you may want to work closely with your fence provider and pest control to get to the root of the problem.

The Benefits of Fence Replacement

If you do go ahead with the replacement, you might want to consider alternatives to traditional wood. Vinyl and composite fencing both come in a variety of styles, require less maintenance, and are more durable than wood over time. Cement is another option if you want durability with low maintenance, although not everyone is a fan of the aesthetic.

Fortunately, Western Fence Co is happy to provide estimates for potential clients in Utah to help them determine whether replacing or repairing a fence is the better option for them.

How To Maintain Your Fence In Snow

Utah winters mean great skiing, but they can also be a threat to your fence. Our heavy storms take a toll on fences, especially if the fence wasn’t properly installed or is old. Western Fence Co often repairs fences that might have survived the winter with just a little maintenance.

Winter Weather and Your Fence

While our cold Utah winters can take a toll on your fence, there are measures that can be taken to protect it. The weight of constantly melting and freezing ice and snow can damage the toughest materials, so a little prevention can be worth an ounce of cure.

Rake and Shovel Drifts

Raking or shoveling snow drifts away from your fence can reduce the strain heavy snow can cause. This doesn’t entail shoveling all of the snow away, just tall drifts so the fence may dry and adjust itself. While a little extra work, it can keep your fence standing through the winter.

Remove Overhanging Limbs

Snow and ice often increase the weight of a branch to the point it breaks off of the tree and cause substantial damage. Limbs that don’t fall can also be a problem as they can cause more water to pool around the fence line. Trimming overhanging limbs prevents both issues from ever being a problem.

Don’t Let Leaves Pile Up Around the Fence

Fall leaves often get brushed to the fence edge or pile up there due to wind. Piles of leaves against your fence can cause damage due to locking in moisture around the fence. This moisture can cause posts to warp or rust. Leaf piles may also produce a very desirable home for some unwanted critters.

Complete Fence Repairs

Winter can turn what should have been a small repair into a big problem. The expansion and contraction that comes with snow and ice can mean minor damage turns into major damage. Address needed repairs as soon as possible.

Do Some Post-Winter Cleaning

When the birds and flowers return, your fence might look dirty and dull from the winter months. A simple soap solution can be used to clean your fencing and remove that dull appearance. If it is time to get your fence stained, ask your fencing company to bundle in cleaning with the staining.

 

Consider a Fence Tune-Up

Catching issues before they can become exacerbated in the winter months might just take a call to Western Fence Co. We can check and maintain fences in any season, heading off the damage that winter can bring. Follow our blog for new tips that will keep your fence functional and beautiful for years to come.

Your Guide To Fence Maintenance In Wintertime

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. 

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Cantilever Gates v. Sliding Gates: What’s the Difference?

Have you noticed that cantilever gates seem to be getting more popular?

Cantilever gates and sliding gates have a lot in common. However, there were some important differences that make a cantilever gate stand out.

Let’s take a look at these two kinds of gates side by side.

How the Gate Opens

The biggest difference is in how these gates open.

A sliding gate rests on a track. There’s a wheel on the far edge of the gate that glides along the track. You can either manually slide these gates open or it can be done by remote using motors.

A cantilever gate rests on a hidden track built into the top of the frame. It’s counterbalanced on one end by weight. The gate runs on this elevated track without ever touching the ground.

How Much Space Do You Need?

Another thing to keep in mind are the space requirements for different types of gates.

A sliding gate only requires as much space as the gates opening plus a few feet to accommodate movement. Sliding gates work out for small yards are places where you need to get that can’t slide as far to open.

Cantilever fates require up to 50% of the length of the gate in addition to the length of the gate in order to open. This not only accommodates the width of the opening itself, but also the counterbalancing weight that is needed for the cantilever gate to function.

Let’s Talk Cost

A local fencing and gate company can tell you an exact quote for how much installing a cantilever gate at your property would cost. There are a few things to keep in mind before you reach out for a quote.

Cantilever gates are much more technically complicated and require a higher skill to build and install. This means that they’re naturally going to be more expensive than sliding gates.

How Do They Hold Up?

Here’s one area where sliding gates have a decided advantage.

Sliding gates are mechanically simpler which means that they’re going to have fewer points that can wear down over time. Sliding gates are also easier to repair which means that they’re going to have a simpler and more affordable upkeep.

Cantilever gates are more complicated and more costly to repair.

Which is More Secure?

If security is a bit concerned for you, then you should go with a cantilever gate.

Sliding gates can be lifted off of their track and partially pushed over. However, a cantilever gate cannot be lifted without a heavy crane meaning is much more secure than a sliding gate.

Why A Privacy Fence Will Improve Your Home

Privacy fences are great for giving yourself and your family a little more privacy from anyone in the area. However, they also offer a number of other benefits. Getting a privacy fence is a great way to improve and protect your home in a number of ways. 

An Enclosed Yard

When your backyard is enclosed with a fence, you can do a lot of activities without bothering the neighbors. You can have family events held there without it spilling into the neighbors’ yards. You can have your kids play in the yard without worrying that they may wander away or have a strange dog come up to them. It’s easier to do events when the event will be enclosed and some of the noise will be buffered by the fence. 

Deter Thieves

Many thieves won’t go into a privacy fence because they don’t know what’s back there. There could be large dogs or people back there, and they don’t want to run into either. It also means that they can’t quickly gain access to the house from the back. Thieves often target the back door or back windows because they are out of sight from the street and often away from neighbors. A fence keeps those openings well away from thieves. 

Protection from the Weather

A storm with high winds can cause a lot of damage to homes as well as being detrimental to your garden plants. A durable fence will buffer that wind so that your flowerbeds and other landscaping won’t be as affected. This can also be helpful for protecting any trim or other items on the back of your house. High winds can also throw items into windows, and a fence can buffer winds enough to prevent this problem. 

More Plant Options

A privacy fence is the perfect canvas for a number of climbing plants that can add green to your backyard. Plants like English ivy, morning glories, and honeysuckle among others can all be used to climb the fence and create a more beautiful backyard. Plenty of climbing plants need little to no maintenance, so it’s easy to grow them. You can also use a privacy fence to hang up hanging plant pots. This is a great way to beautify the yard and add some pops of color to it. 

Western Fence Co can build your fence in the Salt Lake City area or repair your existing one. Don’t be without a fence when it adds so much to your home, contact us today!

Important Pet & Animal Considerations When Purchasing A Fence

Top Considerations Before Installing Your Fence For A Pet Or Other Wild Animals

Whether installing a new fence to keep your pet enclosed or keep wild animals away from your garden, it is a significant long-term investment. There are many important factors to consider before picking a fence that is right for you.

Size Of Gaps and Holes in Fencing

When considering the type of fence to choose, it is vital to consider the pet’s size you are trying to keep in the fenced area. For an animal, like a rabbit, who can squeeze through a small space, you will want to avoid a chain-link fence. When considering a fence such as a picket fence for a dog, you want to make sure the holes are not wide enough for its body to slip through but also not wide enough for it to get its head stuck in the gaps.

Avoid a Fence The Pet Can Dig Under

Many animals like to dig under fences in an attempt to escape. If you have an animal prone to digging, it is vital to pick a fence that the pet cannot dig under, such as a fence grounded in cement. If you cannot ground the fence into cement, there are other options, such as using chicken wire at the bottom to prevent digging.

Fence Height

Just as some pets like to crawl under a fence, plenty of animals can also go over a fence. Therefore, it is essential to know if your pet can jump high. For a larger pet such as a dog, you may want to opt for a tall wooden fence over 6 feet tall to avoid any risk of escape. You will also want to make sure there is nothing close by the fence that the pet can jump up on and then get over the fence.

Keeping Animals Out

While many fences are designed to keep pets safe, other fences keep wild animals away from your pets or garden. If you are trying to keep out deer, you will need to invest in a tall fence. Typically, a wooden fence over 6 feet should do the trick. If you are trying to keep raccoons away, you will want to make sure they cannot climb up the fence. It is effortless for raccoons to climb up a chain-link fence or even some wooden fences. However, if you have a wooden fence with a slick finish, it will be hard for them to gain traction.

If you would like to learn more about which fence might be right for your home, reach out to the experts at https://www.westernfenceco.com/ today.

Top 4 Places on Your Property to Install a Fence

While it’s true that many homeowners install fences to mark their property lines and enjoy a little privacy from their neighbors, the reality is that there are many other practical uses for fencing. Explore these four other popular uses for fencing on a residential property and consider whether any of these may be useful to you!

1. Around Your Pool

If you have a pool on your property (especially an in-ground one), then you should really have a fence around it for the safety of your loved ones. This is especially important if you have small children in your household or have children who visit regularly.

Without a fence, all it takes is a few moments for a child to make his or her way into a pool unsupervised. A dedicated fence around your pool can provide you with added protection for small children and even pets.

2. Around Your Kids’ Playground

If your children have an outdoor playscape or other toys that they like to play with outdoors, consider putting up a small fence to create a dedicated play space for them. In doing so, you can keep their outdoor messes contained in a designated area on your property. At the same time, fencing in a kids’ play area also keeps your children from wandering into tool sheds or other potentially dangerous areas on your property.

3. Around Your Garden

Maintaining a garden can be a very rewarding experience—but if you have wild animals (such as deer and rabbits) in your area, you might also deal with the frustration of these animals entering your garden and damaging your plants. By installing a fence around your garden, you can keep unwanted pests out, which will make maintaining your garden easier and less time-consuming.

4. Around Your Dog’s Outdoor Space

If you have a dog or multiple dogs living at your house, then you probably know first-hand just how much work it can be to keep your yard free of dog droppings. By fencing off a small portion of your property and training your dogs to recognize this as their space to do their business, you can keep these messes contained. This will make it easier for you to keep the rest of your yard clean.

Looking for a Quality Fence Builder?

These are just a few potential applications for fencing, aside from the “typical” fence surrounding an entire property. If you’re interested in having a fence built on your property, Western Fence Co. is here to help. As Utah’s oldest fencing company, we have the experience and knowledge needed to build a beautiful and durable fence to suit your needs. Contact us today to learn more!