Month: October 2021

Here are some Halloween decoration ideas you can try on your fence.

Are you a Halloween enthusiast? If you are, then you’ve probably set up plenty of decorations already. Whether you take the spooky route or you want to take the autumnal-themed approach, there are plenty of ways you can get your landscape ready for the holiday.

One area around your yard that you may not have thought to decorate is your fence, but there are many manners in which you can set it up to help your yard feel more festive. Here are some Halloween decoration ideas you can try on your fence.

Caution Tape

Using caution tape is a simple yet effective way to instill an ominous feeling around the border of your property. It can make your yard feel more intimidating to enter. With caution tape around your fence, who knows what spooky horrors await people in your yard?

You can also choose to add some fake spiderwebs or a “Do Not Enter” sign. Features like these will really help you push the scary aesthetic and make your home the talk of the town.

Black Cats and Bats

A couple of black cat figures and some rubber bats will help bring your haunted house to life. If passersby aren’t prepared, they might be spooked by the creepy creatures lurking around your yard. Cat figures can go at the foot of your fence, while rubber bats can be hung on the fence posts. With even a gentle breeze, any toy bats hanging from your fence will practically fly on their own!

Skeletons

Have you ever wanted your yard to feel like a graveyard? If you have, then skeletons are a great place to start. Hang some fake skeletons along your fence posts. With the bony brigade blocking the entrance to your yard, no one will dare approach your house!

Lights Can Help Create a Spooky Atmosphere

Lights are used for many purposes, and while Halloween is a night-themed holiday, you can still use them to create dramatic effects for your home. You could use string lights that are in the shape of jack-o-lanterns, for example. Another option for those who want a more realistic-looking haunted house is to light their properties with candles or lanterns. These will make your yard feel more ominous, making your yard a place where only the most courageous of people would have the nerve to enter!

Let Hercules Fence Help Set Up The Perfect Fence For You

Hercules Fence takes pride in being experts in residential, commercial, and high-security fencing. We have been serving our clients since 1955, with only the most knowledgeable of staff. Our staff is ready to serve you from Maryland and the Washington Metropolitan area. Our branch offices are in Manassas, Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia, and Maryland.

Visit our website to see how we can be of service to you. Also, follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Linkedin to stay up to date with our latest news.

The post Halloween Fence Decorating Suggestions appeared first on Hercules Fence.

If you’ve got a wooden fence, you may not ever really give it much thought. In fact, it’s likely that no one gives it much thought! Wooden fences are classic, but they’re rarely a conversation starter because they can be boring and non-descript. Do you want to give yours a fence style upgrade? Here are some clever ideas.

• For a simple fencing upgrade, consider the white picket fence. There’s something about a traditional white picket PVC/Vinyl fence that’s wholesome and beautiful.
• Consider going rustic. On the other end of the spectrum from the tidy picket fence is the split rail fence. You can also get a rustic look with a picket fence made from unfinished wood
• Make your fence a vertical garden. For this upgrade you don’t even need to switch out your existing fence. Just fit it with a hanging system of planters and add flowers or vegetables.
• Upgrade to a more modern fencing. Go for a fence with a geometric fence that has a minimalist, sleek look. You could paint it a striking color- just make sure it fits with your neighborhood.
• Go a different direction. Fences don’t have to be horizontal or vertical only. You could just add latticework to your existing fence, for a similar but less complicated look.
• Pick an unusual size of picket. Fence panels are probably the same size all over your neighborhood. Going much wider or much narrower can create a unique look. Check the rules with your subdivision regarding fence board width requirements.
• Try something artistic. People do amazing things with their fences, from painting them to look like colored pencils to drilling holes in the fence and inserting marbles into the holes with the help of a rubber mallet. Use your imagination and you can come up with a fence look that’s uniquely yours!
• Choose something classic, yet ornamental. A beautiful aluminum or steel ornamental fence can give you the timeless look of wrought iron, for much less time and money. It’s a fence upgrade the improves curb appeal and security at the same time.

When you’re ready for a new fence, call Paramount Fence Inc. for professional installation. We’re a full-service fence sales and installation business in the Chicagoland area, proudly serving the following counties in Illinois: Kane, DuPage, Kendall, DeKalb, McHenry, and parts of Cook, Will and Lake. With more than half a century of combined experience, we’re dedicated to providing creative and affordable solutions that address our clients’ needs and fulfill their requests. Paramount Fence Inc is a member of the American Fence Association and a registered member of the Better Business Bureau. For more information, call us at 630.239.2714 or contact us through our website.

The post When Your fence Deserves a Lovely Style Upgrade appeared first on Paramount Fence.

If you’re trying to get your sagging fence gate repaired, here are the steps you will want to take.

Do you have a sagging fence gate? If you do, getting it repaired as quickly as possible is the best thing you can do. If you take too much time to make repairs, further damage will accumulate, and it will become more costly and time-intensive to get everything fixed. It could also get more damage and cause security concerns for you. If you’re trying to get your sagging fence gate repaired, here are the steps you will want to take.

Determine if Repairs are the Best Solution for Your Fence Gate

Inspecting your gate will provide some insight into whether or not performing repairs will be the most effective solution for your problem. Take a look at your fence posts, as well as your gate’s structure, and look at the damage. Do you have rotting wood that can’t be fixed? Are the hinges the issue? Knowing the reason that your fence gate is sagging will make it easier to determine if you can make repairs or if you need an entirely new gate.

Replace the Loose Parts That are Holding Your Sagging Fence Gate

A common source of sagging gate concerns will be your fence posts. Soil erosion is a common issue, and this occurs when soil freezes and starts shifting. While we’re still in the middle of fall, and this is a problem most common in winter, it’s something you’ll want to consider as we inch closer to the next season.

When soil erosion occurs, your fence posts could come loose, which means your posts can’t keep your fence gate supported anymore. This is what ultimately causes your gate to sag.

Get your gate removed from your post and then remove the post from your fence while keeping your fence supported. After that, you should excavate your post out of the soil and see if it has sustained damage.

Lastly, get the hole fixed with pea gravel and soil, slide the post back to where it was, and reattach your fence. The hinges and gate should be refitted so your fence can go back to how it was.

Hinges Could be the Source of the Problem

If your hinges aren’t good quality, they could be the reason for your fence gate’s sagging problems. Hinges tend to rust, and eventually, they will come away from your fence post or gate.

Remove your gate from your post so you can get the hinges replaced. When you replace the hinges, be sure you invest in high-quality ones.

Let Hercules Fence Help Set Up The Perfect Fence For You

Hercules Fence takes pride in being experts in residential, commercial, and high-security fencing. We have been serving our clients since 1955, with only the most knowledgeable of staff. Our staff is ready to serve you from Maryland and the Washington Metropolitan area. Our branch offices are in Manassas, Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia, and Maryland.

Visit our website to see how we can be of service to you. Also, follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Linkedin to stay up to date with our latest news.

The post Getting Your Sagging Fence Gate Repaired appeared first on Hercules Fence.

Today, we’re going to look at how leaves can cause damage to your fence and gate so you can stop this damage from appearing in the first place.

Leaves are one of the most captivating aspects of the fall season. They are a spectacle to watch as they fall from the trees around you, and they can be fun for kids as they jump into leaf piles. However, there are problems that these leaves can present, and one problem that can arise is damage on your fence and gate. Today, we’re going to look at how leaves can cause damage to your fence and gate so you can stop this damage from appearing in the first place.

Water Retention

Usually, water doesn’t present itself as a problem because it will evaporate your fence fairly quickly. Water evaporates more quickly when leaves aren’t around because your fencing gets plenty of exposure to the air.

If leaves have a chance to pile around your fencing, however, moisture retention becomes more problematic. Leaves hold in water more easily, and they prevent your fencing from getting as much air exposure. This means your fence will hold water for a longer period of time, and this makes it more likely for your fence to develop water damage.

Dirt

If there are leaves around the edges of your fence, water will splash up frequently anytime there is rainy weather. This results in streaks of dirt developing along your fence’s bottom. Keeping leaves off of your fencing will stop this dirt from ever accumulating.

Pest Damage

Leaves serve to attract a wide range of different insects to your fencing. This is mainly because of the water-retaining properties of leaves. Insects will be drawn to the water that leaves hold.

Leaves do more than offer water to insects, though. They also serve as shelter, and there are many insects that will bury inside of your fencing if there are leaves nearby. Keeping leaves off of your fence is important for ensuring that insects never turn your fence into their new home.

Bad Drainage

You’ll want water flowing away from your house, and it will typically flow down a specified path. Leaves can cause disruptions, however. With enough leaves around your property, water may have a tough time escaping your property. Clearing out your leaves will ensure your drainage system works as it should.

Let Hercules Fence Help Set Up The Perfect Fence For You

Hercules Fence takes pride in being experts in residential, commercial, and high-security fencing. We have been serving our clients since 1955, with only the most knowledgeable of staff. Our staff is ready to serve you from Maryland and the Washington Metropolitan area. Our branch offices are in Manassas, Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia, and Maryland.

Visit our website to see how we can be of service to you. Also, follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Linkedin to stay up to date with our latest news.

The post How a Fence and Gate Can be Damaged by Leaves appeared first on Hercules Fence.

Keeping your children safe inside and outside your home is your top priority as a parent! Smaller children are especially curious and little explorers, and you want to feel confident in letting them roam around your property and enjoy all of the treasures of being outside, such as bug hunts, playing tag and feeling free! If you are planning to install a new fence, consider the characteristics of your choice of fencing materials, so you can sit back and relax and let your little ones have fun.

Vinyl and aluminum are top choices for families with small kids. Vinyl is especially great as not only a secure perimeter, but also a smooth material that will not become a hazard over time as it possibly breaks down. Vinyl is easy to maintain and clean as well for you as it just needs a rinse or an occasional scrubbing with soap and water. It is a sturdy material that will stand up to weather and years of standing tall in your yard. Aluminum is also a good option, but select the style that has smooth surfaces, tops and edges. 

While many of our clients here at Fence Masters enjoy the classic look of a wood or wrought iron fence, the material’s possible hazards should be contemplated by those with little kids. Wood can leave splinters behind in the hands of curious toddlers and wrought iron can have sharp edges. As we do have our own in-house iron-weld shop, we are able to customize your pieces and create a beautiful and safe finish for your fence.

Be Mindful of Your Gate Selection

Any parent of a toddler or preschooler knows how they love to open and close anything! Learning how their actions cause reactions is a key element of growth and development. It is imperative to have a gate that latches securely, so your children can play freely without you worrying about them or having to watch over them every second of their playtime. Our team also works with electronic gate operators that feature electronic entry systems to add another layer of security. Needing a keycode can also keep intruders out as well.

Keeping Climbers Inside

If your small child was not deterred by the crib’s walls, then you probably have a climber! Climbers can get places that you would not even think of, and outside that can be a concern when it comes to your fencing. You do not want areas that could serve as footholds to go up and over. Smooth surfaces do not offer a way to encourage this climbing behavior.

Our Team Can Help

Design and material decisions can be difficult. Have a conversation with one of our team members about what you are needing and wanting from your new fence. We will take these into consideration and guide you toward a decision. Reach out to us today through our online form.

The post appeared first on Fence Masters

Here is how you can make your vinyl fence last longer.

Are you looking to install a fence along your property? If you are, you might be finding it difficult to decide on the right fencing material. If we may make a suggestion, vinyl fencing is a viable option you could pick. It doesn’t require as much maintenance to maintain as other fences, and it still retains a wonderful appearance. Something else great about vinyl fences is how long they can last. Usually, a vinyl fence can last anywhere between 20 and 30 years, but proper maintenance will determine which side of the spectrum your fence will fall under. Here is how you can make your vinyl fence last longer.

Decide on a Suitable Location for Your Vinyl Fence

The first factor determining your fence’s longevity is where you get it installed.  Some environments aren’t suitable for vinyl fences, such as terrains that are uneven or swamp-like. Areas with plenty of weak trees also do a vinyl fence no favors. Your fence will last several years fewer if you install it in these conditions.

Instead, install your fence on a flat and solid terrain with no weak trees around. If you have to install your fence on a slope, it is possible through a process called “racking.”

Give Your Vinyl Fence Regular Inspections

Maintenance isn’t a hassle at all with a vinyl fence, but you still have to care for it. Fortunately, it usually only requires a simple cleaning once every 3 to 6 months. You can clean your fence by using a garden hose. As an alternative, you could use a rag and clean your fence with a mixture of mild detergent combined with some hot water. Typically, this piece of maintenance adds around five more years to your fence’s lifespan.

Also, at a minimum of two times per year, you should inspect your fencing to see if any damage has been sustained. This lets you deal with problems while they’re small and manageable, saving your fence from bigger problems in the long run.

Get Overhanging Branches Trimmed Off

If there are branches looming over your vinyl fence, get them trimmed off because you don’t want them to snap off and fall onto your fence later on. Vinyl fences are made to be durable, but avoiding any unnecessary damage is always in your best interest.

Let Hercules Fence Help Set Up The Perfect Fence For You

Hercules Fence takes pride in being experts in residential, commercial, and high-security fencing. We have been serving our clients since 1955, with only the most knowledgeable of staff. Our staff is ready to serve you from Maryland and the Washington Metropolitan area. Our branch offices are in Manassas, Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia, and Maryland.

Visit our website to see how we can be of service to you. Also, follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Linkedin to stay up to date with our latest news.

The post Helping a Vinyl Fence Last Longer appeared first on Hercules Fence.