making your house a home

Tips For Choosing A Fence For Home Security

6 May 2020

Alide Oortwijn

Your home's security of your family's safety is of paramount importance. A security fence around your yard or home is a simple way to help increase your home's security while also adding to the value of your home. The following tips can help you choose the right fencing style for home security

Visibility Concerns

The best security fence isn't a solid fence. Solid fencing may provide privacy, but it also shields possible trespassers from view. Chainlink fencing lets passersby and neighbors see into your yard, which makes it harder for a possible thief to work in secret. If you aren't fond of the look of chainlink, you can choose an open picket wood or vinyl fence, or even an ornamental open picket metal fence such as wrought iron.

Height

Height can be a major deterrent when it comes to intruders. The taller the fence the more difficult it will be to climb. For security, generally, a fence that is about 6 feet tall is suitable for home security because fences at this height are more difficult to scale for the average adult. The main goal is to choose a height that can't be vaulted over quickly and easily. If there are built-in "boosts," such as a low garden wall someone could use to help climb the fence, then you may want to increase the height.

Bottom Rails

Shimmying beneath a fence is another way intruders get onto your property. This is especially common with chainlink and wire fencing that can be bent, but it can happen with any fence if there is enough space. A stiff bottom rail on chainlink fences makes this much harder. For gaps beneath the bottom rail, you can install a guard along the bottom of the fence to close the gap so it is more difficult to climb under. Planting shrubs, especially those with thorns, along the bottom of the fence is another good deterrent.

Climb Prevention

Although height should help dissuade climbers, there are other strategies you may also want to consider. A top panel to add height to the fence, such as a lattice panel, provides additional security and it is attractive. There are also "coyote bars", which are roll bars that discreetly fit along the top of the fences. When someone tried to climb over, the bars roll and make it nearly impossible to clear the top of the fence. Spikes are another common option, particularly on metal fences.

Contact a fencing company for more help. 

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