Unfortunately, fences don’t last forever. A bad fence is an eyesore and may compromise your privacy. Here are 7 signs you need a new home fence.
You’ve always imagined having a glorious home with a white picket fence. When you’re out house hunting, you find your dream home but the fence part has much to be desired. It’s white but the paint is sort of fading.
The fading paint isn’t a deal-breaker though. What is a deal-breaker is the fact that there are holes in the fence and it’s leaning over a little. These are all signs that the home fence hasn’t been maintained in quite some time. Or, the effects of weather on fencing, have taken their toll.
Keep reading for a few more signs that you should start construction on a new fence as soon as you get your things moved into the home.
1. Holes in the Wood
So, the fence looks good aside from a few holes that you’ve spotted in the wood. Some noticeable holes are fine as long as the entire doesn’t thing doesn’t look like a slice of swiss cheese right? You would be wrong about that.
Holes is the biggest sign that your garden fence either houses wood-eating bugs like termites or it at least once did. There’s no telling how much structural damage has been done to the wood. If you leave it alone, it might come toppling down one day out of the blue.
If all the holes seem to be in one isolated place you might be able to get away with only replacing the boards that have been affected but it’s most likely going to call for a complete replacement. This is especially true if you notice that a few of the problem insects are still lurking around.
2. Your Current Fence is Leaning Over
The wood itself doesn’t seem to be damaged but the fence is leaning in a lot. You straighten up the support which allows the fence to sit upright for a while but before the week is over it’s leaning again. It’s possible that your yard fencing has weak supports.
You can try standing it up all you want but this is only a temporary solution. Eventually, the supports are going to give in and crumble. Instead of trying to put off the inevitable, it’s better to replace the fence and be done with it before the entire thing comes down.
3. Broken and Damaged Boards
After a quick inspection, you spot several areas on the fence where wooden boards once were. Upon touching a few of the boards, they feel a little unstable. If there are only a few spots with rotted or missing boards you can simply replace them and call it a day.
If the damage is spread out across the entire fence, however, you’ll save more time and money replacing the entire thing.
4. Loose Fence Posts
The fence seems nice and stable until you lean on it. As soon as you put your weight on it, the entire fence shifts to the side. This is once again, a sign of weak supports. It’s possible that the supports have come loose.
You might be able to fix the issue by securing them firmly back into the ground. If it’s in the same shape a few days later that means the wood is too weak to be secured. It’s better to head to the hardware store and start gathering wood for a new fence building project.
5. Mismatched Boards
You just moved into a new home and while looking at the fence it seems like the previous owner took the advice at https://www.buttefence.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-the-perfect-idaho-fence a little too literally. The fence is done in a bunch of different styles.
The mismatched boards a little jarring to look at, to say the least. You might be able to fix the problem by staining or painting over the wood. Nobody can tell the wood is different if they can’t see it after all. If you can still tell the difference after painting though, it might be a good idea to replace it.
6. It Doesn’t Provide Enough Protection
You let your dog out to do its business and are waiting for it to come back in. A few hours tick by and still no dog. When you peek out the kitchen window you notice that your dog is no longer in the yard.
They were able to hop the fence and go on a little adventure. Lucky for you, someone a few houses down found the dog and gave you a call. If that’s a heart attack you don’t want to have on a normal basis, tear down your fence and purchase one that’s a little higher up so you furbaby can’t jump it.
7. Your Fence was the Victim of an Accident
A horrible storm brushes through your area and your fence doesn’t make it out alive. A falling tree saw to that. So you don’t end up missing your privacy, you’ll have to buy a new fence.
If you have homeowner’s insurance you might not even have to pay for it out of your own pocket because it might be covered. It’s worth calling your company to find out, anyway.
Start Building Your New Home Fence
Has your home fence suffered from a terrible accident? Is it covered in holes or leaning over into your yard? While in some of these cases you might be able to fix it yourself by securing it or replacing the boards, it’s oftentimes not worth it.
Protect your home and privacy by trading in your property fence for a brand-new model.
Is a new fence the least of your renovation worries? Check out the lifestyle section of our blog daily for even more homeowner’s advice.