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wood fence installer Coral Springs

Top Signs of Fence Damage

There are many early signs that a fence is being damaged, but they’re often overlooked by property owners since it happens slowly over time. It’s a good idea to inspect fences regularly for multiple types of damage. If left unaddressed, it can result in a significant amount of money to repair and sections of the fence may need to be replaced.

Mold, Mildew, Algae

All of those substances are biologics that easily begin to grow on fencing in the warm and humid South Florida climate. Vinyl fencing can also provide a surface upon which mold and algae can grow.

Rot

This is a particular problem with wooden fences. It’s not always visible as actively wet wood. It often presents as gray or white spores. Another sign of rot is a board that gives when pressed upon.

Leaning and Bending

Fence posts that are leaning or bending sideways from an upright position is a sign of a problem. Wooden fence posts may be rotting under the surface or the soil may have shifted around wood or metal posts. Posts are set and sealed in concrete, but moisture can seep into the smallest of cracks in the concrete.

Cracks

Cracks can occur in the bottom of posts, especially in fencing constructed of wood. Even when wood is treated with chemicals to mitigate the problem, wood dries out and puts pressure on the fibers that can result in cracking.

Insects

Termites are the bane of wooden fences. Property owners can detect an infestation by visible termite mazes, bloated wood or a bad odor. Boring insects of all types will leave telltale holes in the wood. Composite materials are unattractive to insects – unless the fencing material develops a crack or damage where the insects can enter. They won’t destroy modern materials, but they will make a fence a base of operations.

Rust and Corrosion

The two problems primarily affect wrought iron. However, rust and corrosion can impact the hardware used to join fencing materials of all types.

Zepco Fence…South Florida’s Premier Fence Company

Since 1981 Zepco Fence has been providing superior quality fence products and installations to all of South Florida Residential and Commercial Property owners.

Serving all of Broward and Palm Beach County areas, we are the #1 Fence Company in South Florida.

We encourage you to contact us below to get started with a free estimate on your next fence project.

Call Today at 954-410-9570

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Are Fences Covered by Homeowners Insurance?

Homeowners insurance will typically cover the cost of a damaged fence, but it will depend largely on how the damage was caused. Fence damage may fall under the “other structures” coverage of the policy and may be limited to damage that occurs as a result of vandalism or storms. It’s essential that individuals understand their policies and what it covers.

There may also be monetary limits attached to the amount of coverage provided in the form of percentages. Flood damage is typically excluded from standard coverage policies. Damage resulting from earthquakes is also excluded, even though Florida is tied with North Dakota for the fewest number of earthquakes. An earthquake is Florida is rare, but they have occurred.

Sinkholes are a very real concern for Florida residents and companies are required to offer catastrophic ground cover collapse. However, the coverage is only available as an add-on to an existing policy and individuals will incur additional costs for the coverage.

Fences can be exposed to a variety of damaging conditions and situations. While many of those may inflict damage that mars the cosmetic appearance of the fence, they won’t be covered by homeowners insurance. Fences can be struck by debris from lawn mowers, children driving “ride-on” vehicles, and landscaping mishaps – those aren’t covered. Fences afflicted with mold, fungi, insects, and normal wear and tear aren’t covered, either.

While a car crashing into a fence doesn’t happen very often, if one does damage a fence the homeowner’s policy should cover it. Individuals will also have the option of filing a claim against the driver’s auto insurance, assuming that the driver has an auto owner’s policy.

Trees and limbs falling on a fence from the policy holder’s yard are covered expenses. The insurance company can choose not to cover the damage if it decides the tree or limb fell due to negligence or lack of appropriate maintenance on the part of the homeowner.

If the damage occurs due to a neighbor’s tree, the insurance company may hold the neighbor responsible for the entire cost. The company may also choose to split the cost 50-50 between the homeowner and the neighbor, with homeowners paying the deductible.

Zepco Fence…South Florida’s Premier Fence Company

Since 1981 Zepco Fence has been providing superior quality fence products and installations to all of South Florida Residential and Commercial Property owners.

Serving all of Broward and Palm Beach County areas, we are the #1 Fence Company in South Florida.

We encourage you to contact us below to get started with a free estimate on your next fence project.

Call Today at 954-410-9570

Read more