One of the maintenance tasks you should be doing every year for your ornamental iron fence is winterizing it, and now is the best time to do it.
When you think of a beautiful, timeless, classy fencing option for your home, wrought iron is probably one of the first that comes to mind. Wrought iron is extremely durable and resistant to insects, but it does weather and rust if it is not properly taken care of. One of the maintenance tasks you should be doing every year for your ornamental iron fence is winterizing it, and now is the best time to do it. Many of these tasks need to be done before the winter weather really sets in, so make a plan to complete these steps soon.
Thoroughly Clean
The first step to winterizing your ornamental iron fence is to clean it thoroughly. If this is the first time in the past year (or longer) that you’ve cleaned your fence, this will be a harder job than it needs to be. Thoroughly cleaning your fence as part of routine upkeep a few times a year will keep it looking its best and help to prevent rust from forming. Dirt that sits on your iron fence can hold moisture against the metal and promote rust. In order to clean your fence, use a household detergent in warm water and a soft rag. Once you’ve cleaned all of the dirt off, make sure that you dry the fence completely.
Remove Rust
Any rust on your fence before winter hits will only worsen during the winter season, so the next step in winterizing is to remove the rust. For this step, you will need either a wire brush or sandpaper for metal. Use whichever tool you decide on to scrap away the rust from the surface of the metal. As you’re removing the rust, look for places where the rust has eaten below the surface into the inner structure of the fence. If you have substantial rust damage, you will likely need to contact a professional and have portions of the fence replaced.
Paint
The winter is a very damp time, between rain, snow, and ice, and any rust that you remove will simply re-form if you don’t complete the final step of winterization. Any exposed iron needs to be painted to protect it from the elements. Use a wrought iron primer and rust-resistant paint to match the current color of your fence. One coat of primer and one coat of paint should be enough to protect the fence.
HAVE QUESTIONS? ASK HERCULES CUSTOM IRON
If you are ready to install your heavy duty iron fence and add iron railings or you still have some more questions, we here at Hercules Custom Iron are here to help. We have many years of experience and will ensure that your chain link fence will serve you and your family for years. Visit us online or call us at 1-800-331-2590. For advice, updates, and to see what we are up to, be sure to follow us on social media on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest.