Irrespective of the type of fence you have, maintenance is an important factor for your investment. This includes cleaning, fixing, staining and resealing, as well as painting, and even replacing sections if necessary.
Summer is a good time for fence maintenance, because the weather is good, and you can spend time outdoors doing something useful. Furthermore, whether you have a wood, vinyl/pvc, chain link, or welded metal fence, once your summer fence maintenance is complete, you can relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
If you live in Atlanta, you could ask a reputable McDonough fence company for advice. Not only will their professionals know about fencing and fence maintenance, but they will be able to take climate and typical Atlanta weather conditions into account.
Top Ten Summer Fence Maintenance Tips
- Check all fence posts and poles for rot or other signs of deterioration. The first signs of decay or damage are often at ground level or just above it, but dig a little below and make sure the post is sound. If you catch any form of deterioration in time, you may be able to just realign the post or pole and coat the damaged area with bitumen or, if it is metal, coat with a solution that stops rust from forming.
- If you cannot fix posts and poles that have begun to rot or rust, you might have to remove the upright and replace it. In many instances it is better to add a new post or pole midway between two existing ones so that you don’t weaken the existing fence structure. It is also more practical to do this if the post was set in concrete – otherwise you will have to dig out the concrete footing and replace that too.
- Check boards, rails and any other horizontal sections of the fencing. If these are split or damaged in any way, fix by nailing or screwing. If a railing is badly damaged, it’s usually best to replace it.
- Weather does take its toll on all fencing materials. Wood will tend to wear naturally, and if it has been coated with a sealer this will need to be redone after a few years. If the wood has begun to go gray from wear, you can revive it by staining before resealing (unless of course you like a weathered look, in which case just reseal it.)
- Metal can rust, and chain link can break, even if it has been coated with vinyl or pvc. If you spot rust, use a rust remover to get rid of it and then coat with a proprietary product that will inhibit rust from forming in future. If chain link fencing has broken, you may be able to cobble it together, otherwise replace the broken section.
- Most fences can be painted, including wood, metal and vinyl. Check that the paint hasn’t begun to blister and peel and if it has, scrape away damaged areas before repainting. Just make sure that you sand any rough edges, and use the recommended undercoat for the paint product you choose to use. Both of these should also be compatible with the paint product originally used. If you’re not sure, scrape right back and use a universal undercoat before repainting.
- Check for wind damage that might have pushed posts out of alignment or damaged panels or boards. Once you have identified how the ambient wind is affecting the fence, you can brace those sections to help prevent this damage from recurring.
- If you have used your fence as a support for creeping plants or climbers, or even as a backdrop for shrubs and small trees or flowers, check the growth to make sure it isn’t damaging the fence. Sometimes aggressive plant growth can pry parts of a fence apart. If this seems to be happening, cut back those sections of plant that are doing damage.
- Although not strictly part of the fence, plants adjacent to the fence should be trimmed and neatened so that they don’t detract.
- Finally, be sure to clean up around the fence. Cut back overhanging branches and remove any leaves or debris that is on the ground. If you haven’t planted alongside the fence, now’s the time to consider digging a new flowerbed to add life and color to your yard.
If you would like more summer fence maintenance tips or additional advice from a McDonough fence company, Natural enclosures Fence Company will be able to help. Contact us today.
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