Chain link fences have all the essential qualities you need in a fence. They are strong, affordable, and secure. Another quality that endears this fence type to both residential and commercial property owners is they hardly need any maintenance.
The outdoor environment is, however, tough for anything that rusts. The weather in Brantford, which gets very wet, doesn’t help either. So despite its celebrated durability, your chain link fence will still benefit from some regular maintenance. It will last even longer, looking just as good.
Here are tips on how to maintain your chain link fence:
1. Keep Your Fence Clean
Chain link fences trap a lot of dirt and debris because of their design. While this does not immediately damage the fence, it does make it look unkempt.
Too much dust and debris will also trap moisture that will eventually cause your fence to rust. Make it a habit to regularly clean your fence of dust and other dirt. You can hose it down or, if it’s oily, lightly scrub it with wire steel and soapy water.
2. Do Not Allow Trees To Grow Through Your Fence
Chain link fences do not damage easily but if you let vines grow through yours they will not hold up as well. Yes, all that greenery on the fence does look appealing, but the cost is usually the structural integrity of the fence.
What happens is as the vines or hedge grows, they will lift the fence off the ground, leaving an opening through which pets can escape and wild animals can sneak in. Besides that, as the vines grow through the links the wire may break creating holes that will make the fence less secure.
3. Maintain A Fireguard
While fire will not completely damage a chain-link fence, it will weaken and make it less structurally sound. The steel wire becomes soft and more likely to break. On top of that, fire removes the galvanized finish that protects the fence from rusting.
To protect your fence from fire, clear the immediate surroundings of the fence of anything that burns. Better yet, maintain a fireguard.
Speaking of rusting:
4. Refinish The First At The First Sight Of Rust
Rust is a chain-link fence’s worst enemy. First, that orange, rusted appearance doesn’t look very nice. It makes the fence look old and neglected. Hardly the look you want for your Brantford property.
Even worse than the aesthetic degradation is the actual physical damage rust can cause. As your fence corrodes rust slowly but surely eats away the wire and the supporting posts, weakening and making them more susceptible to breaking.
You can prevent the worst effects of rust on your fence by acting early. Since rust itself is a sign that the protective galvanized finish has worn off, the simple solution is to refinish the fence with metallic, anti-rust paint.
Before you apply any new finish, it is crucial that you prep the fence by cleaning off all rust and dirt. Otherwise, the new finish will not adhere.
Vinegar is known to be effective at softening rust. It is environmentally sustainable, too, even for removing mold. Follow the paint manufacturer’s instructions when refinishing, but wait until it has fully dried.
5. Attend to Repairs Timeously
The best way to deal with rust is to catch it early. If you leave it to spread the refinishing job can become too overwhelming. So it is a good habit to regularly inspect your chain link fence for rust and physical damage.
Check areas to the bottom of the fence as they are more likely to rust. Pay particular attention to the upright and supporting posts as these hold the fence together. Areas where the fence appears to sag typically points to an issue that needs to be attended to quickly.
Jay Fencing is the leading chain-link fence installation and repair contractor in Brantford, ON. Whether it is to fix a broken fence to install a new one from scratch, we are at your service. Contact us here to discuss your needs.