The weather is warming, and the spring-cleaning craze is in full swing. As part of your routine preparations for the warmer weather, don’t forget to take care of spring fence maintenance. Your fence keeps your property safe, so it’s important to make sure it is ship-shape. We know that, as a homeowner, you’ve got plenty to do for the upkeep of your home. To make things easier, we’ve prepared a handy spring fence maintenance checklist to help you make sure you don’t miss a thing when it comes to prepping your fence for spring.
How Do You Maintain an Outdoor Fence?
General Cleanup
General cleanup refers to the overall tidying up of the area around your fence. Debris should be cleared away from the ground and from the fence itself. Especially important for wooden fences, make sure that no odd hangers-on are wedged between the pickets or slats. During your cleanup, protect yourself against debris on the ground by wearing protective gear like gloves, pants, and closed-toed shoes.
Be wary of overhanging tree limbs that could fall on your fence or nest animals that can harm the structure’s visible appeal. Prune back surrounding flora, that which can brush up against the fence or trees that are within falling distance. Shrubs have a habit of growing well in the spring months, so allow room for them to expand. Remove any dead plants.
Inspect for Damage
Attend to any damage early on to avoid more expensive repairs later. You don’t want to find out the hard way how much a new fence costs. Keep your eyes peeled for holes. If your wooden fence has any knots, changing temperatures can cause them to fall out, leaving knotholes in the fence. Other common areas of trouble are broken or bent hardware, missing post caps, chips, nicks, and scratches.
Be mindful of areas of weakness. Check each post’s stability by putting your weight on it. If the posts move, you may be dealing with shifting ground or wood damage like rot or a breakage. Metal fencing like chain link and ornamental fences can suffer structural damage through rust. Be mindful of this throughout the year, not just during spring fence maintenance.
Some repairs, especially in the early stages of damage, can be done on your own, and others should be managed by a professional team. If you are unsure if your fence needs professional servicing, reach out to us at All Over Fence.
Wash and Condition
Washing and conditioning are a key part of spring fence maintenance. Doing so will remove mildew, which shows up as black spots or patches, as well as brighten the color of your fence. Regularly washing your fence will extend its life. If you have a wooden fence, it will need to be stained and sealed after washing to protect the natural strength and beauty of the wood. This can be done with a paint roller or by a professional team. The fence must be dry.
Many people elect to pressure wash their fencing. If you do, make sure you use the correct settings for your specific type of fence. If you are nervous about taking off the paint or damaging the fence, you can hire a professional power wash company. It is highly satisfying to watch your fence find renewed life as the color changes as dirt and grime are blown away.
What is the Most Maintenance-Free Fence?
The amount of maintenance your fence will require is dependent on many things, including the climate of the place you live and the initial sealing and staining procedures you took when the fence was installed. Three kinds of fencing, however, are pretty consistently low-maintenance.
Vinyl
Vinyl is an ideal candidate for fencing in the front or backyard because it requires little upkeep and is available in a variety of styles. Vinyl doesn’t need to be sanded, stained, or painted, and it won’t warp, rot, peel, or splinter. It is also impervious to wood-boring insects like termites that can destroy a wood fence. When it comes to spring fence maintenance, vinyl fencing should still be hosed down regularly to prevent mildew.
Aluminum
Choosing to make your ornamental fence from aluminum is a safe bet for minimal maintenance. Aluminum does not rust like steel or iron, and a powder coating that’s been baked on will not blister or peel. Aluminum lends a sleek and sophisticated appearance while often remaining the cheapest privacy fence.
Composite
If you want to do very little spring fence maintenance, consider a composite fence. Composite looks like wood without being vulnerable to termites or rot. It also does not need to be stained or sealed. It is made from recycled materials, so it is a solidly environmentally-conscious choice.
