Home » Posts tagged 'residential fence'
Tag Archives: residential fence
Recent Comments
Four Reasons to Hire a Fence Repair Professional
Your fence protects your home but is not immune to damage and aging.Wood rot, below-ground frost, and even weather can impact your fence. Pressure-treated lumber resists rot better than traditional wood, but it’s expensive.
Fence posts need to be set properly to withstand the weight of a yard’s worth of fencing and to stand upright against strong winds. If your fence has a post that leans or is falling, it can be dangerous and even break the rest of your fencing, so it is important to repair the problem as quickly as possible.
A simple way to straighten a fence post is to place another shorter post up against the faulty one and either tie or bolt the two together. This can be done quickly and is a good option if the faulty post is rotting or otherwise damaged.
In most cases, a leaning or falling fence post is simply not anchored in the ground correctly. This is a problem that’s usually easy to fix, though it may take some digging and concrete work. Start by clearing the area around the post and removing anything that might be in the way of getting to the issue (like landscaping or decorations). Next, dig up the old concrete footing or pour a new one, making sure to slope it away from the post to promote drainage.
It is also a good idea to call 811 before starting any digging or excavation work on your property, and to have any utility lines marked before you begin working on your fence, especially if it straddles a neighbor’s land. Also, make sure to wear safety equipment like goggles and gloves when working on or around any tools.
If the leaning or falling fence is due to a post that was not set properly in the first place, it will likely require more extensive repairs. If there is a hefty chunk of concrete surrounding the post, then you will need to use a jackhammer to break the concrete apart and remove it. Then, dig out the bottom of the post to a depth of at least one foot, and install a post mender (these are available at most home improvement stores).
This is a steel bracket with an L-shape above ground and holes for screws, and a stake below ground. Place the mender on top of the broken fence post, pre-drill pilot holes and drive in at least four galvanized hex-head fasteners. Then, hammer the hex-head fasteners into the holes to anchor the mender in place.
A termite infestation is one of the worst things that can happen to a home or business. It costs homeowners billions in repairs each year and can damage structural elements. It’s a good idea to look for signs of termite damage when doing yard work or checking out potential homes and businesses for purchase. Fortunately, termite damage is usually fixable, as long as you catch it early.
The best way to prevent future termite damage is to treat any cracks in your structure’s foundation, if needed. Cracks can allow termites to get inside of the walls and eat away at the wood, and this can lead to massive damage in no time. If you have any cracks in your foundation, you should call a professional to repair them before they get worse.
If you see any evidence of a termite infestation, it’s important to hire a pest control expert to get rid of the termites and make the necessary repairs as quickly as possible. These experts know how to identify a termite problem and take the steps to stop it from spreading, which can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Termites are able to chew through wood without detection, which is why it’s so important to watch out for signs of termite damage. These signs can include hollow or sagging sounds in the wood, and it’s also a good idea to check for mud tubes and discarded wings around your property.
Dry rot is another common problem that could cause the need for a fence repair, but it’s important to determine whether this is actually a symptom of a termite problem. Termites are attracted to wet areas and will swarm over rotting wood that is moist enough for them to feed on. Leaking pipes, clogged gutters and standing water are all potential sources of termite attractants, so it’s important to take care of these issues before they become an issue.
The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” applies to termite infestations just as much as it does to other types of damages. Taking the steps to prevent termite problems in the first place is the best way to avoid costly repair bills in the future, and this includes making sure that potential food sources are kept away from your property, keeping moisture levels low and maintaining proper ventilation.
A fence can be completely compromised if the panels begin to fall. Depending on the circumstances, this may require a complete rebuild or just some minor repairs to keep the structure stable. It’s always important to assess the extent of the damage before deciding what to do next. If a panel has soft dents or ripples that only extend into the metal surface, these can be repaired quite easily with bodyfiller. However, if the damage includes gouges or sharp creases in the metal, this will have caused the panel to stretch and can be much more difficult to repair.
This is especially true if the damaged area extends close to the edges of the panel or into unsupported areas. Using a panel block under the affected section of the panel can help provide stability and support. This is a simple process of placing the panel block against the damaged section of the panel and using a hammer to tap around the edges of the affected area, keeping up a constant pressure on the damaged panel with the block. This should be done until the panel is back to its original shape and can be secured with nails or screws.
If the panel is in a very poor condition and not easily repairable, it may be more practical to replace it entirely. This is particularly the case with bolt-on panels, where the replacement may be cheaper and easier to install.
Regardless of the reason for a panel to fall, it raises serious safety concerns. Not only can a falling panel damage the rest of the building, but it could also cause serious injuries to anybody leaning on it or trying to clear a window. It’s important to be aware of this issue and take steps to protect people from falling glass panels, whether they are in high-rise offices or apartment buildings.