If a section of your home's property is surrounded by a wrought iron fence that is has become worn with age, you may wonder if it may be time to replace it with a newer one. If so, look for the following signs that your home's old wrought iron fence may need replacing.

Excessive Rust on the Surface

Since iron is prone to oxidation, years of exposure to rain, snow, and ice may have made your fence start to rust. Whether or not the rust means you need to replace the fence depends on how deep below the surface the oxidation has penetrated.

To see if the rust is only on the surface, rinse off any dirt and dust using either a pressure washer or garden hose nozzle set on the highest setting. After the fence dries, use fine-grit sandpaper on the rusty areas.

If sanding the rails removes the surface rust and reveals that the iron is still intact underneath, you probably do not need to replace the entire fence. You may be able to get away with sanding the surfaces and painting them with a rust-proof coating.

However, if you find that the iron rails have rusted through, you will most likely need to either replace the affected rails or the entire fence, depending on the extent of the damage. Have a fence contractor take a look and offer suggestions on what needs to be done next.

Loose or Detached Rails

Another sign that you may need to replace your iron fence is the presence of loose or detached rails. Over the years, the welds between them tend to become weak, especially if they are constantly exposed to impact from the mower or even someone climbing over the fence.

If you find one or two rails that are loose or have come apart, you may be able to get by with wrapping them with thick wire to keep the pieces together. While this solution may prove to be unsightly, it could help hold your fence together temporarily.

However, if you find multiple rails that are coming apart, there is a strong possibility that the loose pieces have compromised the strength of the entire fence. In this case, you may want to think about either replacing the weakened sections or have a new fence installed by a contractor.

If you notice any of the problems above with your fence and cannot fix them easily, it may be time for you to have it replaced. Contact a fence contractor, such as from Security Fence, to have them inspect your wrought iron fence so they can inspect any damage and discuss with you available options for replacing either sections of the fence or the entire structure.