My fence post is leaning. Does it need to be replaced?
A single leaning post is usually repairable by resetting it in fresh concrete; a post that's rotted at the base, snapped, or one of several leaning in the same direction usually needs replacing.
Likely causes, ranked by probability
- Most repairable — loose in the ground, but sound wood: The post has worked loose in its concrete footing (common after years of wind load) but the wood itself is solid above and below grade. Can typically be reset without full replacement.
- Needs replacement — rotted at the ground line: Wood posts rot fastest right at grade, where they stay damp against soil. If the post is soft or crumbling at ground level even though it looks fine above, the whole post needs replacing — resetting a rotted post just delays the same failure.
- A different problem — several posts leaning the same direction: If multiple posts in a run lean the same way, especially after a storm, that's a wind-load or fence-height issue across the whole section, not one bad post — worth addressing as a run rather than one at a time.
What you can safely check yourself
Push firmly on the top of the post from the side. A healthy post barely moves; one that rocks at the base is loose or rotted at the footing.
When this needs a licensed tradesperson instead
Fence post repair and replacement is general handyman scope. New posts, a new footprint, or a taller/different fence than what's there now falls under the City of Mount Dora's fence permit rules (see the licensing guide) — worth confirming before work starts, not after.