Front and Backyard Home Security Tips You Need to Know
Keeping your front and backyard secured is equally as important as securing the inside of your home. There are many ways to be able to secure your yard as much as you can with simple tasks and extra measures to prevent anyone looking to invade your home. We’ve compiled our favorite tips that are common and uncommon to make sure you’re covering all areas of your home
1. Do not hide any keys outside
One of the biggest mistakes for a home invasion is when homeowners leave spare keys outside of the house that are easily accessible. Placing a key under your doormat, under a planter, under a loose brick or on the top of the door may be convenient in times where you lock yourself out of the house but it’s also convenient for someone trying to find easy ways to break into your home.
Investing your spare key in a different location or a small hidden outdoor safe with a passcode can be the better alternative.
2. Invest in bush and vines near your home that have thorns
While some blogs may share that having bushes too close to your home are good hiding spots for someone invading your home, these bushes can be a strong advantage. Having bushes around your home or windows that involve thorns can be good to deter the burglar from hiding in those areas, making their plan to enter your home more difficult. If they are outside your home and find their way through the bushes, it can slow them down and give you more time to act and call 911 if you’re watching through a security camera or notice this activity through your Wireless Outdoor Camera.
Here is a list of great thorn plants:
- Many mesquite varieties
- Honey Locust
- Pyracantha (firethorn bush)
- Climbing roses
- Cats claw acacia
- Oregon grape holly
3. Secure your window and doors.
While most windows and doors have locks on them, it’s best to not rely just on a single lock or what if you forget to lock the window one night? Installing aftermath windows is the best way to continue a peace of mind. Examples of these are pin locks, keyed locks, hinged wedge locks, and sash locks. Depending on the type of windows you have you in your home, find what lock you need and get the extra peace of mind. Having window sensors is another extra bonus in your home security system to get triggered when they are opened and closed to ensure you know each time, they are open.
4. Censored Lights outside your home
Having night vision on your security camera like the Toucan Wireless Outdoor Camera is enough in many cases, but extra lighting is also better when you’re reviewing footage to get the clearest image of the intruder’s faces. Extra lighting on your front door can help prevent the intruders from sneaking into any shadows to avoid being seen. Houses with extra lighting also might be a sign that you have secured your front yard more with other motion sensored technology like a security camera that records when motion is detected.
5. Clearing packages and mail from your porch
Leaving packages, mail or newspaper on your driveway or front door for a long period of time can be harmful. Not only is this true in case someone steals your packages but also packages and mail left on your front porch can signal no one is home. When someone is looking at houses to break into, seeing yellowed coloring mail or packages can be a sign the homeowner is on vacation or away for sometime, making it a higher target of package theft.
To keep watch on seeing when your mail and packages arrive when it's happening, a Toucan Video Doorbell records footage and even sends you notifications when motion is detected so you/ll be notified right when it's being delivered. With 180 degree field of view, you'll even be able to see packages directly on the ground to keep a close eye on the packages when they arrive until they are safely brought inside.
6. Put away any tools or ladder near your home.
Leaving out ladders can be an easy access point for an intruder to access the second story of your house which are more likely to have windows unlocked. These ladders make the perfect entry way into your home if you're not being extra careful. If you have any tools in your backyard or side yard, these can also be of use to enter into your home or be used as heavy material to break windows or doors open if the intruder is looking to do a forced entry. The best way to combat this is securing your tools and ladder in the garage or a properly locked shed.
7. Fix anything outside your home that’s damaged.
This may be an obvious one but having items outside your home that are visibly damaged like missing bricks on your flower bed or a temporary broken window can be a sign to an intruder that things aren’t kept tightly in your home. Fixing anything in your yard like a broken sprinkler or pathway damage quickly is the best way to signal to the community how closely you are taking care of your home and how close of an eye you have on your home's surroundings.
8. Leaving children’s toys on the lawn
Similar to the above situation, leaving bikes or toys on the lawn is another signal that you don’t have a strong watch on your belongings. Intruders looking for houses to enter will look at this as a sign that there might not be many locks or security on the home with items left on the front yard.
9. Leaving lawn furniture openly in your backyard
If you have a bar or sitting area in your backyard, beware of using stools or lawn chairs and keep them locked up at night. These heavier objects can be used to break windows, sliding doors or used to help elevate the intruder onto higher windows at the home. Securing these at night or when they are done being used, is a good habit to prevent intruders from your backyard.
10. Keeping track of your light bulbs outdoors
Notice a light bulb is missing or not working? This could be a signal that someone has been tampering your home and seeing how quickly it was fixed. Also, since light is a common enemy for an intruder as they are trying not to be seen, it's common for burglars to unscrew light bulbs beforehand so when they do invade, the lights will not be working and give them an easier entry way.
11. Create tracks in the snow during winter months
If you are out of town during the winter months, talk to a neighbor or friend to come by your home everyone in a while to walk across your lawn to create tracts. A fresh blanket of snow in the winter months can signal to intruders that no one is home. Getting help from a neighbor to walk across this blanket of snow can signal someone is on the property and watching over the home.
12. Securing your open backyard or backyard leading into a woodsy area
Finding the best ways to secure your backyard areas especially if you are in a more open area is essential. If you are unable to build a fence around your backyard, securing your open space with security cameras is essential to be able to keep watch on your backyard with the open space. The Toucan Wireless Security Camera or Wired Security Camera is essential to place anywhere in your backyard since they are weatherproof and able to be installed almost anywhere
13. Lock your pet door at night if you are able to.
A quick entry point into the home is the small pet door in your garage side yard or backyard. If you have one of these doors, this is an easy entry point for an intruder to stick a tool or their arm through this door to get access to the full door lock. Finding a stronger door that already has a lock installed or adding a security alarm to the pet door.
14. Flowers wilting outside your yard and lawn upkeep.
Another sign that your yard is not being taken care of are flowers wilting outside your yard. Taking care of your front flowers or bushes are essential to sending the signal to the community that you are keeping a watch over your property. When you’re on vacation, make sure that you have someone taking care of your lawn to water your flowers or plants when you’re away.
This goes with mowing your lawn and making sure it’s properly kept. Long grass in your yard can also be a signal that your property is not as secured or no one is living there, making it a target for those looking for home invasion.