Free printable resource
Hurricane Season Fence Checklist
A practical checklist for Cape Fear coast homeowners — what to do before hurricane season, when a storm is named, and after it passes. Print it, stick it on the fridge, share it with neighbors. Realtors and HOAs are welcome to link or distribute this page.
⏳ Before the season (May–June)
- Walk the full fence line. Push gently on each post — anything that moves needs resetting before a storm finds it.
- Check the base of wood posts and pickets for rot or soft spots, especially where wood meets soil.
- Tighten or replace rusted hinges, latches, and brackets with galvanized or stainless hardware.
- Confirm gates swing true and latch positively — an unlatched gate flogging in 90 mph wind destroys itself and the panels around it.
- Trim tree limbs overhanging the fence line; falling limbs are a top cause of storm fence damage.
- If sections lean or footings are shallow, schedule repair now — post-storm waitlists are long. See our hurricane-resistant fencing guide for what storm-ready construction looks like.
- Photograph your fence in good condition (all sides, with a wide shot showing the whole run). Date-stamped "before" photos make insurance claims dramatically easier.
🌪 When a storm is named (72–24 hours out)
- Remove anything attached to the fence: string lights, planters, shade cloth, banners, windscreen. They turn panels into sails.
- Secure or chock gates — latch them, and consider tying them off so they can't blow open and slam.
- For automatic gates: know your manual-release procedure in case of power loss, and confirm the battery backup works.
- Move patio furniture, trampolines, and trash bins away from the fence line — most "fence damage" is actually projectile damage.
- Do NOT try to brace or modify a fence in the final hours; incomplete work fails harder than the original fence.
🛠 After the storm
- Safety first: if your fence is a pool barrier and it's breached, that's an immediate code and liability issue — rope off or temporarily barricade the gap and get it repaired first.
- Contain pets before assuming the fence held — walk the line first.
- Photograph all damage before touching anything, from the same angles as your "before" photos.
- Beware downed power lines tangled in fencing — treat any wire touching your fence as live and call the utility.
- Leaning is often repairable; posts can be reset with deeper footings without replacing the whole run. See fence repair & storm damage for what's fixable.
- File insurance claims with your before/after photos and an itemized repair estimate — we provide insurance-ready documentation.
- Rebuilding? Same permits generally apply to replacement fencing — our permit & HOA guide covers every jurisdiction on the Cape Fear coast.
Fence took a hit? Send photos with the free estimate form for a fast repair quote and insurance-ready documentation.
Provided by Wilmington Fence Co. • www.wilmingtonfenceco.com • Fences built for the Cape Fear coast
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