Fence or wall down after wind

Check for wires first. If a power line is on or near the fence, stay back, keep everyone else back and call 911. This site is not for emergencies.

If a wire is involved

El Paso Electric's advice during a 2023 wind event, as KFOX reported it, was "Do not drive over downed power lines or go near any exposed wires." KFOX's 2024 wind coverage says to "keep a distance of at least 30 feet and call 9-1-1 to report it." El Paso Electric's outage page gives no distance, and utilities elsewhere publish different ones: CenterPoint in Houston says 35 feet and the City of Mesa's utility in Arizona says at least 20. Use the biggest one you can.

A metal fence changes the picture. CenterPoint's advice, in that same report, is that "Metal objects like fences and guardrails can also become energized if a downed power line contacts them." So if a wire is lying on chain link or wrought iron, treat the whole run as live, including the far end that looks fine. Mesa's page says to "Assume all downed wires are energized and dangerous even if there is no spark."

To report an outage in Texas, El Paso Electric lists (915) 877-3400 (their number, not ours). If you are in a car that a line has touched, the company's tips on KVIA say to stay inside and call 911, because "The ground around your car may be energized."

A wall still standing but leaning

Keep people, pets and cars out of the strip it would land on, on both sides of the wall. Do not lean anything against it or try to push it back. A block wall that has already moved has lost some of what held it up, and the next gust may finish the job. If it hangs over a sidewalk, street or alley, tell the city through 311, which takes non-emergency reports for more than 20 departments. The city says 311 is not monitored around the clock and that emergency calls get transferred to 911.

This is not only a spring problem

The wind events we could document fall across much of the year:

Spring is still the peak. A National Weather Service and UTEP paper on 1932 to 2005 records calls March until mid May the dusty season, says dust storms are most frequent in March and April, and counts 64 percent of the large-scale dust events from February through May. It also describes dry thunderstorms between the spring season and the summer rains that produce sudden winds of 60 to 100 kph, about 37 to 62 mph. So plan a rebuild for the next wind, whatever the month.

Photos before you move anything

The Texas Department of Insurance says to "Take pictures and video of the damage" and to file a claim as soon as you can if strong winds damaged your home. For a fence, get a wide shot of the whole run, then close shots of the post bases or the bottom of the wall, and any broken steel. Those close shots help whoever you hire work out why it failed. The department also says your policy may pay for temporary repairs, and to "Save all receipts."

Will insurance pay for a fence?

This is general information from the Department of Insurance, not advice on your policy.

• "If your fence was damaged by wind and you have wind coverage, your policy will probably pay for the damage." The department says that anywhere in Texas except along the coast, you probably have wind and hail coverage in your home policy.
• "Policies usually pay actual cash value for fences", which means the company deducts depreciation.
• "You'll also have to pay your deductible."
• Most policies count structures not attached to your house as "other structures", usually covered at 10 percent of the house's insured value. A wall tied into the house may be treated differently, so ask.

Put those together and an old fence may pay out little after depreciation and the deductible. Ask your agent before you decide whether to file. The department's help line is 800-252-3439.

Where the debris goes

Settle this before you agree on a quote. The city's Citizen Collection Stations say "No construction or demolition material accepted" and are open to El Paso residents, with no commercial businesses or contractors. Whether a pile of storm-broken fence counts is a question for Environmental Services at (915) 212-6000. Call first anyway, since the page says wind can close the stations. The Environmental Services page lists the Greater El Paso Landfill at 2600 Darrington Rd in Clint and says haulers need a hauler permit. A dumpster may need its own permit: the city sheet lists one left on your property longer than 7 days, and any on a city street regardless of how long.

Before new posts go in

• Call 811. New holes need new marks, even on the old fence line. The 811 page has the steps.
• Ask about the permit. The city sheet covers repairs as well as new work, and lists masonry over 42 inches and chain link over 6 feet. See the city rules page.
• If the fence was on or near the line, read the shared fence page before you rebuild.
• If a block wall came down, the block wall page has questions about what held it up.

Who knocks after a wind storm

The FTC says "If they want cash up front, walk away." The Department of Insurance says "It's illegal for a contractor to offer to waive a deductible or promise a rebate for it." The questions page has the rest, including a fake city fee the city has warned about.