Fences have rapidly gained importance as the population of the world increases. This is because, people need to spell out their personal space to avoid encroachment in all it negative forms. Although in some places it is possible to live without a fence, in most other places people need fences to feel a semblance of privacy or even security. This means that, despite the age of the fence at any given time, it is good practice to periodically reevaluate the reasons why it is there in the first place. It is possible to know whether your fence is delivering depending on these warning signs;

• Neighbors making regular noise complaints – when you cannot throw a party or function in peace because within the hour the police arrive with a noise complaint from the neighbors, it is time to take a critical look at the fence. The main choice to make would be either to relocate the noisy bashes elsewhere, which can prove more expensive, or to make a one-time investment in sound proof fencing.

• Seeing the presence of rust after rainy periods – all the seasons of the year have their advantages and disadvantage. The rainy season is particularly harsh on fences that are not built to withstand these changes. Usually this means that, the fence begins to corrode and disintegrate over time. Signs of rusting especially after a deluge of rainy days are one of the ways of knowing that a new change is inevitable.

• Ugly fences full of dents – these are fences that look like an eye sore in their natural surroundings, in a plain word, ugly. These fences have had better days and neither adds to the aesthetic value of the house or its surroundings. Houses with these kinds of fences may be priced lower in the market because of their repulsive outer countenance.

• Creepy crawlies making their homes on the fence – the major use of a fence is for security purposes. Other important uses for the newer acoustic fencingare for noise control. When insects begin to use the fence as their permanent residence, they weaken its structure and cause it to loose its overall resilience. This means that, the ability for it to keep protecting its residents and keeping noise down is seriously compromised.

• Marks or gaps of previous penetration by unwanted intruders – it is interesting to note that there are some people who rarely sleep. These are the criminal types who plot and plan how to relieve law-abiding citizens of their hard earned resources. Sometimes their robbery attempts may be foiled midway by a dog or security patrol. Usually, the signs of attempted entry can be clearly seen from unknown gaps and holes in the fence. If not reworked, these weakened places become easy entry points for later attacks.

• Sagging fence – a low quality fence will tend to begin to lean sideways after very harsh weather conditions like gale, hurricane, heavy rains or tornados. Sagging fences are of absolutely no use because they have been weakened to the point that they are no longer relevant.

• Fence related accidents due to their roughness – when children are playing around the compound, they tend to use the fence in their games. Rough fences with protrusions are very dangerous in any compound especially if there are energetic youngsters in their midst. Fence related accidents would involve cuts, tears and ugly gashes that can quickly become toxic if not handled carefully.

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Beatrice Sachet is an environment impact assessment expert. She conducts environmental audits to ascertain sound proof fencing regulations. She also advises her clients on the possible hazards that could arise from retaining dangerous fences.