Autumn is a beautiful time of the year. It is easy to sit back and relax while the colors change and the leaves fall but there is still work to do if you have a wooden fence. Winter and spring can be especially hard on wooden fences because of the increased possibility of rain and snow storms. All of that water can really damage your fence if you don’t take the time to maintain it in the autumn.
Once fall is in full swing, there are four jobs you should take care of to ensure your fence is ready for what’s ahead:
Inspect your fence. You need to know what you are working with before you begin to make repairs. The sooner you repair damage after it has happened, the easier it is to prevent further damage. Take notice of any cracks, splits, knots or evidence of warping because it will need to be fixed as soon as possible.- Don’t let your fence get bogged down under debris. Autumn is when you see a lot of things start to fall out of trees. If you are lucky, it is just leaves but limbs are fairly common as well. Clear off any snow, twigs, leaves or ice that may have accumulated on your fence. The added weight will cause your fence to sag or warp.
- Clear away debris from your fence posts. You need to keep the ground around your fence as clear as possible. If you don’t, it increases the chances for moisture to build up around your fence support. Once the posts start to rot you will have a leaning fence in no time.
- Make sure your fence is waterproof. Water is the number one threat to any wooden fence. Since there will be a lot of moisture in the air for the next few months, you need to seal and waterproof your fence to prevent mildew and rot from setting in.
