# Repair or replace your fence?

> Repair or replace your fence? 9 plain questions about posts, panels, rot, gates and wind damage sort an Ontario, CA fence into a clear next step.

URL: https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/tools/fence-repair-or-replace-assessment/

Free tool

9 plain questions about the posts, panels, gate and any wind damage. The result says whether a targeted repair is likely enough, what it means and what to do next. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Answer from the yard, by looking. Nothing to dig, pull or climb.

## Answer the questions

## How the result is decided

The rules run in a fixed order, and the first one that matches decides the result. The same answers always give the same result, and the result lists the answers that decided it.

| If you said | The result |
| --- | --- |
| A section down, or leaning over a walkway, driveway, pool area or a neighbor's yard | Secure it now. Keep clear until the wind drops. This outranks every other answer. |
| Many posts leaning or broken, rot at many posts, or half the panels damaged | Replacement likely. |
| The fence no longer meets your height, privacy, HOA or pool barrier needs | Replacement likely, even if it is in fair shape. |
| Two of these: three or more leaning posts in one stretch, about a quarter of the panels damaged, termite signs, a section leaning after wind (an age over 20 years counts as one when another is present) | Replacement likely. |
| One of those | Repair now, plan replacement. |
| One or two leaning posts, rot at one or two posts, a sagging gate or a loose panel | Targeted repair likely. |
| None of the above | Targeted repair likely, with little or nothing to repair. |

Posts decide most of it. They carry each panel's wind load into the ground and are the only part of most fences in soil, so a fence usually fails at the posts while the boards above still look fine. In Ontario's loose sandy soil, a post gets its grip from the depth and size of its footing, which is why a few leaning posts after a windy season are worth fixing before they spread.

## What this check cannot tell you

It cannot see inside a post, below the ground or into a footing, so it cannot say how far rot or termite damage goes or whether a footing is sound. A site visit answers those questions. It does not say whether a fence is safe, and it does not predict what an insurer will decide.

If a section is down after wind, keep people and pets clear of it until the wind drops, and stay well back from any power line. More reading: [how long fences last here](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/how-long-do-fences-last/), [termites and fence posts](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/termites-fence-posts/) and [wind damage and insurance](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/guide/wind-damaged-fence-insurance/). [Next: estimate the cost of a new fence](https://groveontariofencebuilders.com/tools/fence-cost-estimator/).