they don't need concrete in some rocky soils in some climates.
your particular post may vary from the others. the specifications of
the job may have been selected by the previous homeowner or local
permit office.

mm wrote:
How do I know if my fence posts are set in cement? The dirt and
grass goes all the way up to everyone of the 30 plus posts.

I need to know now because I may have to take one post out
temporarily.

I have an all-wood picket fence that came with the house, installed by
a well-known fence company which is still in business at 3 locations
in 3 counties 26 years later**. No cement or concrete shows at any
post, but no posts have shown any indication of leaning, except the
one that the gate is hung on. With that one, I diconnnected the
section of fence atttached to it, soaked the earth with water, used a
come-along to pull the post vertical, and then nailed the fence
section in place while the post was vertical. The post straightened
up pretty easily after quite a bit of water, but not a flood.

**I guess I should call them and ask, but maybe no one knows anymore
what they did then.