Which fence suits an El Paso yard

Decide first whether you need to block the view or only mark the line. Privacy here means a solid face against hard wind, so more of the job is in the ground. If a boundary is enough, iron or chain link gives the wind far less to push on.

What the city's own paperwork shows

We found no count of what fences El Paso homes have, so we will not tell you what is most common. The city's documents do show what it expects to see. A 2016 zoning amendment defines a masonry wall as a barrier "constructed primarily of any combination of durable rock, brick or concrete" that "may include decorative elements of wrought-iron" (the copy we read is the draft on the council agenda, so check the adopted wording). The historic district guidelines name "Rock, brick, wood and wrought iron" as acceptable materials. The permit sheet singles out masonry and chain link.

The types side by side

"Not named" does not mean "no permit". The same sheet says a permit is required to construct or repair a structure. Ask the city about your material.

Sun and heat

The weather service and UTEP paper says El Paso averages some 84 percent of possible sunshine a year, and puts its solar radiation near the maximum for the Western Hemisphere. The weather service counts an average of 26 days a year at 100 degrees or more for 1991 to 2020, a record 70 in 2023, and a run of 44 straight days from June 16 to July 29 that year.

We looked and found no El Paso study of how wood, vinyl or paint hold up under that, so we will not give you a number of years. Ask each company for a fence of the same material it put in here at least five years ago, and go look at it.

Dust and gates

The same paper counts an average of 14.5 significant dust events a year, and a 42 percent chance of blowing dust on any single day in March, April and May. If you are choosing a rolling or automatic gate, ask how the track and opener cope with that, and what cleaning they need.

Where you live changes the answer

• East of the Franklin Mountains near Transmountain. The mountains split the city in two, and the paper says wind coming out of the gap can run about 50 percent stronger. A tall board fence has more to prove here.
• The east side. The 2009 storm gusted to near 80 mph over the eastern part of the city. One storm is not a pattern, but it is worth saying where you are when you ask for a quote.
• A historic district. Austin Terrace, Chihuahuita, Downtown, Magoffin, Manhattan Heights, Mission Trail, Old San Francisco, Sunset Heights and Ysleta are locally designated. Material and height get reviewed.
• A corner lot. Height near the corner is a safety question. See the city rules page.
• An owners' association. Texas law says it generally cannot stop a perimeter fence as a security measure but can regulate the type of fencing. Read your rules before you pick.
• Low ground or near an arroyo. A solid wall can block water. El Paso Water says flooding occurs when runoff exceeds what an arroyo or channel can carry. See the block wall page.

When to build

We found no source that names a best month, and each season has its catch.

• February through May: wind and dust, and the air is at its driest, with average humidity of 28 percent in the spring dust season against 42 percent over the year.
• June and July: the first 100 degree day comes on June 12 on average, and most of them fall in these two months. The block industry note calls 40 to 90 degrees normal and, above that, talks about keeping materials cool and in shade, mixing small batches and keeping mortar from losing water.
• July to mid-September: the monsoon brings about half the year's rain, in bursts.

Ask how the company handles pouring concrete or laying block on a day like that.