Five Ways Nature Can Ruin Your Fence (And How to Prevent It)
Nature can ruin a fence. If you do nothing, just leave the fence to brave out a cold winter or hot summer, your fence will soon need replacing. The effects of weather are very hard on a fence, new or old. If you don’t do regular maintenance on a fence, you risk your investment in the structure. The good news is that you can prevent the worst of nature’s damage, and it need not take a lot of time.
At Fence Armor® we believe in fence protection. Our experienced team develops top of the range fence post protection, and our products speak for themselves. We also know that fence maintenance is crucial for any fence protection plan. We put together this post to help our clients prevent the worst of what nature can do to a fence.
Included on our list of how nature can ruin a fence and how to prevent it from happening is:
- Bad drainage does plenty of damage
- Moles and tree roots will knock a post
- Wildlife and pets like a good chew
- Damp is how nature can ruin a fence
- A long, hot summer is bad news for a fence
Let’s take a closer look at each point.
Bad drainage does plenty of damage
When it rains, the water has to go somewhere. If it rains a lot, you will have plenty of moisture in the ground. Bad drainage means the water stays on the surface and turns the area around the fence into a swamp. The posts will come loose or rot in the dirt - nature can ruin a fence in very little time.
Every homeowner should take steps to have good drainage on their land. If you have existing drains, then keep them unblocked. Dig new drains so the water can flow away from the fence. When installing a fence, always place the posts in well-drained soil and line the hole with small pebbles.
Moles and tree roots will knock a post
You may think moles are cute little critters but they help nature ruin a fence. In reality, they dig and burrow and raise their families. Moles will burrow under your fence posts and knock them over. The roots of your trees will do the same work on fence posts, doing permanent damage to a fence.
A good idea is to make your yard an unfriendly place for moles. Grow plants with strong scents, like onions, as it drives the moles away. Spray a repellent that keeps the moles out of the yard and keep your lawn tidy. Do not plant trees close to the fence and trim existing ones so that they do not grow.
Wildlife and pets like a good chew
Nature can ruin a wood fence in the garden very quickly. The local wildlife or Buster the dog will have had a good chew of the foot of the posts. When they chew into the wood, they remove any protective outer layer of the posts. Rot and mold will take over and destroy the post.
Fence Armor® Post Guards take care of the problem of animals chewing on wood fence posts. Made of North American galvanized steel, they will not rust, split or buckle under pressure. Our Post Guards are simple to install and, once in place, will give fence post protection for many years.
Damp is how nature can ruin a fence
Your wood fence post is buried in the soil. The conditions can be perfect in the dirt for rot to take hold and eat away at the wood where you cannot see it. Termites and other insects love the damp weather and may make a home in the wood. Soon your fence post is rotting from the inside out.
Fence Armor Postsaver® Sleeves are the perfect solution to any fence protection problem. The waterproof and airtight sleeves slip over the lower fence post. You heat seal the Postsaver® Sleeve to the wood, and it will give fence post protection for the next 20 years—a simple solution to the problem.
A long hot summer is bad news for a fence
You and the family may look forward to the long, hot summer days. The fence in the yard may not be as happy with the fine weather. The sun’s rays can dry out the fence and remove any protective moisture leaving it vulnerable to decay. Any protective seal will flake and blow away in the wind.
Applying a stain and seal product with an added UV barrier will give full fence protection from any damage. At Fence Armor® we stock Stain & Seal Experts products because they are of the highest quality. Their products prevent fading, protect from the sun’s rays and stop rot and mildew.
Call us - 888-289-5617
At Fence Armor® we know that nature can ruin a fence. We stock the products that prevent damage from happening. Ask our experts for advice. Call us today for all your fence post protection needs.
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