There are some storms and severe weather conditions that not even the strongest fences can face. Storms bring strong winds, flying debris and hard precipitation such as hail, which can cause aesthetic or severe structural damage to your fence. Even well-built fences will fall if faced with a significant weather event. Once you experience a heavy storm in your location, you will need to assess the damage when it is safe. From here, you can take the necessary steps to fix the fencing on your property.
Some damage to your fence includes pockmarks, broken posts, or missing planks. Certain types of damage can be easier to repair than others and can be fixed by you or your contractor. Some types of damage are just too severe for you to fix in other cases. If this is the case, your best bet would be to contact your local fence company to come and repair or replace your fence. Here are a few tips that can help you assess and improve your fence after heavy winds and storms.
Damage assessment
Once it is safe to go outside and the storm has stopped, you should begin by inspecting the perimeter. You should look for:
- There is severe structural damage like fallen or broken posts, broken top or bottom rails, or torn hinges.
- Any pockmarks or dents in the wood of the fence
- Any litter and debris in the area
- Any missing balusters or pickets
You should also keep in mind that you should be taking pictures of all the damage you find and the surrounding area. This could help you while repairing your fence or if you decide to work with your insurance company to file a claim. Certain damage might have only caused superficial damage such as scratches on the paint, dents or pockmarks. Other types of damage will negatively impact the structural stability of the fence itself.
Even those considered to be more minor issues like having a missing picket will eventually lead to problems like a pet escaping or an intrusion from a stray or a wild animal to enter your property. It is essential to make your repairs, however small, as quickly as possible. You should also let your family members know that the fence is unsafe to be around. If your fence is near a sidewalk, you should put up some yellow tape to alert the public. You might even want to use some traffic cones to help keep others away from the damage.
Clean up all debris
The next thing you should do is clean up. Walk around the perimeter of your fence with a trash bag and pick up any debris like leaves, sticks and other objects. Larger debris, like a fallen tree trunk, should be left for the professionals to deal with. You should call a tree removal service to get the tree off your property.