Why you shouldn’t overlook garden security

Securing your home is at the front of everyone’s mind when we leave the house, when we’re asleep at night, and especially when we’re away on holiday. But how much thought do you put into securing your garden?

We’ve previously written about the need to secure sheds and garages, but there are other aspects of your garden that you should also consider when thinking about home security.

Start with a secure garden

The more difficult it is to get into your garden, the less chance there is that this area becomes a vulnerability in your home security. Damaged gates and fences should be fixed as soon as possible so as not to offer an easy entrance to the garden.

You should also make sure that all of the gates are securely locked, taking care to fit the right type of lock to any gates. Garden gates that only open from the inside are good for security, but they’re impractical if you regularly use this as an entrance. In this case, you should speak to a locksmith about the best type of lock for gates that need to be opened from outside.

Hiding keys in case you’re locked out of the house

The first place a thief is going to look is under plant pots and in hanging baskets, so leaving a spare key in your garden presents a serious risk to your home. Making it easy for them, by handing them a key, just isn’t an option.

As well as keys, think about what other items in your garden could make breaking in easier for a burglar:

• Are there easily accessible tools laying around?
• Are there loose stones or bricks to break windows?
• Have you left a handy ladder to reach those upstairs windows?
• Wherever possible, you should try to ensure that anything that could potentially be used to break into your house is kept locked away.
• Don’t tempt thieves with valuables in your garden

Although we might think our gardens are away from prying eyes, it’s important to try and keep valuables in your garden out of sight if possible.

Pushbikes and motorbikes are often much safer in the garden than they are outside the front of the house, but leaving them on display could tempt thieves in. Make sure they are covered, securely locked, and, if possible, stored in a shed or garage.

Likewise, expensive BBQs, firepits, and chimeneas will only draw attention if they’re left out on display. If you can, put them securely away in a locked shed, but at the minimum try and cover them.

Is too much garden privacy a bad thing?

It’s a well-used phrase by estate agents, and often on our list of desired items when house hunting, but “a private and secluded garden” is a potential attraction to unwanted visitors too.

If your garden can’t be seen from the road outside, or the neighbours can’t see into your garden, then a thief could spend a lot longer trying to break in. If there’s no chance of them being disturbed, they have no reason to flee until they’ve got in.

In addition to securing the gates and fences, you should consider things like alarms and motion sensor lights that could help warn passers-by or neighbours of their presence.

Don’t let back doors be a weak link

Years ago, the back door to a home was nothing more than an exit to the garden, but more than ever, homeowners are installing conservatories, sunrooms, or sliding patio doors to increase the size of an existing property and make the garden more of a feature of the house.

A good locksmith will help you to ensure that all of your doors and windows are as secure as they can be, making sure that the garden is no longer a soft spot for break-ins.

As uPVC door and window lock specialists, the team of LockOut 24-7 locksmiths are ideally placed to help you secure the rear of your property. You can contact us via phone, email, or by filling in the contact form. Need to contact us in an emergency? Just call our 24/7 emergency locksmith on 07840 543661.