Living in the Mid-Atlantic, cold winter conditions are a way of life. The same things you don’t enjoy about winter, especially the snow and the cold, can also affect your home’s fence. The winter preparation and care needed to preserve your fencing for years to come will all depend on the kind of fence you own and the winter conditions that affect your entire yard. A vinyl or aluminum fence will be more than likely okay during the cold, but you should do a bit of maintenance before and during the winter since things like leaves and snow can hurt your fence. Read on to learn how to prepare your fence for the cold winter weather conditions!

Winter Vinyl Fence Preparation

One great benefit of vinyl is that it does not have to be sealed or painted, but this doesn’t mean there is no winter work to be done within your fence area. The huge risk to your vinyl fence in the winter is damage from snow and ice. While a few festive decorations are okay, the weight of snow can cause warping, sagging, and even cracking with your home’s vinyl fence. There’s a bunch of different things you can do to maintain your vinyl fence:

• Keep snow away from the fence when possible.
• Shovel all snow towards the middle of your lawn, so it does not drift and pile up along the fence panels.
• Gently brush off snow from your fence, but make sure not to scratch it.
• Use a broom instead of your usual shovel to clean off the snow.

If your vinyl fence is lined on your driveway, sidewalk, or parking area, you’ll have to avoid shoveling or blowing snow towards your fence too. As long as you keep snow and ice from piling up, your vinyl fence should require little maintenance.

Winter Aluminum Fence Preparation

Much like vinyl fences, aluminum fences do not have rot or insect damage issues and are also very low maintenance. That does not mean aluminum fences do not suffer under the harsh winter weather conditions. While a few aluminum fences can be hurt by the weight of the snow, shifting gravel or soil is a winter concern that could displace your aluminum fence and make it much less secure and stable. The consistent thawing and refreezing of winter precipitation causes soil to contract and expand, which might compromise your fence posts too. There are a handful of things you could do to maintain your aluminum fence, which are:

• Remove leaves, ice, and snow to keep them in good shape for the life of your fencing.
• Don’t install footings when it is far below freezing since the cement won’t set properly.
• Use a reputable fence installer who will create the right cement footings for your aluminum fence post.

Trust Eastern Shore Porch and Patio

When you embark on your next project for your property, trust Eastern Shore Porch and Patio to help. We service Bethany Beach, Ocean City, Lewes, Salisbury, and the Delmarva area. You can request a quote today! If you have questions or concerns, call us at 302-436-9520 or send us an email at info@esvinylproducts.com. For updates and ideas, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Youtube.