Maintenance Checklist For Your Bay Area Fence & Deck

Here is a simple yet comprehensive list of the 10 maintenance tasks that keep a fence and deck looking their best, while also enhancing fire safety and minimizing the amount you’ll have to spend on repair or replacement costs.

1. Re-read the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations

If you use a licensed, Bay Area fence and deck contractor, you should have paperwork or a digital file that contains information about your fence, deck, and the materials used to build them. This includes the materials manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations. 

Take them out and review them for product-specific instructions that may have slipped your mind between when the fence was installed and this fall’s maintenance schedule. Attending to their recommendations not only honors what’s best for the materials, but it also helps you down the road if you need to rely on any warranty agreements.

2. Clean your fence and deck, removing all debris

Keeping your fence and deck clean is an important, year-round maintenance step. That is especially true here in California, where dead, dry, and accumulated debris can contribute to the spread or escalation of wildfires. A clean, debris-free, fire-safe fence and deck are one of your property’s greatest assets.

Also, accumulation of debris (leaves, twigs, grass, trash, etc.) holds and traps moisture, and this leads to faster wood rot and parts corrosion processes. By keeping the fence and deck materials free of debris, you increase airflow and minimize the amount of weather- or rot/erosion-related breakdown of the materials.

3. Clean with water and a mild cleanser

Again, you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions (or get in touch with a licensed fence installer) in case they have product-specific dos and don’ts. However, in most cases, a broom, water, a mild soap or non-abrasive cleanser specific to outdoor decks/fences, and a deck brush are sufficient to clean most fence and deck materials.

First, sweep the deck or fence to loosen and whisk away dirt, dust, and other debris. Then, use a deck brush or similar tool and gently scrub as much of the deck and fencing materials as you can access. Pay careful attention to any area where you notice mold/mildew growth. Most of the time, you’ll be able to scrub these stains away. If not, purchase a mold/mildew cleaner from a local hardware store, and it should do the trick.

4. Do a thorough inspection of the hardware and connections

If you share your fenceline with a neighbor, get in touch with them at least a week or two in advance and ask if fence cleanup and maintenance can be a joint effort. If so, make it an annual tradition. The job will go far more quickly as many hands make light work.

If this level of maintenance or required repairs feels beyond your scope, that’s just fine. Most fencing companies are happy to perform deck maintenance and repairs for you, or they can suggest a qualified professional to handle it.

Otherwise, inspect the fence and deck hardware and connections, identifying any:

• Rust/corrosion.
• Loose connections.
• Protruding nails or screws.
• Loose or damaged boards, posts, or supports.
• Any loose or wobbly railings or stairs.
• Etc.

Tighten any loose connections that you can, and schedule professional repair or maintenance for damaged or rotting parts. 

5. Restain or seal hardwood products

If you have a wooden fence, gate, or deck, this is a great time to reapply fire-resistant stains or finishes to close up the pores, maintain a like-new aesthetic – and do your best to make the products as fire-resistant as possible.

NOTE: While fire-resistant stains/finishes made for wood fences/decks and keeping the area completely free of overgrown grass, weeds, branches, brush, etc. (see next) can help, they don’t offer the same level of protection as using fire-resistant fence products. If your wooden fence, gate, and deck have reached the end of their lifespan, consider replacing them with more fire-wise options. 

6. Trim and prune overhanging trees or overgrown shrubs

Proactively protecting your fencing and deck(s) from falling branches or long-term, direct contact with branches, shrubs, weeds, and other debris is critical. If you don’t want to do the work yourself, hire an experienced landscaper who can trim away dead or overgrown limbs and branches, remove dead or fallen debris around your fence, deck, and property, etc. 

In addition to supporting your fall fence and deck maintenance goals, this work is also supporting the home hardening fire prevention strategies that enhance fire safety for your property as well as your neighbors’.

7. Clear and flush gutters and downspouts

As with tidying the landscape, clearing and flushing gutters and downspouts are also essential for fence and deck maintenance. Those systems are designed to move water off the roof and away from the exterior perimeter of your home. The drainage systems built into your deck and fence line also consider storm drainage. 

If the gutters, downspouts, and other property drainage systems are clogged or certain portions are blocked by debris, they start to overflow when it rains. When water flows from anywhere other than downspouts or drains, your fence and deck materials become exposed to excess water that speeds up their aging process. Also, they may also become vulnerable to water erosion around their post/structural foundations, which further puts them at risk.

By cleaning and flushing gutters and downspouts every fall (with inspections in between major wind/rain storms), keeping them clear of debris, you keep your property’s drainage design in good working order.

8. Inspect the lighting system around your deck and security fence

By September, there’s a noticeable decrease in sunlight in the evening hours. That becomes even more dramatic after we turn the clocks back in early November. Keep your property safe, and optimize security lighting around the deck and fence perimeter by inspecting all of the lights. Replace any burnt-out bulbs and, if you haven’t done so already, consider putting perimeter and security lighting on a motion-sensitive switch.

9. Pay extra close attention to any water features on the deck or close to the fence

The wet season here in Northern California runs from October through April. So, while you will have lovely fall days in which you can enjoy your water features, do keep an eye on them when it rains. Overflowing water features keep the adjacent deck or fenceline in standing water or far damper than usual, and that exacerbates corrosion and rot as well as mold and mildew growth.

10. Schedule a professional fence and deck inspection

If you have an extensive fence or deck, or it’s been a while since you performed routine fall fence and deck maintenance, we recommend scheduling an inspection with professionals. We can make sure that your deck is in good shape for fall, winter, and early spring weather. We’ll also let you know if we notice any red flag items or areas that require repair or replacement.

Duce Construction Deck & Fence Are Fall Maintenance Pros

Would you like to schedule an inspection of your aging fence and deck? Or, would you like licensed professionals to perform fall fence and deck maintenance and repairs while doing what we can to support a fire-safe property? 

Give us a call here at Duce Construction Deck & Fence, 925-595-1020, or schedule an appointment online. We’re the hardest-working, family-owned and run deck and fence company in the Bay Area, and we’ve been building and maintaining gorgeous decks, fences, and gates for over forty years.