Are you worried about the safety of your home and property? You have many options when it comes to securing your home against theft and home invasion. As you’ve been exploring these possibilities, however, you’ve discovered some are pricey and others can make your yard and home feel like a prison.
Landscaping – Your First Defense
Many people fail to make the connection between their yard’s landscaping and their vulnerability to invasion or burglary. Criminals are looking for an easy way into your home without being detected. These backyard security ideas can make it harder for a potential threat- making you safer at home:
Visibility
One survey of convicted burglars showed that virtually all of them looked for homes with shrubbery and bushes that they could be concealed by as they gained entry. Keep plantings around windows and doors well-trimmed. Eliminate hiding places by keeping front and back approaches to your home visible from inside and from the neighbor’s house. Even if your neighbors are rarely home, potential home invaders are less likely to break in when it looks like they will be on full display in the process.
Obstacles
One of the easiest backyard security ideas is to add natural obstacles. Home invaders want to get in and out quickly. Obstacles like thorny shrubs under windows can make many think twice. Nature provides several thorny barriers that do well, including:
- Roses
- Barberry
- Pyracantha
- Thorny Holly
Make sure the ones you choose are strategically placed and right for your property’s soil conditions.
Lighting
It’s no surprise that criminals prefer concealment and thus, the dark. You don’t have to light up your yard to airport levels to discourage burglars. Some simple low voltage or solar powered decorative lighting will do the trick.
Don’t just line walkways and drives with light. Place decorative lighting in flower beds, around trees and shrubs in your yard and any place a home invader might think to hide while approaching your house.
Sound
Here’s a simple trick that many homeowners don’t think of to discourage intruders at your home- add landscaping features that make noise.
Believe it or not, gravel driveways and walks can discourage a home intruder. The crunch of gravel under their feet is like a siren going off when one desires to get into your home unnoticed.
Even if you don’t hear it, a possible intruder won’t know if you were paying attention to a crunch or splash. As self-survival is of primary interest, they will often move on to a quieter yard without a built-in alarm system.
Maintenance
It is no surprise that the first indicator a burglar uses to decide if someone is rarely home or not is yard maintenance or lack of it. If you are going to be out of town for a few weeks, makes sure your yard is mowed in your absence, kept in good condition and try not to advertise your absence more than necessary.
Just like your home, you are proud of your landscaping- use it to your advantage. Incorporating these security ideas into your landscaping can go a long way towards providing extra security for your home.
