Perhaps it’s aging or has been damaged by a fallen limb or rogue child’s toy. Regardless, you may have noticed it needs your attention sooner than later.
It’s possible your fence is in such a condition that you are reminded of its need for repair every day and every time you see it. Perhaps it was installed many years ago, maybe even before you moved to your Asheville area home. Now, you wonder if it can even be repaired.
As you begin filling out your maintenance checklist for the new year, it will be helpful to know whether your fence can be repaired, or if it is at a point at which it should be replaced.
In this guide, we will help you answer that question and take steps in the right direction.
How to Determine if Fence Needs Attention
Does your fence need attention? Here are some indications your fence needs some love in the new year:
Signs Your Fence Needs Repairs:
- Your fence is stained with mold or mildew.
- Your fence has holes in the bottoms or middle.
- Your fence posts or cross beams have holes.
- Your fence has sawdust around the base of the posts.
- Your fence’s paint has faded or is chipping.
- Your fence’s gate never seems to fully close.
- Your pets are escaping from your fence.
- Your fence has limbs or trees encroaching on it.
- Your fence is visibly damaged.
- Your fence is showing signs of wood rot and water damage.
- Your fence is leaning.
- Your fence is missing boards, panels, or chainlinks.
- Your fence is sagging.
- Your fence is just not as pretty as it once was.
- Your fence is drawing unwanted attention from your neighbors and HOA.
These signs are indicators that your fence needs attention sooner than later. Problems like these will not correct themselves. You may be able to perform some of these repairs yourself, but the costs to do it well will still add up. If you need professional help, it could become even more expensive to make repairs.
The question becomes whether it would be better to replace your fence.
How to Determine if Your Fence Should Be Replaced
Fences are typically durable. They can have a long lifespan if properly maintained. However, just because a fence can be repaired, that doesn’t necessarily mean it should be repaired. Here are a few signs you should replace rather than repair your fencing.
1) Your Fence Is Dilapidated
“Dilapidated” is a relative term, so one person’s “dilapidated” is another’s “fixer-upper.” That said, if your fence has multiple issues from the list above, it might not necessarily be beyond-repair, but you have to determine whether the better value would be to just replace it.
You might be able to paint it, stain it, replace boards, fix it, etc., but is it really worth it?
2) Your Fence Is Ugly
Perhaps an ugly fence came with your house, or your sensibilities have changed since you installed it, and now it has become an eyesore. If you have an ugly fence, it may be time to replace it, especially if it is already in need of repair.
3) Your Fence Has Wood Rot
If there are numerous rotted boards and/or posts, you might be able to replace each one and preserve it; however, the cost of lumber and your labor and time should be factored into whether or not the fence is really worth repairing.
Consider replacing your wood fence with aesthetically pleasing, cost-effective vinyl fencing that will not be subject to wood rot in the future.
4) Your Fence Is Not the Material You Desire
Again, if your fence was already on your property when you purchased it, or if your sensibilities or lifestyle have changed, you may not like the style or materials from which your fence is made. You might find the necessity to restrain or paint your fence season after season tedious.
Before you make expensive repairs, consider whether it might be time to replace your fence with a material more suitable for your lifestyle (and style in general).
5) Your Fence Has Been Infested
If your fence has been infested by termites or wood-destroying insects, you will likely be better off replacing it with an entirely different material (such as ornamental steel or aluminum) than to try to exterminate the pests and replace each board affected.
6) Your Fence Has Been Severely Damaged
For fencing that has been severely damaged, it may be time to replace it entirely. This could be an opportunity to upgrade your fencing material.
7) Your Fence Is Not Doing The Job
If your fencing is failing to keep your pets in the yard, keep people off of your property, or just not protecting your property the way you need it to, it might be time to make a change and have your fence replaced.
8) Your Fence Is Drawing Attention from the HOA
Are you getting letters from your Homeowners Association about your fence? Does it no longer comply with local regulations?
Rather than continue to antagonize the HOA, this might be the year to install a new, beautiful fence.
9) Your Fence Is Hurting Your Property Value
You want your fence to add to the value of your property. However, if it is ugly, in disrepair, or in need of a lot of maintenance, it could be hurting your overall property value.
What to Do if Your Fence Needs to Be Replaced
If you have determined that you need a new fence for the new year, there are two key steps to take to make sure you get the best value possible:
Choose the Right Material
You don’t want to be in this same bind a few years down the road. Choose the right fence material:
- Chain Link: Chain link is great for property owners who need to cover a lot of ground with durable material and don’t necessarily need an aesthetically pleasing option.
- Split Rail: Split rail fencing is great for keeping livestock safely on your property.
- PVC/Vinyl: For an incredibly durable, low maintenance, aesthetically pleasing solution, vinyl/PVC fencing is your answer. This material is often HOA compliant and perfect for privacy, security, and pool protection.
- Ornamental Steel/Aluminum: Durable, low-maintenance, and beautiful, ornamental steel is practical, typically HOA compliant, and will not block your view.
- Board-on-Board: If you are committed to the idea of a board-on-board fence, a professional installation can help ensure the lowest maintenance possible.
Choose the Right Installation Company
If you are installing a new fence, you want to use a company you can trust. From the backyards of historic Asheville to the peaks of the Blue Ridge, Black, and Smoky mountains, our team has years of experience building fences throughout western North Carolina.
Since the 1970s, Asheville Fence has been the city of Asheville's and NCDOT's "go-to" fence and guardrail contractor. Every employee at Asheville Fence, from the estimators to the installers, has been hand-picked to be a part of our family and team.
Every task is treated as if it were our own, and every customer is treated as if they were a friend.
If you are installing a new fence in the new year, contact our expert team today.