Do you live in a part of the country that has a colder climate than others? If so, you’re no stranger to the snow, sleet, hail, and plummeting temperatures that can characterize any season but grow exponentially more drastic in the wintertime.
You’ve likely taken precautions to protect your property from cold-weather woes. You’ve invested in insulation, airtight windows, covered entrances, and an easy-to-shovel walkway. You also have the local snow removal company on speed dial.
Yet, there’s one area you might have overlooked: your fencing.
What is the best fence material designed to hold up against inclement weather? The answer might surprise you! Today, we’re sharing why vinyl fencing is the way to go, and the myriad benefits you can expect when you install this material around your exterior.
Ready to learn more? Let’s jump in.
No Painting Required
When you’re looking for the absolute least amount of upkeep possible, you can’t beat a vinyl fence.
Even as rain pellets the material, snow accumulates around its posts or sleet pings at it, you won’t have to repaint or restain it. This makes it an ideal alternative to wood or wrought iron fencing, which requires regular retouching to continue looking its best. Your vinyl fence won’t peel, fade, or chip, even throughout years of harsh winters.
Instead, your fence will remain as shiny, bright, and defect-free as when you first installed it. If the idea of lugging a bucket of paint to the backyard at the first sign of spring sounds like a chore, invest in a vinyl solution, and you’ll never have to wield that dreaded paintbrush again.
All-Weather-Resistant
Excess moisture is no match for a vinyl fence. Neither is golf ball-sized hail, slushy snow, or fast-falling sleet. Unlike its wood, iron, and chainlink counterparts, vinyl is nearly impervious to every element that winter can bring. As a homeowner, this gives you incredible peace of mind.
While other materials might rot rust or decay if they come into contact with water for a substantial period, your vinyl fence will remain good as new. That’s because the primary material in vinyl fencing is an ultra-rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) homopolymer compound that contains a high level of titanium dioxide pigment.
The result?
A material that not only holds up incredibly well in cold climates but will also resist long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. The addition of impact modifiers also gives this type of fencing excellent strength and durability. The same material that you trust on your vinyl windows and siding is used in our fence installations, adding aesthetics and function to your exterior.
Design Varieties
Love the look and feel of wood, but don’t enjoy the time-consuming upkeep and costly replacements? Vinyl fencing comes in a wide variety of design options, including posts that mimic the appearance of real wood!
In fact, you can create a vinyl fence in any color you prefer. You can also choose from a wide range of different styles and finishes. This allows you to flex your creative muscles and design a look that complements your personal style and your home’s architecture, without sacrificing the convenience that vinyl affords.
Do you already have vinyl features on your home, such as siding? If so, you can design your vinyl fence to match or complement those design touches to create a seamless, attractive look.
Some of the design options that we provide at Maintenance-Free Outdoor Solutions, Inc. include:
- Privacy-style vinyl fences
- Contemporary-style vinyl fences
- Traditional-style vinyl fences
- Semi-privacy-style vinyl fences
- Classic-style vinyl fences
- Post and rail vinyl fences
Around for decades, vinyl fencing is soaring in popularity, quickly surpassing traditional wood and ornamental varieties. This is in keeping with recent research, which reveals that today’s modern homebuyers are most interested in maintenance-free vinyl fencing.
With a vinyl fence, you can still enjoy backyard campfires, sledding, and snowman-building, all while surrounded by a pristine structure that looks as good as new, even if you’re up to your snow boots in white.
No Fading, Staining or Yellowing
When the snow melts and the rainwater recedes, painted or, stained fences might show a watermark where the accumulation once stood. Then, as the sun peeks its way through the clouds and begins to heat the climate again, those same posts might turn yellow from the rays.
This won’t be the case with your vinyl fence.
Why?
Today, premium vinyl fencing contains titanium dioxide (TIO2). This helps prevent staining and also makes your fence more resistant to UV degradation. Similar to your vinyl siding and windows, your vinyl fence might lose a small amount of sheen over time, but it will not fade.
The chemical formation of today’s vinyl fencing is akin to that of sunscreen. This means it will permanently reflect the sun’s rays rather than absorbing them. This allows it to hold its color as the years go by.
Break-Resistant
It’s common for most plastics, including vinyl, to become less flexible as temperatures drop. Still, unless there’s a catastrophic event that warrants an unusually heavy weight on your fencing, you can be confident that your posts will not break or crack in the cold weather.
Rather, the material is actually built to accommodate those fluctuations. It will expand slightly on warmer days and contract on colder ones. This pliability allows it to withstand even the chilliest environments and the most extreme weather fluctuations! While wood can crack with little weight applied, vinyl is around five times stronger!
What makes it so tough? Vinyl fencing includes a hard outer shell that protects it from the elements, along with an inner shell that includes a soft, crack-resistant compound. These two materials work in tandem to keep the material looking brand-new.
If you do experience an abnormally strong impact (such as a falling limb or a rock thrown from a lawnmower), you can easily replace your vinyl fence’s planks, pickets, and rails in no time.
Built to Last a Lifetime
There’s a reason that all of our new vinyl fences come with a limited lifetime warranty. Unlike wood, ornamental, and other less durable fencing materials, vinyl is designed to last for the entire time you’re in your home.
Under normal conditions, you should never have to replace your fence. It will remain sturdy, reliable, and great-looking, even in the most frigid conditions!
Easy to Clean
While it’s virtually damage-proof, dirt and debris can cling to your vinyl fence, especially once the frozen conditions begin to melt and sling up mud in their wake. However, unlike other materials, you won’t have to spend hours outdoors with a wash bucket and special soap in an attempt to restore its original sheen.
If you’ve got a garden hose and a wash mitt, you have all you need to clean your vinyl fence! They spray down with ease and restore in minutes. Most homeowners find that a one-time, annual cleaning is all they need to keep theirs in top shape.
Affordable
Living in a colder climate means spending money on gear that your warm-weather friends might not require. From snow clothes and camping equipment to generators and space heaters, you have plenty of ways to spend your money.
That said, you shouldn’t have to break the bank to create an outdoor space that your whole family can enjoy. Most vinyl fencing costs slightly more than real wood and less than ornamental varieties. This makes it an ideal, affordable way to add both curb appeal and resale value to your home.
Keep in mind that lower-priced alternatives might sound like the best route to take, but replacement costs throughout the years can render them more expensive in the long run. You’ll also enjoy lower all-around maintenance costs when you invest in vinyl.
The popularity of vinyl fencing has made pricing more competitive than before!
Find the Best Fence for Your Needs Today
Are you looking for the best fence to hold up against the coldest weather? If so, you’ve come to the right spot.
We specialize in low-maintenance, high-quality fencing solutions, including vinyl models. Since 1994, we’ve provided premium fencing solutions for homeowners and commercial clients all around the St. Louis and Metro East area.
Our experienced sales staff has a combined 60+ years in the industry, and we’re ready to serve you. Request a free onsite estimate.
Not yet decided on which type of vinyl fence is best for your home?
Download this free fence guide: