Protect Your Fence from the Elements

Most damage to your Colorado Springs, CO fence occurs through long durations of exposure to the elements. Every fence will eventually deteriorate, but there’s a lot you can do to slow this process . Since damage from moisture is one of the biggest villains, an easy way to protect your fence is to make sure your sprinklers aren’t hitting it. Situate sprinkler heads far enough away from your fence to prevent moisture exposure, and be sure to check their watering radius every so often to make sure your fence isn’t being exposed.

Beyond this, you’ll also want to monitor and prune the limbs of adjacent trees that could threaten damage to your fence during a wind or snow storm. Keep all dead and overgrown limbs away from your fence. Next, make sure that vines aren’t growing on your fence either. Recognize that even charming aesthetics like ivy growing over your fence can damage your fence over time by trapping moisture and exposing your fence to bacteria, so be sure to keep plant growth under control.

Keep it Clean

Most fences are best cleaned with simple soap and water applied with a sponge or a very gentle brush. You’ll want to be careful about pressure washing your fences since doing so can sometimes damage their sealants/paint. Sometimes a little bleach or vinegar may be needed to clean tough stains and/or mold and mildew, but be sure to carefully check with your fence manufacturer before experimenting. As you can see, sometimes there’s a crossover between cleaning and structural integrity, so don’t neglect cleaning if you want your fence to look fresh for years to come.

Actively Stop Behavior that Could Damage Your Fence

This one may seem obvious, but a lot of times we can be too lax when it comes to actively stopping behavior that could damage a fence. For instance, if you see your kids or their friends throwing rocks at your fence, redirect them immediately; if you see your or a neighbor’s cat scratching your fence, deter them; if you see your dog digging holes, especially near fence posts, stop him/her. Also, keeping a sprinkler to close to a fence could cause water stains. Sometimes fence damage occurs out of ignorance more than anything else, so gently redirecting potentially damaging behavior is one of the best ways to keep your fence fresh.

Schedule a Yearly Inspection

Finally, the best way to keep your Colorado Springs, CO fence fresh all year long is to actively address any issues as soon as they arise. This means scheduling a yearly maintenance routine. When a walk-through is already on your calendar, you’ll have a designated time to examine each area of the fence up close, which can sometimes reveal places that need attention that you wouldn’t normally see from your porch.

Your yearly inspection should involve a close-up look of each part of your fence from every angle. Identify and replace any wood pickets that are beginning to rot; make sure all posts are firmly secured; clean with a toothbrush any rusted areas of your wrought iron fence, and then repaint these areas to keep them well sealed; tighten the links between pickets in chain link fences; replace missing screws; etc. Beyond your yearly maintenance routine, you’ll also want to examine your fence immediately after storms since they can violently dislodge and damage parts of your fence. With these habits in place, your fence can stay fresh for years to come!