While the winter elements may tempt you to spend most of your time indoors, it is essential to take the necessary steps to ensure that your fence does not get damaged through the winter months. You can prevent your fence from getting severe winter weather damage through some simple DIY steps, saving you time and money.
Keep Your Fence Clean
A great way to prevent fence damage over the colder months is simply by cleaning your fence. The best way to clean your fence is dependent on the material of your fence. A vinyl fence can be cleaned with light pressure washing and if that does not work, consider reaching for a mild scrubbing aid such as a sponge or an old toothbrush. An aluminum fence can be wiped clean with a damp cloth and warm water. If some pesky stains remain, try using a mixture of liquid dish soap, warm water, and a small amount of vinegar. Make sure to rinse the soapy mix off of your aluminum fence, as soap stains can damage aluminum, and avoid the temptation of using a pressure washer to rinse your fence, as it can similarly damage aluminum. Dry your clean aluminum fence with a towel to prevent watermarks.
Cleaning your fence before the tough-winter weather prevents fungus and bacteria from developing on your fence over the season. Winter weather brings a lot of moisture, perfect for mold to thrive. Mold and dry rot can seriously damage the interior of your fence, so it is vital to take the time to clean your fence.
Clear the Footings
Another necessary step is to clear the fence post footings of any stray materials as you clean your fence to prevent damage. It is essential to do this for the whole of your fence, but you should pay particular attention to the posts. Everyday yard items like grass, leaves, and branches help to ensure moisture. Excess moisture creates the perfect condition for mold and dry rot to grow and develop. Large piles of leaves and grass can additionally obscure problems within your fence. Your fence footing could be showing problems like growing cracks, but the base could be hidden under a pile of leaves. Similarly, you can miss holes at the bottom of your fence caused by burrowing wild animals or even your neighbor’s curious dog. Making sure you have a constant view of the bottom of your fence is necessary to keep your fence in excellent condition.
Trim Trees and Shrubs
Another simple step to taking care of your fence before harsh winter weather is to trim trees and shrubs near your fence. The most significant risk to your fence is large fallen tree branches. During severe winter weather, tree branches will fall due to the weight of the ice and the heavy winds. This can cause some large, heavy branches to fall, thus damaging your fence. For some small tree branches, consider trimming the branches yourself, but if there appears to be a larger problem, consider calling a professional.
Smaller vegetation like shrubs can also cause problems for fences in the long cold weather months. The freezing wind will cause frozen shrub limbs to beat and constantly bang on your fence and persist throughout the season. Icy shrub limbs can also cause increased water on your fence, thus exposing it to additional moisture. Simply trimming the shrubs will help, as smaller shrubs and bushes will allow for less ice to form. Also, if the vegetation is further from the fence, the less likely the bush will bat along your fence.
Do Not Hang Decorations
One tempting tradition during the winter months, especially with the end-of-the-year holidays, is to decorate your fences. While these fence decorations are cute and make for a fun activity, fence decorations can chip away and cause damage to your fence during cold weather. Planter boxes are designed to catch water for plants, but this causes your fence to be consistently exposed to water. A large amount of water creates the ideal conditions for mold to flourish and fester across your fence. This water and the additional moisture from winter weather make your fence the perfect environment for mold.
Another downside to having planters on your fence is how plants naturally attract bugs and other critters. Bugs love to nibble on plants and drink up their water. These planters can cause damage to your fence as they will chew through your fence, and other critters will dig under your fence to access the plants and water. Take some time to remove your fun fence decorations and place them elsewhere. A bare fence will be much stronger over the cold winter months.
Get Rid of that Snow!
Perhaps the most apparent winter problem is snow! The Mid-Atlantic is prone to many snowstorms over the season. Snow will pile up horizontally alongside your fence, thus creating large snow piles. If you leave these large snow piles alongside your fence for extended periods, your fence could get severe damage. Snow is moisture, so by allowing snow-piles to linger around your fence, you are effectively exposing your fence to a large amount of water. This continual exposure can cause a metal fence to rust and erode a fence’s layer of paint and stain, which are essential to protecting a fence. When you notice large piles of snow alongside your fence, it is important to shovel snow away from your fence as soon as possible. Shoveling will prevent your fence from getting serious damage and it will ensure your fence’s strength and survival across all four seasons. Do not use a metal shovel though, as you could accidentally damage the fence.
It is imperative to take a few simple steps to protect your fence against the elements to prevent winter damage! If you suffer damage, buy new fence materials from Fencing Direct!
