Hurricane Season 2024 Left Central Florida Homeowners Rethinking Their Fence Strategy – Here’s Why Your Next Installation Matters More Than Ever
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season proved to be one of the most devastating on record for Central Florida, with three landfalling hurricanes: Debby, Helene and Milton leaving a trail of destruction that fundamentally changed how property owners view fence planning and installation. As we move forward, understanding the lessons learned from this unprecedented season is crucial for anyone considering new fencing or replacement projects in the region.
The 2024 Hurricane Season: A Wake-Up Call for Central Florida
Central Florida bore the brunt of multiple powerful storms throughout 2024. Hurricane Milton brought the most widespread impacts to Central Florida, with winds of 87 mph to Orlando, and rainfall of 16.5 inches to Ormond Beach. The storm arrived less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene sideswiped an already battered Sarasota, which had experienced flooding in a deluge of rainfall caused by Hurricane Debby.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Perry in the Big Bend region of Florida with wind speeds of 140 mph, becoming the strongest hurricane to hit Big Bend since records began around 1900. The rapid succession of these storms left many property owners dealing with damaged or destroyed fencing, highlighting the critical importance of choosing the right materials and installation methods for Florida’s harsh climate.
Why Traditional Fencing Failed During the 2024 Season
The devastating impacts of the 2024 hurricane season revealed significant weaknesses in traditional fencing approaches. Winds can blow up to anywhere between 40-80 mph (with gusts up to 100 mph) and it’s common for trees to become uprooted and fences ripped from the ground. Many homeowners discovered that their standard wooden fences, particularly those with solid panels, acted as sails during high winds.
The pickets on standard six-foot-high wooden fences are fitted edge to edge to prevent people from being able to see into a yard. This allows the fence to act as a sail, enabling wind to take down the fence. Additionally, wood fences are more vulnerable to the effects of moisture and wind damage, and wooden fences might look charming, but they’re more prone to breakage and rotting in Florida’s wet, stormy climate.
Hurricane-Resistant Fencing Materials: Lessons from 2024
The 2024 season taught Central Florida residents valuable lessons about which materials can withstand severe weather conditions. Vinyl fences are an incredibly durable and high-quality choice for Floridians as they can withstand strong winds and regardless of how much water or humidity they endure, they will not rust or warp. Vinyl is flexible and can bend slightly during strong winds, which can prevent it from snapping or breaking, and high-quality vinyl fences are built to withstand intense weather conditions, including hurricane-force winds.
Aluminum fencing also proved its worth during the challenging 2024 season. Aluminum fencing is manufactured perfectly for Florida’s harsh climate, with aluminum fences double coated in a powder made from polyester, which is stronger than enamel finishes commonly baked on other fence styles. They are maintenance free and will not deteriorate extensively over time. Aluminum fences are designed with spaced pickets, allowing wind to pass through them rather than knocking them over, and one of the main advantages of aluminum fencing is that it doesn’t block wind, which reduces the likelihood of it toppling over during strong gusts.
Critical Installation Factors for Hurricane Resistance
The 2024 hurricane season emphasized that proper installation techniques are just as important as material selection. It’s so important to hire a professional fence company that understands the challenges that are presented along with living in a hurricane-prone area. Professional installation becomes even more critical when considering foundation and post anchoring methods.
Fences plotted with rot-resistant posts can last much longer, and are more likely to withstand severe situations. Rather than burying the wooden post itself, anchoring it to an object buried beneath the surface helps prevent rotting. Modern installation techniques include pouring a footer and anchoring the post to it using a bracket and concrete anchor bolts, while steel posts are rot-free and composed of galvanized steel (which lasts up to 25 years even in the dampest soils).
The Mossy Oak Fence Advantage in Post-2024 Planning
For Central Florida residents planning fence installations after the lessons of 2024, partnering with an experienced local contractor is essential. Mossy Oak Fence LLC is a trusted fence contractor providing residential and commercial fence installation services throughout Central Florida, delivering renowned craftsmanship, backed by the best materials in the industry. The company proudly serves the communities of Lake, Orange, Seminole, Brevard, Volusia, Osceola, Polk, Sumter, and Marion counties with top-quality fencing solutions.
What sets Mossy Oak Fence apart is their understanding of Florida’s unique climate challenges. Their excellent materials are designed to last long-term, even in Florida’s climate, and they offer safe installations with full coverage from an experienced team in the area, backed by extensive warranties and industry-leading guarantees. For homeowners in Lake County specifically, this Fence Company in Lake County, FL brings decades of experience and a deep understanding of local weather patterns and soil conditions.
The company strives to use their God-given talents to exemplify honesty, character and integrity in every aspect of their business, with their desire being to be genuine and caring, so much so that others will see the Spirit of Christ living in them. This commitment to values, combined with core values centered on GOD, FAMILY, COUNTRY & BUSINESS, ensures they labor daily to keep their perspectives centered on these values from a standpoint of balance and serving as a blessing to others.
Planning Your Post-Hurricane Season Fence Installation
As Central Florida continues to recover and rebuild from the 2024 hurricane season, now is the ideal time to plan a fence installation that can withstand future storms. The key considerations include material selection, professional installation, and working with contractors who understand the unique challenges of Florida’s hurricane-prone environment.
Fences with space between the slats, vertical or horizontal, will more easily allow wind to pass through, decreasing the possibility of uplift from strong winds, and several types of fences help reduce the probability of damage from high winds, which are often the cause of hurricane-related damages. This knowledge, combined with proper material selection and professional installation, creates a fence system designed to weather whatever future hurricane seasons may bring.
The 2024 hurricane season served as a stark reminder that in Central Florida, fence planning isn’t just about aesthetics or privacy—it’s about building infrastructure that can protect your property investment through whatever storms lie ahead. By choosing hurricane-resistant materials, professional installation, and experienced local contractors, homeowners can ensure their fencing decisions today will serve them well for years to come.