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Is Your Fence Attracting Burglars? The Shocking Truth and How to Choose a Protective Fence

Is Your Fence Attracting Burglars? The Shocking Truth and How to Choose a Protective Fence

Your fence makes your home an impenetrable fortress. You’d like to see a burglar break in with that sturdy solid wood fence in place. What you don’t know is that you’re extending an invitation for an intruder to try.

Solid wood fencing is great for attracting burglars because it provides them with the cover they need to rob your home unnoticed. Sort of like having thick foliage and little to no outdoor lighting. To keep your home safe, you’ve got to invest in a more protective fence. 

Check out this guide to learn what kind of fences aren’t as foolproof as you thought and find out what you should be looking for in a home fence.

Tall, Solid Fences Aren’t as Secure as You Think

Having a tall solid wood fence looks nice and makes you feel secure but it’s a false sense of security. The thief’s goal is to not be caught after all. That’s why homes are more likely to get broken into at night. 

When they’re looking for a house to rob, they’re going to be looking for the easiest spot on the block to hit. That solid fence makes yours the target because it gives them a place to hide. Your neighbors and anyone else on your block can’t see what the thief is up to because chances are, none of them have X-ray vision. 

If you still want to go with wood, make sure you have a picket fence installed. This way, the thief won’t have as much cover to slip in and will most likely avoid your home. 

Choosing a Protective Fence 

Now that you know what kind of fence you should avoid, let’s talk about what you should be looking for. Here’s how you can get the best fence protection and make thieves second guess breaking into your house. 

It Should be Difficult to Climb Over 

Your fence should be so tall that the idea of climbing it makes a burglar feel tired. 8 feet is the ideal height. The burglar is likely to pass on it because it would take way too long to climb. 

We will say that some homeowner’s associations have a problem with fences being that tall so you’ll have to check with them before you have such a fence installed. 

Rails are a good thing; horizontal rails are not. It will give the burglar a boost and make it easy for them to climb the fence.

If you must get a fence with horizontal rails, invest in one that has spikes on top. There are not many thieves that will be willing to take the risk. 

Hard to Bypass 

Some burglars won’t bother with climbing over the fence. They’ll just lift it or dig right under it instead. To stop this from happening, make sure the fence is secured with concrete. 

Securing it all around the length of the fence can be sort of expensive. You should at least reinforce the posts with concrete though. This alone will help keep people out. 

The fence isn’t doing much to protect you if it leaves the path to your front door open. Your fence should come complete with a sturdy gate to act as an extra layer of security. Most of them come with latches that you can use to lock the gate but that won’t be enough. Pick up a padlock for it. 

Metal and Wire Mesh 

Metal fences are a great protective fencing option. They consist of tall rods that are spaced far enough apart for others to peer into your yard without providing enough room for someone to slip through the bars. They make a stylish addition to any yard and they’re pretty low maintenance. 

Your next best bet will be wire mesh fencing. As the name suggests, it’s made out of a grid of tightly woven wire panels. The material is pretty durable and difficult to cut through with bolt cutters. 

Are Shorter Fences Okay? 

Tall fences are nice but not every neighborhood allows their residents to have them. Even if you find yourself in this situation, you still need some type of home fence. Short fences are easy to hop over but they do at least offer a small barrier of security. 

Your neighbor is going to notice a suspicious figure jumping over your fence and most potential thieves know that. If you don’t have any type of protection, the burglar will grab everything they can carry and head on out. A short fence gives them an extra hurdle to worry about so they can’t steal quite as much. 

Provide an Obstacle or Two

If you’re still worried about a thief breaking into your home, provide them with an extra obstacle. Plant thick bushes along the length of your fence and make sure they’re packed full of thorns. 

If the intruder manages to climb the fence, they’ll be met with uncomfortable thorns on the other side. Nobody wants that so they’ll be more likely to avoid your house and move on to a different one. 

Provide Your Home with Extra Security with the Right Fence

Tall, solid wood fences look good and make homeowners feel secure but they attract burglars. Trade them up for a better protective fence option to make thieves think twice about breaking into your yard.

Metal, wire, and picket fences aren’t easy to get through and your neighbors will be able to see any suspicious activity that goes on. Make the switch and keep your family safe. 

The faster you get your fence built, the better when it comes to home security. Contact us to get a quote on your fencing project today.