Pro-Tip Tuesday: Installing a Snow Fence

Snow fences have many useful purposes especially in Ontario. Ski resorts use them to collect snow, home owners use them to protect trees and shrubs, the benefits are endless. To learn more about why we recommend a snow fence check out our last blog post with lots of winter tips here.

Once you have made the decision to purchase a snow fence, planning the proper installation will greatly improve the fence’s effectiveness.

Follow these easy tips to get the most out of your investment:

Before you install:

• Collect information on the weather characteristics in your area. You’ll need to determine the weed speed and direction and the average accumulated snow fall. Collecting this data will help you decide on the best position for installation. Snow fences should be placed perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction.
• Measure the area where you want to set up the fence, take the length and divide by 8, this is how many posts you will need. Now add 1 for each end – these are your anchors.

Design your snow fence:

• Keep in mind that you need to leave at least 5” between the fence and the ground, this will prevent the fence from getting buried early in the season
• A 4ft high fence requires the posts to be 8ft apart
• If you have concluded that your area is extremely windy, consider adding wood strips or ties to your snow fence as a reinforcement

Key installation notes:

• Be sure to bury the posts 1/3 of their height
• When setting up the plastic mesh, make sure it is pulled tight. If the mesh is loose it will sag and will not be as effective
• Stabilize the end posts! Use support wires to attach the mesh
• Attach the fence to the upwind side of the post to eliminate tearing through strong wind
• Check your snow fence often to make certain it is not damaged and still working properly

Don’t forget the purpose of a snow fence is to create drifts rather than prevent them. Use a snow fence to your advantage by protecting your property and planning an idea area to collect snow.

The best advice we can give is to hire an experienced installer. It makes all the difference in the longevity of your investment.

We are here to help! If you require any replacements or adjustments please give us a call at the location nearest you:
Roma Fence Brampton: 416-798-7566
Roma Fence West (Milton) 905-875-2801
Roma Fence East (Gormley) 416-213-7270
Roma Fence (Hamilton) 905-574-7662

Wood Slat Snow Fences starting at $48.00!

Resources

HowStuffWorks.com Contributors.  "How to Install a Snow Fence"  17 May 2011.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-install-snow-fence.htm>  09 December 2014.

"U.S. Fence." Snow Fence Installation Instructions. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.

 

Pro-Tip Tuesday: Winter Advice from Roma

Roma Fence’s pro-tips on using a snow fence and preparing your wood fence
for the winter season.

Why use a snow fence?
Snow fences are mainly used as an important tool to prevent snow drifts, used properly they can also reduce maintenance costs to your home. You may have seen this bright orange fence used at construction sites, as protection around trees, or at outdoor events with large crowds. The purpose of the bright orange colour is so it is highly visible during different weather conditions. The pattern of the fence is designed to slow down the wind as it passes through, as a result dropping some of the snow carried in the wind. This process helps keep roadways clear, and avoids large snow drifts on open areas of your property. Another key use for a snow fence is to protect trees and shrubs from unnecessary snow and ice damage during the winter months. Positioning the fence around your garden will stop snow buildup that could lead to broken branches or dead sections of your shrubs come spring time. The professionals at Roma Fence highly recommend using a snow fence around your property, you will see many benefits as a result of a low cost investment.

Did you know: This same principle is used in the exact opposite climate? You can find this system used in the desert to control blowing sand

How to protect a wood fence from the elements
Wooden privacy fences are the most popular choice among our clients, extreme Ontario winters can greatly impact the life of wooden fences however these tips can go a long way in preventing weather related damage. Here are a few of our recommendations for your wood fence this winter:

Do a walk around:
We encourage all our clients to routinely check their wooden fences and a change of season is a great time to do this. Keeping all the areas in and around your fence clear of buildup like leaves, plants, snow and dirt will eliminate access moisture a contributing factor to warping and damage. Check for any loose boards, using the right wood in the first place will eliminate most warping but it is still possible, tighten up any boards that may have come loose as a result of wind damage. Having a fence that is no longer level will definitely compromise the stability. Some important notes when checking your posts, make sure they haven’t shifted as a result of the soil freezing/thawing, a key preventive method for this is during installation, make sure the posts are dug below the frost line (generally 3 feet)

Stain your fence:
We recommend applying a exterior stain to your fence, this adds a protective layer against moisture, cracking, blistering, peeling and erosion. Apply a stain will also preserve your fence aesthetically, a stain will add a protective UV layer preventing fading, adding life to your investment. Choosing the right stain for your climate is imperative for this step to be successful. If in doubt head to your local home improvement center and seek their advice, we have read great reviews of the Behr Premium Wood Coatings line at Home Depot!

Tidy up the trees:
Sometimes the most obvious answer is the one we ignore! The easiest way to avoid unnecessary damage to your fence is also one we tend to overlook. We recommend assessing the trees and plants around your fence, take into consideration the weight of snow/ice on any branches and limbs around your fence and trim them up. A leading cause of fence damage that we have seen this season is a result of the ice storm, don’t forget to keep an eye on this through the season too, some limbs may become damaged during storms and it’s best to take care of them right away.

The best advice we can give is to hire an experienced installer. It makes all the difference in the longevity of your investment. We are here to help! If you require any replacements or adjustments please give us a call at the location nearest you:

Roma Fence (Brampton) 416-798-7566 Roma Fence West (Milton) 905-875-2801 Roma Fence East (Gormley) 416-213-7270 Roma Fence (Hamilton) 905-574-7662

If you found this article useful please share it with your friends and family!

Resources:"4 Tips on How to Protect a Wood Fence in Winter." A1 Fence Company Inc. N.p., 05 Dec. 2012. Web. 01 Dec. 2014. "Snow Fence." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Nov. 2014. Web. 01 Dec. 2014. Vanhoenacker, Mark. "What Are Those Long Fences Along the Highway Out West?" Slate Magazine. N.p., 01 Aug. 2013. Web. 01 Dec. 2014.