Now that the effects of El Nino seem to be subsiding and cold air is blowing down from the north, there are large areas of the Northeastern United States getting snow – and lots of it. Living in rural and suburban areas typically means that the snow can blow for hundreds of yards across the ground and pile up against your house and garage. You can reduce the amount of snow blowing against your home and driveway by installing a snow fence on the windward side of your house. Here is how to install a snow fence to protect the driveway and house from getting so much wind-blown snow that you have a hard time leaving your home on a snowy day.

Snow Fence Location

You want the snow fence to be on the side of your house with the prevailing winds. The prevailing wind in the northeast typically blows from west to the east. Although, in some regions in New England, the prevailing wind blows up from the south to the north much of the time. If you are unsure of which way the wind generally blows, you can contact your local weather service to find out.

Choose a place about 50 to 70 feet away from your driveway and house to install the snow fence. The reason for this is that the snow fence doesn't actually block snow, it blocks wind, and when the wind gets blocked, the snow falls to the ground on the opposite side of the fence. If you put the fence right along the edge of your driveway or house, the snow will end up piling onto your driveway and house since that will be the first place for it to fall after it passes over the top of the fence.

Put in Fence Stakes

Place pointed metal stakes, which will be used to hold the fence up, every four or five feet, and pound them into the ground using a stake hammer. A stake hammer is a heavy cylindrical piece of metal with two handles and a slot in it. You put the slot side over the top of the metal stake and lift up on the handles. Then you slam the hammer down onto the top of the stake to force it into the ground. Pound the stakes about a foot or so into the ground.

Snow Fence

You can use fencing made of rolls of thin slabs of wood held together with metal twine, or you can use rolled plastic fencing. Many people prefer the wood because it's sturdier and won't collapse under the weight of heavy snow as easily as a plastic snow fence.

Roll the fencing out along the stakes, and then push the fence up so it rests against the top of the stakes. Use plastic zip ties to secure the fence to the stakes. Use a few zip ties per stake to help keep the fence up during heavy snows and winds.

Contact a wholesale fence supply company with any questions you might have.

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