Garden Security Tips - How to secure your outdoor equipment
With the unpredictability of garden thieves, we’ve decided to compile some key top tips to help keep your garden as safe and secure as possible. There are many ways that you can add some much-needed protection.
Many people think about garden security; however, they will always think about their back garden and leave themselves vulnerable to front garden theft. it is so easy to store equipment in a secure outdoor storage product - from sheds to garages, to securing bikes, yet few people do. House owners are willing to invest heavily into their front garden as it’s the first thing people or visitors see when they arrive. So why is it neglected are such investment?
Surprisingly enough, one of the biggest front garden theft deterrents is actually completely free, your neighbours. If you make sure that the front of your house is visible from the road, then potential thieves are likely to think twice before actually stealing or causing damage. Better yet, you can increase the visibility by making sure that your fences, hedges and gates are not more than 1 metre high. This adds privacy to your house but still means that a thief will feel too exposed.
Some houses have driveways as their front garden, and even this can be used to your advantage. Gravel driveways may not be your number one choice for a driveway, but it certainly has its security benefits. Gravel makes noise, so you’d hear the thieves coming. A drive way can be made into a much more effect deterrent with the simple installation of security and motion activated lighting.
The access to your back garden plays a pivotal role on the defences available for your back garden. There’s plenty to think about when it comes to a gate, like wooden gates are easy to climb, so cover cross members with panelling so it isn’t so easy to climb. Think differently, wrought iron gates are difficult to climb and may be a better deterrent, and better yet use two locks if possible. A noisy gate could also give you an early warning system at night if unexpected visitors enter your garden.
Secure your garden fence! Fences offer vital protection from thieves, helping to keep them out. A garden fence should be over 2 meters tall to help keep garden thieves out. Add trellis to your fencing, as anyone attempting to use this to climb will surely break it and fall. A simple yet widely used tactic against thieves is to plant spiky leaf plants and bushed along your fence.
A garden shed is the best way to keep your garden belonging safe, but there are ways to make a shed more secure. The value of the contents of a garden shed can easily reach into the thousands of pounds, so it is important to keep them as secure as possible.
As silly as it sounds, you should always make sure your garden shed locked. Fit a heavy duty lock, for the best protection. If your shed has windows, board them up. Steel metal sheds offer the best security as they have no weak points such as a window which is a common feature in wooden sheds. Your house has an alarm, so why not fit your shed/garage with its own alarm system. It really isn’t as expensive as it sounds, but it will keep your possessions safe and sound.
Many of the security tips mentioned here today can also heavily bolster your home security itself, as all the security measures are like a moat around your castle!
