You need to protect your fence against the potential damage of severe winter weather.
With the new year upon us, it is important to remember that in our area, most of our severe winter weather tends to happen in the first few months of the year (so don’t take the mild December as a sign that you can skip your winter prep). There is still time if you haven’t completed the necessary winter fence maintenance to protect and preserve your residential fencing. You need to act quickly, however. Your residential fence installation was an investment, and you need to protect it against the potential fence damage of severe winter weather. Here’s how you do that.
How Winter Weather Can Impact Residential Fences
There are several different ways that the pressure of severe winter weather can affect your fencing. Depending on the fencing material, different types of fencing will suffer different potential damage from weather. Metal, for instance, can rust if it is not adequately protected from the moisture of rain and snow during the season. Metal fences, such as chain link, can also freeze in the extreme cold temperatures of the winter, and frozen metal is more likely to crack or break. Another potential risk of winter weather is fence collapse when heavy snow or ice accumulates on the surfaces of the fence and/or high winds blow. Finally, even if your fence doesn’t completely break, winter weather can cause it to warp and become unstable. This is most common with wooden fences, though any fence that suffers damage during extreme weather becomes less stable and more prone to additional damage.
Steps You Can Take to Prevent Winter Weather Damage
The first step to preparing your fence for winter is to inspect it. Ensure that there is no preexisting damage to your fence that the winter weather will worsen. If there is damage, take the time to repair it or get it professionally repaired. Even a small amount of damage could lead to a big issue if the weather gets rough enough. Remember that most fences are made of assorted materials. For instance, don’t think that the threats to metal don’t apply to you since your fence is wood: the nails, screws, and hardware are likely all metal. Ensure you’re checking them all for signs of rust and tightening them up where needed. If some branches or limbs overhang the fence, make sure that you cut them back so that you don’t snap and fall on your fence in the winter weather. Finally, apply protective finishes to your fencing. Make sure that you’re painting, staining, or sealing as needed to protect the metal from rust or the wood from warp and rot.
Contact Hercules GSA Today!
Whether you need a commercial or a high-security fence, Hercules Fence GSA can do the job for you. We have been providing professional, quality service since 1955 and work to uphold our reputation every day. We have locations across the Maryland and Washington Metropolitan area and are ready to cater to your fencing needs. Give us a call at (410)-799-1555 or contact us online. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest for more updates.
