P&R Home Services: Expert Residential Fencing Serving Indianapolis, IN 46218

The main cause is moisture getting trapped between the post and the soil. Indianapolis clay soil holds water, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles crack the wood’s protective coating. When the bottom of the post stays wet, fungi and decay set in, making the base soft and spongy. You might notice the gate starts to sag or the fence leans after heavy rain.

Look for the post wobbling when you push against the fence, or the gate not latching properly. You may also see splintering wood at the soil line or mushrooms growing at the base. If you poke the post with a screwdriver near the ground and it sinks in easily, the rot has already started. P&R Home Services can inspect the posts and identify which ones need replacement.

We remove the damaged post and dig out the old concrete or soil. Then we set a new pressure-treated post in fresh concrete, making sure the post base sits above the soil line to keep it dry. For extra protection against frost heave, we can install a metal post anchor. If the rest of the fence is in good shape, we simply reattach the rails and pickets. We can also weatherproof the new post and surrounding wood so it lasts longer.