Hurricane Season Prep for Gates and Fences Around Houston

June through November, every yard around Houston is one storm away from a fence in the neighbor’s pool. Here is the checklist we give customers, plus what to do when the wind is done.

Before the storm

Latch or tie the gate open, not closed. A closed gate is a wall the wind pushes against. An open gate, tied back to a post, lets the wind pass. If you have an automatic opener, put it in manual release and tie the gate.

Unplug the opener. Lightning and surge take out more control boards than wind does. Pull the plug or flip the breaker.

Clear what can hit the fence. Patio furniture, trampolines, loose lumber. Anything that becomes airborne ends up in the pickets.

Check the posts now. Push on the fence. If a post moves, it needs to be reset before the storm, not after.

Trim limbs over the fence line. A pine limb across an iron fence usually bends a panel. Across a wood fence it takes out three sections.

Why steel picket fences survive

Open pickets let wind through. A solid wood privacy fence catches it like a sail, and pine posts that have been rotting at the ground for years snap. After every named storm we see wood fences flat and the iron fence next door standing. If you are rebuilding after a storm, this is the moment to switch to steel or to cedar boards on a steel frame.

After the storm

• Walk the fence line and photograph any damage for insurance before you touch it
• Check that the gate still swings free and the latch lines up
• Look at the opener box for water, then reconnect power and test
• Do not run an opener on a gate that is bent, it will burn out the motor

What insurance usually covers

Wind damage to a fence or gate is typically covered under the dwelling or other structures part of a homeowner policy, minus the deductible. We provide a written estimate you can send to the adjuster.

Storm repairs

Bent panels, torn hinges, snapped posts and drowned openers are all things we fix, usually within days after a storm. Call or text (281) 507-9324 with photos. If you are ready to replace wood with steel for good, start with our iron fences page.