A wood fence with snow on it.

Does Cold Weather Have an Impact on Your Fence?

Winter weather brings cold temperatures, often accompanied by snow or ice. Cold weather affects all parts of your home’s exterior. For example, does cold weather have an impact on your fence? Yes, the fence that runs around your property is no exception. However, cold weather affects fences in various ways. 

Greenhill Fencing, your reliable fence company in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs, has been helping homeowners maintain their fences for the past two decades. Here are some ways that cold weather impacts fence structure and materials.

How Cold Weather Impacts Your Fence

Let’s look at how cold weather impacts fence structure and materials. Whether you have a wood fence or aluminum fencing, it’s essential to know how to protect your fence from the natural elements.

Moisture Damage From Rain and Snow

Many locations receive abundant rain in the fall and heavy snow in the winter. As a result, weather in southeastern Pennsylvania can be unpredictable during these seasons. 

Rain and snow affect wood fences by causing moisture damage, especially if you’ve had your fence for several years. There’s also a lack of abundant sunlight during the winter, which can prevent your wooden fence from drying properly. 

A buildup of moisture can eventually cause your wood fence to rot. To prevent moisture damage, apply a water sealer to the fence as soon as a fence company installs it.

Cracks From Changing Temperatures

Moreover, as your wood fence absorbs moisture from rain and snow, these liquids will expand as temperatures change. The constantly changing temperatures between freezing and thawing weaken the wood. This weakening, coupled with the expansion of moisture, can cause cracks. 

Damage may only be noticeable in spring when you apply pressure to the rails. However, joins, where the rails meet the fence, may also come loose from colder temperatures. Cold weather impacts fence durability by weakening the support system holding it up.

Damage From Snow Drifts

The heavy weight of snow can accumulate on tree branches and bring them down. These branches can fall and damage all types of fences, including metal and vinyl fences. 

Combine a heavy snowfall with strong winds, and you get snow drifts. Unfortunately, these piles of heavy snow can also damage your wood fence. Prevent damage from branches and snow drifts by planting trees and hedges that protect your fence from the full brunt of snow drifts.

Fence Structure Affected by Shifting Soil

Like wood, soil in the ground can also expand and crack due to changing temperatures. Cold weather impacts fence stability by expanding and contracting the soil, causing it to split and shift.

Furthermore, soil can develop sinkholes following heavy snowfall. These sinkholes can compromise your fence’s structure. 

Paying attention to these changes can help you stay ahead of the problem. Contact a professional fencing company if you notice loose soil patches or sinkholes near your fence in fall or winter.

Cold Temperatures Loosen Fence Posts

If you don’t seal the gap between the post and the concrete holding it in place, moisture from rain and snow will accumulate there. Cold temperatures will freeze and expand the water. Then warming temperatures will cause contraction.

The heavy weight of snow and strong wind will weaken your fence’s posts. This weakening makes it vulnerable to collapse. Always seal the rim of the fence post hole with caulk to prevent it from becoming a hotspot for moisture.

Greenhill Fencing Can Protect Your Fence From Cold Weather

Let the professionals at Greenhill Fencing protect your fence from winter weather. As a fence company people trust in the Philadelphia area, we’ve been keeping our customers satisfied for over two decades. 

If you need fence installation or have questions about fence maintenance, we’re your team of experts in Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware County. We’ve also become a prominent fence company in Chester County, PA. Contact us today to learn more!

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