A fence needs to stand up to any weather condition. Minus the basic maintenance, the condition of your fence shouldn’t be constantly on your mind whenever it starts getting a little windy or stormy. While some weather patterns can be extremely unpredictable, you want peace of mind that your fence is able to withstand and combat anything whether it’s sun exposure, corrosion, high winds, and even the rare frost. Here’s how vinyl is affected by the environment around you.
● Sun Exposure: While we’re not quite the Sunshine State, Georgia is a close companion to it. Sun exposure can damage and fade certain materials over time. Wood fences are a popular choice, but they can experience sun damage over time. From the color fading to the wood fibers being pulled apart from the humidity, it can warp and splinter. Vinyl fences are much stronger than wood and are made to withstand up to 140℉. That’s for physical damage and color fading. Vinyl is much more durable because it isn’t as porous as wood or any other fencing material.
● Frost Exposure: Georgia doesn’t have to deal with frost very often, and when it happens, it’s in the early hours of the morning before sunrise. With it being so rare, when it does happen, especially a couple of nights in a row, it can be more damaging than you realize. Thankfully, even with sudden drops in temperature, vinyl is able to withstand temperatures as low as -40℉.
● Extreme Winds: Extreme winds from hurricanes, tornadoes, or even a heavy thunderstorm, will take down a wooden fence, especially if the posts are weak. Wood is a natural material, but it’s not very flexible. Vinyl panels are flexible so they move with the wind instead of fighting against it. Most panels are able to withstand a wind gust of up to 130 mph with a solid foundation. For extra security, using concrete for the base will make your vinyl even stronger.
● Insect Infestations: Since wood is a natural material, without the proper protection it can be a comfortable home for wood burrowing insects such as termites, carpenter ants, etc. These insects created holes throughout the posts weakening the structure and making them more susceptible to diseases or other issues. There’s nothing about vinyl that attracts bugs and the humidity doesn’t weaken the fibers as it does with wood.
Are you ready to upgrade your fence? Contact Tek-Rail today!
