Hurricane Fencing – How to Protect Your Home From Storms and Hurricanes

Since Doris blew our expectations for a “windy day” away, here in London the demand for fence panels at our office skyrocketed:

Seeing the destruction it has caused we feel slightly obligated to talk some hurricane fencing and moderate winds.

Can windproof fencing work against a hurricane?

There are some types of fence panels that do better than others in windy locations but that’s about it. For windy areas there are two fence solutions:

However, there is no hurricane-resistant fence.

…as you would probably guess from this event. Doesn’t matter if it’s a hurricane vinyl fence or a chain-link, they never were and they never will be. Especially at winds reaching speeds of 100+ mp/h.

In fact, many years ago every home insurance plan in England used to cover garden storm damage.

That until in 1987 another calamity, symbolically named “the Great Storms of 1987” struck all of southern England (together with France and part of Scandinavia) only to take 22 lives and cause tremendous property destruction.

Naturally, all homeowner insurance agencies found themselves buried in claims about covering destroyed fences. As wind resistant fence panels are still vulnerable to a strong storm, which that historical day made clear, insurers no longer wanted to deal with that type of coverage.

Note: There are some rare cases where it is either a combined garden insurance, a high price full package one, or one with specific conditions that need to be met in order for them to cover the fencing damage.

What you could do to prepare for a hurricane anyway?

There are some hurricane preparedness basics that you could still follow and hope for the best.
If a storm as strong as Doris strikes again, you may not save a lot but if you’re lucky enough to not have your fence ripped off by the gust alone, there are still some risks to consider.

More often the damage dealt is from fallen trees or scattered furniture and yard decoration. Here’s what you can do in short and long-term to protect your fence (and property for that matter) from a costly storm:

Long run preparations:

1. Check your fence posts. Look for loose or rotten ones. Wet soil exposure may cause timber posts to rot. If you spot something immediately get it repaired. A concrete fence post would greatly improve your boundary’s wind resistance over a wooden one. Timber posts do tend to get dislocated easily.
2. Select native, wind-resistant plants and shrubs including oaks and cypresses. These plants are less prone to being uprooted during hurricanes since they typically feature stronger architecture and deeper root systems.
3. Regular pruning of trees and shrubs helps to lower the danger of branch break-off under strong winds. Eliminate weak or dead branches, then clear out dense vegetation to let breeze pass through more easily.
4. Position trees and plants strategically away from buildings and electrical lines larger. Should they fall over during a storm, this reduces the likelihood of damage being done.
5. Add a thick layer of mulch all around your plants. This helps to keep moisture in the ground during the dry spells preceding the storm and lowers the possibility of soil erosion with heavy rain.
6. Create raised garden beds if you live in a flood-prone area to guard your plants from storm waterlogging. Standing water’s suffocating effect on roots can be avoided in part here.
7. For garden furniture, sheds, greenhouses, and other buildings, buy robust ties or anchors. If you’re constructing new garden buildings, think about including wind-resistant designs.
8. Install drainage systems to guarantee that floods cannot occur in your garden. Excess water can be directed using French drains, swales, or permeable paving to avoid standing water from damaging plants.
9. Tarpaulins, sandbags, and other materials should be on standby to cover sensitive areas or, if needed, to guide floodwater. These products can also help your buildings and plants stay damage-free.

Right-before-the-disaster preparations:

1. Bring your BBQ inside. You may be facing prolonged power cuts as these 40 000 homes did. This will be your cooking alternative if this happens.
2. Bring in all loose items, including yard tools, plant pots, and furniture. In strong winds, these can become missiles that damage your landscape and house.
3. Fasten sheds, greenhouses, and pergolas using extra ties, anchors, or ropes. Double-check their wind resistance if you cannot move these buildings indoors.
4. Move potted plants inside if at all feasible, or cluster them in a sheltered spot and secure them with fasteners. This will help to keep potted plants from being overturned. Cover them with waterproof tarps if needed.
5. Sandbags can be used to keep water away from low-lying regions or garden beds in order to avoid floods. This prevents soil from washing away and helps shield sensitive plants.
6. If you have an automatic sprinkler or irrigation system, turn it off before the storm arrives. The extra water can aggravate flooding problems.
7. Quickly check for any weak or broken branches and cut them to avoid any additional damage. Make sure that tree branches aren’t close to electricity lines or windows.
8. Cover delicate plants with protective sheeting and secure it carefully, if you cannot take them indoors. This will reduce the damage from flying debris and wind.
9. To prevent electrical dangers both during and after the storm, disconnect any outdoor electrical equipment including garden lighting or water features.

Garden fencing only serves to establish privacy, borders and aesthetics. Don’t feel cheated if some extreme gust rips your newly installed boards off. Such events are not under your control so simply consider replacing it. We could even help with that.