A hurricane, tropical storm, or otherwise high winds are expected in my area, and I am worried my fence might blow over. It is one of the most common things we hear from customers as a big storm approaches. You have bought several cases of water, filled up your gas tanks, and checked your generators to ensure they are still working. You’ve done everything you can think of to prepare yourselves for comfort inside your home, but what can you do to protect the exterior of your home from storm damage? At Big Jerry’s Fencing, we are your local fence experts and are here to help. So, how can you prepare your fence for the imminent storm?
Inspect Your Fence
One of the best ways to prepare your fence for a storm is to assess your fence for damages. Walk around your yard, if possible, inspect both sides of every fence line. Look for obvious damage, such as deterioration, broken posts, splitting pickets, crumbling fence rails, and any signs of wood rot.
Check the hardware on your fence. Look for rusting nails, broken hinges or latches, and anything else that may compromise its structural integrity.
Choosing a top-rated fence company, like Big Jerry’s Fencing, to install a wood fence or vinyl fence around your home can reduce the need for replacements and repairs in the future. Some lightweight and breathable fences allow for wind to easily pass through and pose less risk of being blown over, call us today to ask about our aluminum fence, chain link fence, and semi-private wood fence and vinyl fence options..
Whether you are in hurricane season located in states like Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina, or if you face the occasional tornadoes in places like Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Ohio, Arkansas, or Idaho, maintaining your fence is an important part of annual storm preparation. Keep your home, farm, or commercial property protected for years to come by addressing any potential problems with your fence early to help extend its lifespan.
Plan For Your Fence
To help ensure a longer life for your fence, make sure you are planning accordingly.
- Consider the maintenance that will be required for the fence type that you choose.
- Evaluate obstacles such as trees, bushes, and slopes on your property and choose the right fence for your landscape.
- Call 811 before you dig to have your underground utilities marked. Hitting a buried line can result in loss of service, fines to repair, and injury or death.
- Review and follow all local fencing laws and ordinances. Get your fence permit when required. A local Big Jerry’s Fencing fence expert can help you with this process.
- Measure correctly, dig the proper post hole, and ensure the posts are level and plumb. If you have never installed a fence before, we recommend hiring a fence professional to do the job right the first time. Installing the fence improperly can result in costly repairs down the road.
Make Fence Repairs
If you notice any damaged fence posts, you can reinforce them but adding braces to the compromised posts. One of our favorite ways to brace an existing fence post is to set a new fence post in the ground with a concrete foundation and we attach that new fence post to an undamaged section of the existing fence. Or you can drive a new post diagonally in the ground and attach it to an undamaged portion of the existing fence post. If your fence post is leaning or wiggling, it can likely be reinforced. However, if you see any rot (usually at or below ground level) than that post likely needs to be dug out of the ground and replaced with a new post.
If you have a vinyl fence, check for cracks in the PVC. Vinyl fences are low-maintenance compared to wood fences, and most vinyl fences come with a lifetime manufacturer warranty that will protect you if you catch the damage and report it prior to a storm. Please note, storm damage is usually NOT covered under any warranties.
Replace Your Fence
Let’s face it, it may just be time to remove your existing fence and replace it with a brand new fence. At Big Jerry’s Fencing we guarantee our craftmanship and most fences come with a warranty on the materials themselves. Often our customers call us looking for a fence repair when in reality they need a fence replacement. Fences can only take so much, and if your fence has been repaired and repaired again, its likely that a good storm will blow the whole thing over sending your yard into disarray. The debris resulting from a deteriorated fence can serve as dangerous projectiles in high wind gusts that put you, your family and pets, and even your neighbors at risk. Don’t wait until after a broken piece of wood comes flying through your window in the middle of a torrential rain downpour, call us or click at bigjerrysfencing.com today to get your free and fast fence quote from a locally owned and operated Big Jerry’s Fencing fence company.
Upgrade your Gate
If you are located in an area that experiences high winds, we recommend upgrading your privacy gate to include a metal gate frame. Sagging and leaning gates are among the most common repairs needed on new fences. Help secure your investment by having a heavy duty gate built up front. Installing a durable gate with a metal frame will help preserve the longevity and functionality of your gate. What good is a fenced in yard if your gate falls off?
Secure Your Backyard
Bring in children’s toys, planters, and items that can serve as projectiles in a strong wind gust. If you don’t have room in your garage or storage shed to bring in larger items, such as trampolines and basketball goals, then be sure to lay them flat on the ground and tie them down to make them more secure. Unsecured items can become dangerous high-speed projectiles which can cause damage to your fence, home, pets, and family.
If a hurricane can cause major damage to your home, imagine what can happen to your fence. The National Weather Service provides the following information on hurricane wind and gust speeds and potential expected damage.
- Hurricane winds 130 to 160 mph with gusts of 170+ mph
- Most native trees will be snapped or uprooted.
- At least one half of well-constructed houses will have roof and wall collapse.
- Power outages will last for weeks as many power poles will be down and transformers destroyed.
- Hurricane winds 110 to 130 mph with gusts of 140+ mph
- Many industrial buildings will be destroyed; others will have partial roof and wall damage.
- Electricity and water will be unavailable for days and possibly weeks after the hurricane passes.
- Hurricane Winds 90 to 110 mph with gusts of 115 to 135 mph
- Near total power loss is probable with several power lines and poles knocked down. The availability of potable water will be lessened as filtration systems begin to fail.
- Moderate to major damage will occur to well-constructed homes. Many gabled roofs and exterior walls will fail.
- Aluminum and light steel roofs will be ripped off buildings.
- Hurricane winds 74 to 90 mph with gusts up to 110 mph
- Houses of poor to average construction will experience major damage, including partial wall collapse and roofs being lifted off. Well-constructed houses will incur minor damage to shingles, siding and gutters as well as blown out windows.
- Some trees will be uprooted or snapped. Nearly all large branches will snap.
- Airborne debris will cause damage, injury and possible fatalities.
- Tropical Storm winds 60 to 73 mph with gusts up to 95 mph
- Unfastened light to moderate weight outdoor items will become projectiles, causing additional damage and perhaps injury.
- Tropical Storm winds 50 to 60 mph with gusts up to 80 mph
- Unsecured home items of light to moderate weight will become airborne, causing additional damage to your property and possible injury.
- Tropical Storm winds 39 to 50 mph with gusts up to 65 mph
- Loose lightweight items may become projectiles, causing additional damage.
- Tropical Depression winds 30 to 38 mph with gusts up to 50 mph
- Minor damage may occur.
Get Your Free Fence Estimate from Big Jerry’s Fencing
Regardless of how many preventative measures you take, sometimes the storm is just too strong, and fence damage is inevitable. The best thing you can do to prepare is to get quotes for a fence repair or fence replacement before the storm hits. Fence companies tend to get inundated with fence estimate requests when a storm comes. If you don’t think your fence will make it through the storm, it’s a good idea to go ahead and get on the schedule to have the fence replaced to reduce the potential wait time in which your yard is open and exposed. If you wait until after it blows down, chances are there will be longer wait times for your fence installation date, and even potential delays with simply receiving your fence quote from some fence companies and fence contractors. At Big Jerry’s Fencing, our online draw your fence tool makes it easy to show us the areas you are concerned about and one of our local fence experts will be happy to assist you in providing you with a fair and hassle-free fence estimate. We also offer fence financing to lessen the financial burden that comes along with storm damage to your home.
We make buying fences quick and easy, so you can protect your loved ones and your investments. Call us today or click online to get a free estimate and let Big Jerry’s Fencing add protection, privacy, and value to your home.
