How to Protect Your Wooden Fences and Gates from Fall Leaves
When autumn rolls around, many people start to rake up their leaves and store them in bags or containers, ready to be disposed of at the end of the season. Unfortunately, if you leave the leaves on your lawn, they can easily blow into your fence and gate, causing damage that you’ll have to repair later on. Here are some ways that dry fall leaves may damage your fences and gates, and some fence maintenance you can do to keep this from happening.
Why My Fences and Gates Are in Danger
Each year when fall comes around, we have to deal with the leaves from the trees in the yard. While they may look harmless, those leaves can actually cause some serious damage to fences and gates. The reason is that as they dry out, they become very brittle and can easily break wooden slats or posts. Plus, if the leaves get wet, they can create mold, which will also damage the wood.
What Happens if I Don’t Take Care of Them
If you don’t take care of your wooden fences and gates, the leaves will eventually cause damage. The leaves will trap moisture, which will lead to rot. The leaves will also provide a food source for insects, which could lead to infestation. In addition, the leaves will block sunlight, which could cause the wood to warp. Finally, the weight of the leaves could cause the fence or gate to collapse.
What I Can Do to Prevent This
- Keep leaves off of your fence by regularly raking them up and disposing of them.
- If you have trees near your fence, consider trimming back the branches so that they don’t droop over and deposit leaves onto your fence.
- Inspect your fence regularly for any signs of damage from leaves, such as discoloration, warping, or rotting.
Additional Tips
- Inspect your fence regularly for any damage that may have been caused by fall leaves.
- Keep an eye out for pests like mice or squirrels who may use leaves to build nests in or around your fence.