Preparing Your Fence for Autumn Storms in North Devon

By October, the writing is on the wall in North Devon. The long, settled days of summer have gone, the Atlantic weather systems are lining up, and the first named storms of the season are usually only weeks away. If your garden fence has been quietly deteriorating through the warmer months, now is the time to find out before a 70 mph gust does it for you.

We spend a large part of our autumn and winter repairing fences that have failed in storms across Barnstaple, Bideford, Ilfracombe, and the surrounding area. In most cases, the damage could have been prevented with a bit of preparation a few weeks earlier. This guide walks through what to check, what to fix, and when to call for professional help before the weather turns.

Why Autumn Is the Critical Window

North Devon's storm season typically runs from October through to February. The Met Office named storm season tends to kick off in earnest around late October, and the combination of saturated ground and strong winds is the worst possible scenario for a fence.

When the ground is waterlogged, the soil around your fence posts loses its grip. A post that felt solid in July can become loose in November because the wet clay around it has softened and expanded. Add a strong wind pushing against a solid panel, and the post simply lifts out. This is why so many fences come down in the first big storm of the autumn rather than later in the winter. The ground is at its wettest, and any weakness in the fence is exposed all at once.

Getting ahead of this means inspecting your fence now, while the ground is still relatively dry and there is time to carry out repairs in decent weather.

The Inspection: What to Check and How

Walk the full length of your fence line with a notepad and a few minutes to spare. You are looking for five specific things.

1. Post Stability

This is the single most important check. Walk along the fence and push each post at chest height, firmly but not aggressively. A solid post will not move at all. A post that rocks, wobbles, or leans when you push it has a problem.

The most common cause is rot at ground level, where the timber meets the soil. Our wet North Devon climate means wooden posts rot from the bottom up, and the failure point is usually just below the surface where you cannot see it. If a post wobbles, dig down a few centimetres around the base and probe the wood with a screwdriver. If it is soft and crumbly, the post is rotten and will need replacing or spurring.

Also look for leaning posts. A post that has started to tilt, even slightly, is being pushed by the fence panel in the wind. It will only get worse as the storms intensify.

2. Panel Condition

Check each panel for signs of failure. Look for:

• Split or missing boards where individual timbers have cracked or blown out
• Separation at the frame where the panel is coming apart at the joints
• Sagging where the panel is bowing in the middle, usually because the frame has weakened
• Rot at the bottom where the panel sits on or near the gravel board, particularly on lap panels

A panel with any of these issues is a candidate for failure in the next storm. Minor splits can be reinforced, but a panel that is coming apart at the frame or rotting at the base needs replacing.

3. Fixings and Clips

The small metal components holding your fence together are surprisingly important. Check that panel clips are secure and not rusted through. Look at the screws or nails holding boards to the frame. In coastal areas around Braunton, Croyde, and Ilfracombe, salt air accelerates corrosion of metal fixings dramatically. A panel that is structurally sound can still blow out if the clips holding it to the posts have rusted through.

Replace any rusted clips with galvanised or stainless steel equivalents. It is a five minute job per clip and it prevents a panel ending up in next door garden.

4. Gravel Boards

Gravel boards are the timber or concrete planks that sit at the bottom of the fence, between the ground and the panels. Their job is to keep the panels clear of wet soil and standing water. If your gravel boards are rotting (timber) or cracking (concrete), the panels above them are sitting closer to the ground than they should be, which accelerates rot in the panels themselves.

Timber gravel boards typically last 10 to 15 years. Concrete ones last indefinitely but can crack if struck by debris or impacted by ground movement. Check that they are sound and replace any that are failing.

5. Overhanging Trees and Branches

Look up as well as along. Any tree branches overhanging your fence are a risk in high winds. A mature branch snapping in a storm can take out a whole run of fencing in one go. This is particularly relevant for properties near the mature trees along the Tarka Trail, the older avenues in Barnstaple, and the wooded valleys around Bishops Tawton and Landkey.

If branches are overhanging from your own trees, have them pruned back now. If they are from a neighbour tree, a polite conversation about mutual safety is worth having. Falling limbs cause thousands of pounds of fence damage across North Devon every winter.

Quick Fixes You Can Do Now

If your inspection turns up minor issues, there are several things you can address yourself before the storms arrive.

Tighten loose fixings. Walk along with a screwdriver and a hammer. Tighten any screws that have worked loose and knock back any nails that are proud. Loose fixings allow panels to rattle in the wind, which accelerates damage.

Clear debris from the base. Rake away leaves, grass cuttings, and soil that have built up against the bottom of the fence. This material holds moisture against the timber and accelerates rot. A clear gap at the base also improves airflow, which helps the timber dry out between downpours.

Apply a fresh treatment. If your fence has not been treated in the last three years, October is your last chance to get a coat of preservative on before the weather turns. Pick a dry day with no rain forecast for 48 hours. A quality wood preservative will soak into the timber and provide a water repellent barrier through the winter. This is one of the most effective things you can do to extend the life of a timber fence in North Devon.

Trim back climbing plants. Ivy, clematis, and climbing roses growing on your fence add weight and wind resistance. In a storm, the extra surface area acts like a sail. Cut back any dense growth, particularly at the top of the fence where wind loading is highest.

When to Call a Professional

Some issues are beyond a DIY fix and need professional attention before the storms arrive. Call a local fencing contractor if:

A post is rotten or loose. Replacing a fence post is not a trivial job. It involves digging out the old concrete, removing the post, setting a new one in fresh concrete, and rehanging the panels. A professional can do this efficiently and will ensure the new post is set deep enough to hold in our winds. A concrete repair spur is an alternative if the post is rotten at the base but sound above ground, and this is definitely a job for someone with the right tools.

Multiple panels are failing. If more than two panels in a run are damaged or rotting, it is usually more cost effective to replace the whole run than to patch individual panels. A professional installation will also ensure the posts are sound, which is the real structural question.

The fence is leaning. A leaning fence means the posts are moving in the ground. This will not fix itself, and it will get worse rapidly once the storms start. A professional can assess whether the posts can be re set or need replacing entirely.

You need a rapid response. If a storm is forecast in the next few days and you have identified a serious issue, call immediately. Most local fencing contractors in Barnstaple will prioritise emergency repairs before a named storm, but slots fill up quickly.

Find out more about our fence repair service in Barnstaple.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

It is tempting to put off fence repairs, particularly when the weather is still decent and there are more enjoyable things to do in the garden. But the maths is straightforward. Replacing a single rotten post before it fails costs a fraction of what it costs to replace the post and two damaged panels after a storm has brought the whole run down.

When a fence fails in a storm, the damage rarely stays localised. A blown out panel puts extra load on the posts either side, which then loosen and fail in the next storm. Within a few weeks, a single weak post can turn into a full boundary replacement. The cost cascades.

There is also the issue of access. If your fence blows down in January, you are looking at weeks of waiting for a contractor to become available, during which time your garden is open and insecure. Getting repairs done in October, when the weather is still workable and contractors have more availability, is far less stressful.

After the Storm: What to Do If Damage Occurs

Even with the best preparation, some storms will cause damage. If your fence does come down, here is what to do:

1. Make it safe. If a panel has blown into a path or access way, move it if you can do so safely. If it has come down on a public highway or pavement, contact the local council.
2. Take photographs. Document the damage for insurance purposes before clearing anything away.
3. Check your insurance. Some home insurance policies cover storm damage to fences, though many exclude it. Check your policy documents.
4. Call a local contractor. Get a quote for repair or replacement. If the damage is extensive, ask about temporary repairs to secure the boundary until a full replacement can be scheduled.
5. Talk to your neighbour. If the fence is a shared boundary, discuss the repair and the cost sharing before committing to anything.

Getting Prepared

A couple of hours spent inspecting and maintaining your fence in October can save you a phone call to a fencing contractor in January, standing in the rain looking at a flattened boundary. The key is to do it now, while the weather is still on your side.

If your inspection has turned up issues you would like a professional to look at, we are happy to come out and assess the situation. We carry out fence repairs and replacements across Barnstaple, Bideford, Ilfracombe, Braunton, South Molton, and all the surrounding villages.

Contact us for a free fence inspection and quote

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Worried About Your Fence This Autumn?

If you have spotted damage or your fence is looking past its best, get it sorted before the storms arrive. We offer free inspections and no obligation quotes across North Devon.

Call 01271 626340 or contact us online to arrange a visit.

Serving Barnstaple, Bideford, Ilfracombe, Braunton, South Molton, and surrounding North Devon areas with professional fence repair and replacement you can rely on.