Once the cold, rainy weather hits, many homeowners go about their lives indoors, leaving their yards and fences to fend for themselves all winter. This can result in some unpleasant surprises come spring, when many people head outside to find their wood fences have sustained damage, rot, or mildew growth.
Avoid costly wood fence repairs come spring by utilizing a few simple winter fence maintenance practices:
Inspect your wood fence after any major storm. Look for damage caused by falling debris as well as cracks in the wood, popped nails and any other problems that might need repairing. Make sure your fence posts remain level by stretching a length of string along the tops and looking for any dips or rises in the string. If you find any, examine those posts and determine whether any immediate repairs are needed. Letting a weak fence post go can cause further damage to the rest of your wood fence.
Regularly clean off debris. Fallen leaves, twigs and other organic matter can settle onto your fence rails or become lodged between boards. As they decompose, they can spread rot, mold and mildew growth to your fence.
Clean off cement footings. Dirt, bark dust, leaves and other matter covering your concrete footings can trap moisture within the cement, which can lead to cracks as the temperature changes.
For a healthy wood fence that requires minimal extra maintenance this spring, follow these tips throughout the winter.
Get tips on how to avoid wrecking your wood fence from our blog at: http://www.ricksfencing.com/blog/dont-blame-it-on-the-rain-how-northwest-homeowners-wreck-wood-fences/
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