How Outdoor Conditions Affect Your Fence

Fencing materials are pretty durable and resistant to different weather conditions. They have to be because they are installed outdoors. However, no material is completely impervious to every outdoor condition. You may have to call a handyman in Victoria B.C. to make repairs to your fence if it becomes damaged. 

Knowing how different conditions outdoors can affect your fence may help you avoid damage and prevent, or at least delay, fence replacement. 

Rain

Exposure to moisture can promote mould growth on some types of fences. Wood fences are particularly susceptible because they are made of organic material that the fungus feeds on. Vinyl fences can also experience mould growth. This does not hurt them because the vinyl is a synthetic material, but the mould growth still makes your fence look bad.

Mould is less of a problem for metal fences, but they are not impervious to water. Exposure to moisture can start a chemical reaction that causes metal fences to rust, especially if they are made entirely or partly of iron. You can prevent water from lingering on your fence long enough to cause issues by having it waterproofed. 

Snow/Ice

When temperatures outside are below freezing, precipitation takes the form of snow, ice, or sleet rather than rain. These conditions can also cause moisture problems for your fence, if not immediately, then after they melt. Another concern is that ice and snow could build up on your fence, putting more pressure on it than it is designed to handle. Though this doesn’t happen very often, your fence could collapse under the extra weight. 

Salt

Salt isn’t a type of weather, but it is still an outdoor condition that could affect your fence. Ice melt compounds containing salt are typically used during the winter to help clear roadways, driveways, and walkways of ice and snow. If your fence is made of metal or wood, these compounds can damage it. You can help protect your fence by being judicious in using salt or snow melt around it. If your fence is close enough to the road that passing cars could splash salt onto it, you can put some sort of protective covering, such as burlap, over top of it to form a protective barrier. You do not have to keep this cover on all winter. Watch the weather report and pay attention to when the weather conditions are likely to require salt, then deploy the cover as necessary. 

Wind

Fences are built with the wind in mind, but strong gusts or gales can put inordinate pressure on them. If strong winds do not blow the fence over completely, they can compromise the fence’s structural integrity by loosening it from its base, which may cause it to fall over later.

Wind can also damage fences indirectly by causing tree limbs to fall on them. You can prevent this by keeping any overhanging branches trimmed. 

Sunlight

Beams of sunlight carry high levels of ultraviolet radiation, which can affect different fencing materials in various ways. Vinyl fencing may become brittle as it starts to break down, while a wood fence may age more quickly. If your wooden fence is also exposed to moisture, the combined effects of both can cause it to deteriorate even more quickly. You can protect a wooden fence by applying a stain or paint that is UV resistant. Some newer vinyl fencing materials have UV resistance built right in. 

Call a Handyman in Victoria B.C. for Fence Services

Installation, repair, and replacement are all examples of fence services that Handyman Connection provides in Victoria. Our technicians are experienced and dedicated to helping your fence stand the test of time.