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F.A.Q

How do Piling-Guards save money for owners of docks & piers?

  • They prevent floating docks from wearing away your pilings. Typical replacement cost of a lake piling is $500. In cases where the pilings are attached to a roof or additional structure, Piling-Guards save even more replacement cost for the dock owner. In coastal areas, hurricane resistant pilings cost $1600 each. Piling-Guards can be used to protect those coastal pilings as well. Some areas also require expensive permits to replace pilings and local governments have started including docks when calculating your property taxes. It’s much better to extend the longevity of the dock you currently have, instead of paying for an expensive replacement, which could increase your tax bill. Piling-Guards also prevent damage from impacts between pilings & boats.

Are Piling-Guards compatible with salt & fresh water?

  • Piling-Guard Strips and Piling-Guard screws are compatible with both fresh & salt water. There are many different alloys of stainless steel and only certain alloys are compatible with both fresh & salt water. Our Star Drive Piling-Guard Screws are an alloy of stainless steel that is compatible with both fresh and salt water.

Are Piling-Guards available in any color besides black?

  • Black is the most weather & sunlight (UV Resistant) resistant color. We designed Piling-Guard to last and protect your pilings as long as possible.

Where have Piling-Guards been used?

  • Piling-Guards have been installed  fresh and/or salt water in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, both Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Washington and Oregon.

Are there other uses for Piling-Guards?

  • Yes, Piling-Guards work well as boat bumpers. They are non-marking. They also work very well for protecting the walls from damage when people open car doors inside your garage.

How do wooden pilings compare to steel or fiberglass pilings?

  • Wood is still the best choice for dock pilings. Unlike steel, wood won’t rust and are quieter. Wood pilings are bigger diameter than steel and less likely to tilt or bend. Wood also cost less than steel, far less than fiberglass and has a nicer appearance. Wood is also a renewable domestic resource. With Piling-Guards installed, wood pilings will last a very, very long time.
  • If you have fiberglass pilings which have lost their outer protective coating and are exposing raw hazardous fiberglass fibers, please call us at 704-860-7728. We have a very good solution for the problem of fiberglass fibers that painfully snag on people, pets and watersport gear.

How can I buy Piling-Guards?

  • You can purchase from our many resellers. Call to find the reseller closest to you. You can also buy directly from Piling-Guards. We can easily ship them via UPS. We offer discounts for larger quantity orders. If shipping is required, Piling-Guard.com only charges you the cost of freight. In other words, we do not add extra fees for handling.

Can Piling-Guard be used on pilings that are located in areas that experience freezing temperatures?

  • Piling-Guards are made from a polymer that has a serviceable range down to -125 degrees F. Prior to one of the coldest winters in recent history, we installed several Piling-Guards strips at Cape Cod, Mass. Piling-Guards made it through those extreme temperatures with no problems.

How do I attach Piling-Guards to my pilings?

  • We highly recommend using our Star Drive Screws. They have drill points, for easy installation, Star Drive heads, for positive driving and are made from fresh & salt water compatible stainless steel. They are very well suited for installing Piling-Guards.

How can I find someone to install my Piling-Guards if I don’t choose to install them myself?

  • Piling-Guards can be installed by anyone that is reasonably handy with an electric screwdriver. This means that home owners, dock builders and most general contractors can install them. We can also help you find a local installer. Occasionally, we hold “Demo Days” at certain locations and feature free installation. Call us at 704-860-7728 to find our current “Demo Days” schedule.

I have rollers or round bars on my dock, will this prevent piling wear?

  • Piling-Guards are the best way to prevent wear to your dock pilings. Dock rollers, sleeves & collars are not nearly as affective as piling guards.

How far apart should I attach the screws?

  • Each Piling-Guard has two mounting flanges. We recommend a vertical screw separation of 8″ along each edge. Be sure to also download the installation instructions from our web site. There are pre-drilled holes every 4″ to reduce installation time. Most installers only use every other hole so the spacing is effectively 8″.

Do Piling-Guards ever wear out and need replacement?

  • Piling-Guards are designed and engineered for long term wear resistance. Replacement of a Piling-Guard is far easier and lower cost than replacing a piling.

Are Piling-Guards environmentally helpful?

  • The quality of your water is very important to all of us. New wood pilings are saturated with chemical preservatives that leach out of wood over time. The rate of chemical leaching is much higher when pilings are new. Using Piling-Guards to prolong the life of your existing pilings makes good environmental sense. Piling-Guards also reduce the need to cut additional trees for future pilings. They also reduce the impact of new construction and driving new pilings into lake beds and shorelines.
  • With Piling-Guards, wood is a much better choice than steel for pilings. Wood is a re-newable resource. Steel is not. Unlike steel pilings, wood pilings don’t generate iron oxides due to wear. High amounts of iron oxide have been shown to be unhealthy for human water supplies and marine life.
  • Piling-Guard strips are non-reactive with fresh or salt water and all marine life. We even pre drill the holes in the mounting flanges to further eliminate debris from the environment. We care very much about your water quality, because eventually your water becomes everyone’s water.

Is the wood that’s used in more recent pilings softer & more susceptible to wear?

  • Most wooden pilings are made from pine. Many advances in wood technology have produced faster growing varieties of pine which may not be as hard or durable as the pine trees that were harvested years ago. This means that Piling-Guards are an even more important addition to newer pilings.

Most companies add extra or hidden handling charges for shipping orders. Why doesn’t Piling-Guard.com do this?

  • At Piling-Guard.com, we don’t think it’s ethical to add extra handling fees to customers that are buying our products. If shipping is required, Piling-Guard.com only passes on the cost of freight. In the simplest words, we do not add extra fees for handling.

What type of tools do I need to install Piling-Guard strips and screws?

  • Piling-Guards are easy to install. Tools should include a PFD (Personal Floatation Device), saw, battery powered screwdriver and possibly a pry bar if needed. Battery powered screwdrivers are strongly recommended around water. Be sure to place battery chargers in a safe location on dry land. Always try to avoid using plug-in electrically powered tools around water. If plug-in electrical tools are completely unavoidable, it is ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE to also use a GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) on the power cord that has been tested before each use. NEVER USE PLUG-IN ELECTRICAL TOOLS AROUND WATER WITHOUT A PRE-TESTED GFI SAFETY DEVICE!!!
  • Piling-Guards can be closely butted together “end-to-end” for applications requiring strips longer than the standard strip length of 8 feet. Be sure to align the thick abrasion center surface of the Piling-Guard with the wear or contact surfaces on the piling.
  • For installations in tidal areas, most people begin installing a couple hours before low tide. To allow for boat wakes and high winds, be sure the top of the Piling-Guards are located at least several feet or more above the highest moon tides. Remove shellfish and barnacles from the pilings before installation. Install the lowest screws at lowest tide.
  • For lake installations, be sure the top of the Piling-Guard is located at least several feet above the highest lake level to allow for high winds or boat wakes. Install screws that are accessible above water. Be sure to add more screws later if the lake level drops.
  • It is much preferred to install the portion of Piling-Guards strips that are located above the water and install lower screws when water levels drop. In some very rare cases, it may be desirable to install some portion of Piling-Guards underwater. Never use ANY electrical tool underwater!!! Use only approved air powered tools. Installers also need to be properly trained on underwater installation, including the use of air tanks, snorkels, underwater currents, aware of all hazards associated with installing anything underwater and the potential for submerged obstructions.
  • Please web page titled, “Installation Instructions” for more details.

How do Piling-Guards compare to a piling shroud?

  • Piling-Guards are usually lower cost, easier to install & less likely to cause dry rot to your pilings. Even if a Piling-Guard were to eventually wear out after an extended period of time, it is far easier and less cost to replace the affected PilingGuard strip instead of an entire shroud.

Piling-Guard.com is a brand name owned by ServUs Inc – “Products Engineered to ServUs Better”