Homeowners face a whole mess of problems that they may not have anticipated. From overlooking severe issues during an inspection to ignoring a sump pump, there’s an almost endless list of pitfalls homeowners can gripe about together. There’s something about common problems that bring the world together. These commonalities also make it easy to help out others that may be either in the same boat or about to board the ship.
Well, fence owners are no different. As Minnesota’s premier fence company since 2004, we know fence owner problems all too well. Every year we are contacted by residents and commercial property owners about issues they are facing, and every year we notice the trends. We thought we’d take the time to compile these issues into an easy-to-digest list that may help guide your fencing journey. Here are the top 8 fence owner problems of 2019.
You Installed A Wooden Fence
So, you spent your summer staining, painting, and looking for rot. Why? Because you installed a wooden fence. Out of all fence types and materials, wooden fences are the most difficult to maintain. While staining your fence protects it a lot of issues, you’ll need to do this annually.
You’ll also need to take care of pests that are hanging out near your home or in your fence. Birds and termites can be real annoyances for your enclosure. If you have a wooden fence, you know these issues all too well. As a softwood, cedar is especially problematic. There are far better alternatives that look just as good. For example, vinyl fencing is especially easy to maintain and looks great.
You Fell Behind On Maintenance
We get it, the summer was busy, and you fell behind on maintaining your fence. This is a problem most fence owners have faced in their lifetime, so you’re not alone. Unless your fence is wooden like the poor folks we mentioned above, maintaining your enclosure shouldn’t be too much of a chore.
All it takes is a bit of extra time during normal lawn and landscaping activities. A simple inspection for debris, pollen, animal excrement, or damage will save you a ton of time, energy, and money down the line. How you maintain your fence will all depend on what materials your enclosure is made out of. Vinyl fence maintenance will look slightly different than an ornamental fence made from galvanized steel. If you’re looking for some tips on how you can keep up with your fence maintenance, check out our All-Encompassing Guide To Fence Maintenance.
Your Dog Doesn’t Get Along With Your Fence
OK, so perhaps this isn’t a problem that all fence owners face, but the ones with dogs know it all too well. Building the right fence for your dog is tough enough, to begin with, and once it’s all said and done, it can be just as much of a chore. Some common problems and security risks we see dog owners face with their fencing are:
Building the fence too low can create obvious issues. Your pup might be able to leap over the fence or perhaps become distracted by what’s on the other side and get irritable.
Installing the wrong type of fence is one that we see way too often. For instance, some fence types create natural footholds that dogs can use to hoist themselves up and over. Chain link fences are a perfect example of this.
Leaving areas for dogs to parkour their way over your fence is another common issue. Common landscaping accessories and tools like planter beds or hose wheels that are too close to your fence are perfect for your dog to use as stepping stones over your fence.
If you’re looking for the perfect dog fence, you really can’t go wrong with a vinyl privacy fence. These fences provide the easiest to maintain material combined with premiere privacy for your precious pup.
You Misplaced Your Gate
We don’t mean that you lost it (although that would be an interesting problem to have). What we mean is that you didn’t install your gate in the right spot. While there are certain locations where your gate makes the most sense, sometimes what looks best isn’t right. For example, where you think your gate should go also happens to be a low spot where water gathers.
Or perhaps you spent hours installing your fence and finally get to your gate and you place it facing the wrong direction. Don’t lie; we’ve all been there.
You Forgot About City Codes and Regulations
So, you built your fence but forgot about city codes and regulations. Shucks. While this is a problem that a lot of fence owners face, it shouldn’t be. Installing a fence and then realizing that parts of it, or even worse, the entire enclosure isn’t up to code can be a costly mistake.
Every city has its own codes and regulations. So, if you plan on installing your fence, you’ll need to become acquainted with those codes. If you’re hiring an expert in Minnesota, they will ensure that our fence is up to par. If you’re curious about your city’s codes and regulations in Minnesota, we have information on them all. Check out our entire list of city codes and regulations here.
You Tried To Do It Yourself
Our final fence owner problem is why we get so many calls. More often than not, homeowners try to take on the task of installing their own fence and don’t get it quite right. In the end, they realize calling a professional was probably a better move.
If you need a hand with your fence installation, contact us today. We’ve been Minnesota’s premier fence installation company for more than fifteen years, and we’d love to make sure you never have fence owner problems again.