Guide · Home care
Fences and Gates
A friendly, practical guide to caring for fences and gates, from latches, pets and pool safety to shared fences, neighbors and reporting damage.
Where to start
- Fence or tree touching a power line?
Stay far away and call 911 or the power company right away. See after a storm or if something breaks.
- Gate not latching?
Try the steps for keeping gates working.
- Doing a seasonal walk?
Use the fences and gates checklist.
The short version
A good fence keeps pets home, little ones safe and neighbors friendly, and it only needs a little care.
Close and latch every gate, walk the fence line after storms, and fill any holes dug underneath.
Pool gates should be self-closing and self-latching. Never prop one open, and keep climbable items away.
Share loose boards, leaning posts or broken gates in writing, with photos, so they can be fixed quickly.
Rules about fences and pools differ from place to place, so we’d gently encourage a quick look at the rules where your home is. If you ever have questions, we would love to help.
Four simple rules
- 1Check the latch
Make sure every gate closes and latches on its own, every time.
- 2Walk the fence line
Look for loose boards, gaps, leaning posts and holes dug underneath.
- 3Pools need extra care
Pool gates should be self-closing and self-latching, and never propped open.
- 4Report damage quickly
Share storm damage, leaning sections or broken gates in writing, with photos.
Fences and gates checklist
From the guide’s own checklist. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.
All done. Your fence is standing straight and your gates are doing their job.
Keeping gates working
- Open and close every gate once in a while and watch it swing. It should move freely, close without a push and latch on its own.
- If a gate drags on the ground, sags or needs to be lifted to latch, share it. The hinges or post may need adjusting.
- A drop of lubricant on squeaky hinges and latches can help, following the product’s instructions.
- Keep the area under the gate clear of toys, hoses, stones and leaves so it can swing all the way closed.
- If the gate has a lock, make sure everyone who should have the key or code has it, and that it opens easily in a hurry.
Once a month, open the gate halfway and let it go. If it swings shut and clicks on its own, it is doing its job. If it stops short or bounces back open, share it with a photo.
After a storm or if something breaks
- If a section is down or leaning hard, keep children and pets away from it until it is checked.
- If a fallen fence or tree is touching a power line, stay far away and call 911 or the power company right away.
- If the fence is down and pets or little ones could get out, bring pets inside or keep them on a leash for now.
- Take a few photos of the damage, both close up and of the whole section.
- Share it in writing as soon as you can, including where it is, like “the gate by the driveway” or “the back corner by the shed.”
Take a breath. A leaning section or a broken board is very fixable.
A few things to avoid
- Please don’t climb on fences or use a ladder near them. For anything up high, please ask for help from a professional.
- Please don’t dig near a fence or set new posts yourself. Buried gas, water and electric lines can be closer than you think, and in the United States, calling 811 before digging is the safe first step.
- Please don’t hang heavy planters, hammocks or swings from fence boards or posts.
- Please don’t prop gates open, especially around a pool or a busy street.
- Please don’t pressure wash a wood fence on a high setting. A gentle rinse is safer.
Many places have special rules for fences and gates around pools. Please check the rules where your home is, and never prop a pool gate open, even for a minute.
Guides that go well with this one
Like it on paper?
The printable checklist for this guide is fillable, with a screen version and an ink saver print version. Keep it on your phone or pin it to the fridge.
How much do you remember?
4 quick questions from this guide, with a one line why for each. Totally optional, no sign in, and your answers are never saved.
Go deeper with The Perfect Yard
The outside of a home is where the question “whose job is this?” comes up most often. The Perfect Yard is a calm, plain guide for owners and residents who share the care of a yard, deck and outdoor spaces, one part of the yard at a time.
Keep the full guide handy
The PDF has everything: everyday habits, what to do when something goes wrong, common myths, helpful resources and plenty of real-world tips. Print it, save it or share it with anyone who could use it.
Download the PDFTake it with you
- Bunklow Home Guide 095: Perimeter Wood Fence and Gate Latch Hardware Alignment and TurnbucklesA printable guide to perimeter wood fence and gate latch hardware alignment and turnbuckles, in plain steps.See it in the shop
- Outdoors and Yard Checklist PackThe Outdoors and Yard checklists in one pack, fillable on screen or printable.See it in the shop
More guides
This guide shares general information to help you, and is not legal, survey or pool-safety code advice. Please check the rules where your home is. Bunklow does not inspect, build or repair fences.