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Fences can evoke strong emotions in homeowners. A fence can enclose or divide, depending on who is on what side of it. Some buyers move into a home and need to put up a fence immediately to safeguard pets or children. Occasionally, erecting a tall, solid fence without consulting those potentially affected by it can incur the wrath of neighbors. Selecting a type of fence that functions well in its particular location can help keep everyone satisfied.

If you’ve tried various forms of sight, sound, taste, and touch repellents for deer, yet still have them feeding on your choice garden plants, perhaps it’s time to consider a fence. Just because you have a fence doesn’t mean it will be effective at keeping out deer. There are several facts you need to keep in mind when installing such a fence.

Avoid fence disputes by practicing fence etiquette—a good neighbor policy. If you follow zoning regulations and share basics with neighbors before construction, you can install a new fence AND stay on good terms with the folks next door.

There are many reasons to install fencing. You might want to keep the family dog — or the kids — safely in the back yard. Maybe you’re looking to prevent intruders from entering your property, to increase your outdoor privacy, or to block an unpleasant view of your neighbor’s rusty collection of muscle cars. Perhaps you’re safeguarding your swimming pool or adding a boost to your curb appeal.

It’s a fact of life that older homes often sit close to the street—an advantage when they were built, providing better access for horse-drawn vehicles. But today, it can be less than ideal for homeowners who have to live with the sounds of the modern world rushing by at 50 miles per hour.

It’s spring, that time of year when pieces of fencing, all sizes and materials, show up on the curb, waiting to be picked up by the trash-collection crews. Falling tree branches have smashed these fences, or homeowners have neglected them.

We generally build fences for two reasons: to keep something in, or to keep something out — even if sometimes all we want to keep out are the prying eyes.

"More people are spending more time in their backyards, and they don’t want the whole neighborhood watching their cookout," said Chris Bucca, sales manager for a fence and deck contractor.

Basically, there are three kinds of fences, says fence installer Kirk Lee: "The `keep the kids and dogs in’ fence, `keep the neighbors’ kids and dogs out’ fence and the `I hate my neighbors’ fence."

A resident of North Aurora, Lee has installed fences for Fox Valley Fence in South Elgin for 20 years. He followed his father into the business, digging his first post hole while in high school.

When Christopher Bartolini of Tinley Park decided to put up a new fence around his back yard in February, he weighed several options. He considered newer man-made materials, but thought they looked too sterile. Deciding the pond and waterfall in his yard called for something natural, he opted for cedar.

Hanging wallpaper, yes. Fixing a dripping faucet, maybe. But installing a fence is not a chore the typical homeowner tackles.