Anchor Furniture To Patio
Although anchoring your outdoor furniture to the patio can deter some thieves, wire ties and tie-down anchors can be easily cut. If your patio can be drilled into, you can anchor your patio furniture with expanding eye bolts or ring anchors. Drilling is a more permanent solution and will make it difficult to switch out your patio furniture. You can buy an 8-pack of deck anchors for less than $20, but theyre meant to keep your patio furniture from flying away.
Secure Patio Furniture At Night
Used steel cables and a padlock to lock patio furniture at night. Make sure that the cable runs through each item , so a thief cannot pick up the item and move it.
For convenience, install a security anchor to the side of your house or even to the base of your patio. A security anchor has a small footprint, so it wont affect the look of your outdoor landscaping. AnchorHog security anchor connects to wood, brick, cement and other materials and acts as a secure base for your cable and padlock. Each AnchorHog security anchor can secure three items.
For small items, such as cushions, get a locking box and secure all the cushions inside the box each night.
How To Secure Outdoor Patio Furniture From Theft
A patio without any furniture is a barren sight to behold. So is a larger garden without at least a few chairs and a table. No one will disagree that adding some furniture to these areas can make them look nicer and add functionality. But unfortunately any furniture left outdoors is an easy target for thieves lurking around the corner.
The best way to secure patio furniture is to store it indoors while youre away. Alternatively, lock the furniture together with a steel cable and a padlock. Small battery-powered alarms can be placed on pieces of furniture or one piece if theyre all locked together so that any movement triggers the alarm. Also consider monitoring the area with a motion-sensor equipped security camera.
The first problem is that outdoor furniture is usually visible to any passerby near your property. The second problem is that there isnt a strong barrier such as a wall and a locked door that can prevent the theft of the furniture or at least make it difficult enough to reduce the risk.
So the strategies for protecting outdoor furniture, including patio furniture need to address these two fundamental security tactics: deterrence and actual difficulty of stealing the object in question. Here are 10 very simple but effective tips you can start using today:
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Keep Your Dogs On Guard
If you are a dog owner, you can let them loose at night to provide security. Let them roam the backyard and keep watch while you sleep or when you are away.
It does not matter the size of the dog you have. Even smaller ones can bark loud enough to alert you to any potential intrusion. The sound of the dog will also scare away the intruders and force them to consider looking somewhere other than your home.
Will Your Insurance Cover Any Thefts
For households concerned about garden thefts, garden insurance should come under your home contents policy and will cover things like plants, furniture and equipment left out in the open.
This is Money asked Go Compare to analyse their data and find out how many policies would cover garden thefts.
The comparison site looked at 393 home contents insurance policies and found that only 36 did not provide cover for theft of garden contents left out in the open as standard.
A further 36 provided a maximum of £300 of cover and a further 12 policies provided cover of up to £500.
Some 298 policies include cover of £1,000 or more for garden contents left out in the open whilst 235 policies included plants in the garden cover as standard, with 34 offering it as an optional extra.
From those policies which provide plant cover, only two policies provide cover of £500 or less, 34 provide cover of between £500 and £999, 71 provide cover between £1,000 and £1,499 and 161 policies provide cover of £1500 or more.
The cover usually extends only to theft of plants and not accidental damage.
Accidental damage to furniture and equipment left outside is rarely covered by additional accidental damage protection, even if you’ve paid extra to cover your home contents.
‘If you have invested in new garden furniture during lockdown, it’s important to be aware of the limited cover provided by some home contents insurance policies, both for garden theft and accidental damage.’
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Optimize The Layout Of The Furniture
When youre deciding the layout of your patio space, the first thing youre likely to consider is the best aesthetics. Youd want to ensure that the outdoor area looks beautiful and offers all customers a nice view to enjoy. However, another crucial element to keep in mind is optimizing the placement of the furniture to maximise security.
Use these pointers to help you
- Enclose the patio area using fences, dividers, or planters.
- Ensure there is plenty of space between the furniture to create a clear path for customers and servers.
- Install entry-way locks to restrict access outside of business hours.
- Place your patio furniture in a way that makes it easy for the staff to store chairs, potted plants, and umbrellas inside.
Secure Your Patio Furniture In Place With Ground Anchors
You can always buy specialty stakes and ground anchors from Amazon or hardware and big box stores near you. You will also need a security cable to attach your patio furniture to the ground anchor.
Once you have the tools ready, drill a hole into the patio, decking, or wall with a hammer drill. It is recommended that you make the hole slightly deeper than the length of your anchors.
Next, drop the anchor sleeve into the hole you have just drilled, and tap the anchor until only the ring is visible. Insert an anchor into the sleeve and twist it in place until only the ring is visible on the ground surface.
Finish off the job by passing a security chain or cable through the ring and then the patio equipment you want to secure, and lock it all together. It is upon you to decide which lock will get the job done for you between a regular padlock and a combination lock.
For your safety, always wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from any flying objects or debris while doing this task.
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Wireless Outdoor Security Camera
Zmodo security camera in action
How can a WIRELESS outdoor camera protect your outdoor furniture? Well its another excellent deterrent AND an even better alert system. If it has a motion sensor as most wireless cameras do, it can send you a notification on your mobile phone or computer if it picks up any strange movement in the area.
This is pretty useful because you can receive the alert and check the area regardless of where you are. You could be at work or on vacation in Bahamas and still receive the alert through WiFi if someone is on your property. Then you can actually check through the camera and see whats going on and decide whether to call the police or call your neighbor because his dog got off the leash.
Its important that the camera has: a motion sensor, WiFi connectivity and night vision. It should also be an outdoor camera, which means that its more resistant to harsh weather conditions and that the video quality is better for monitoring larger areas.
The most popular outdoor home security camera that has these features is Zmodo Wireless Camera from Amazon. This camera is actually pretty cheap, costing less than $35. Wireless means that it has WiFi connectivity, however you still need to plug it into an electric outlet. Just as with installing floodlights, its best to install the camera on a higher position where its harder to reach.
Does Garden Furniture Get Stolen
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To help you achieve this, we’ve compiled eight tips to help prevent your outdoor furniture blowing away.
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Use Patio Weights Or Sandbags
If you need a cheap way to weigh down patio furniture, you can always use sandbags from your local home improvement store.All you need to do is place them on pieces that are lightweight and you should be good.While these bags look sturdy, they can break open during a hurricane which will topple them over.Do you really want to get sand everywhere? Only use these if you live somewhere the wind does not blow that hard and the weather remains pleasant.
A good alternative to these are outdoor furniture weights that are designed specifically to hold down furniture such as ABC Canopy bags.These work quite well on tents, gazebos, patio umbrellas, and basically any furniture that you want to place outside.Each of these bags can hold up to 40lbs of sand and unlike traditional sandbags, they wont fly off because they can be secured with hook and loop straps.Just attach these to your chair legs, and those chairs will still be there after a windy day.
Install A Security Camera
Security cameras are reportedly the most effective way to deter crime. When surveyed, 50% of potential burglars stated that surveillance cameras were enough to make them abandon the robbery. Well-placed cameras might not make the job physically harder for burglars, but it certainly makes it less appealing.
In the event of a crime, a security camera can offer important evidence. Perhaps even more importantly, security cameras can provide peace of mind. Security cameras used to be a luxury reserved for commercial businesses or the rich and famous. Despite security firm Rings constant privacy risks, the company continues to grow which could be due to its accessibility. Home security systems like Dome, Arlo, Google Nest, and SimpliSafe offer starter kits for less than $300, with monthly monitoring as low as $10.
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Install Security Cameras To Protect Outdoor Furniture
Installing security cameras will not make it physically harder for people to steal your outdoor furniture, but it will make it hard for them to do it unnoticed. Often, the presence of well-placed security cameras is enough to send a thief to another potential location with fewer obstacles. Make sure your cameras are hung professionally and cover all the areas you need to see.
Keep The Patio Area Well Lit Or Use Motion
Thieves work best in darkness. They use the cover of night to mask their identity. Lights are a deterrent to them in this regard. Keeping security lights on at night may leave the criminal with nowhere to hide.
Criminals also tend to like breaking into homes that appear unoccupied. A well-lit patio area gives the impression of the presence of people in the house. Thieves will be hard-pressed to attempt to steal from such a place.
You could also install motion detector flood lights that come on if someone steps into the patio area. Such lights can serve the same purpose as a security alarm scaring intruders away. The lights will turn on upon detecting any motion, making the impostor think they just woke the homeowner.
They are low-priced, and most models allow you to program them for sensitivity and range. Such lights will stay off when there is no motion triggering them. This mechanism keeps them from running up your electricity bill.
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Install Motion Sensor Lights
Install bright, motion sensor lights up high somewhere, pointing down to act as floodlights when they detect movement. Theyre great for alerting you of a presence in your garden and a good way of deterring thieves as they will want to try and stay out of range.
Unfortunately, these lights will also be triggered by local cats, dogs, and other nocturnal wildlife so it can be a pain if you have a bedroom window facing the garden. An alternative to motion sensor lights is just to have a light on in your garden permanently. Like a streetlight, it will be less of an annoyance for people sleeping in the house, as its not going on and off all night, but it will use up a lot more electricity.
The Best Way To Lock Patio Furniture
There’s also professional alarms you can buy which might be made designed for patio furniture and grills. Many models have a screech alarm that isn’t only designed to discourage the thief but let you know that someone is attempting to steal your stuff….More
There’s also professional alarms you can buy which might be made designed for patio furniture and grills. Many models have a screech alarm that isn’t only designed to discourage the thief but let you know that someone is attempting to steal your stuff. These are typically motion activated if you battle with raccoons exploring your yard at night, the alarm could possibly be embark inadvertently.Less
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Make The Property Less Inviting
Most thieves are looking for properties that are easy to access. By making your yard look uninviting you can deter most thieves. Keep shrubs trimmed back so theyre not tall enough to hide thieves from sight of passerby. Install motion-sensing lights throughout the backyard. Last, check your property for areas of vulnerability and assess what you can do. Installing a security camera in a dark corner can give a thief pause.
How To Protect Your Patio Furniture From Theft
Protecting patio furniture from theft is often not the last thing we think about before we doze off to bed each night. Theft of high-end patio furniture is quite common, a surprising fact to many. Recent news has reported the story of a man who stole over $5K in outdoor furniture.
Take pictures to make sure that insurance will reimburse you in the case of theft but there are no guarantees. You should save receipts for documentation as well. The best solution is to use some of these ideas to keep thieves from stealing your patio furniture and spreading the word to friends and neighbors about this type of activity.
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Home Security Tips For Your Backyard And Patio
Your backyard is speciala place to create memories with your children, host family barbecues, and sit back and relax with your family. Youve put in the effort to design a backyard that suits your family just right.
Wed like to help you keep it that way.
Learn how to protect your outdoor furniture and other belongings from both property theft and harsh weather conditions with these six tips.
How You Can Protect Your Belongings
Aviva and Go Compare have provided the following hints and tips to protect your possessions around the home and garden:
Put away your garden tools, children’s toys and bikes at the end of the day.
Hide or cover bulky items which can’t be locked away, such as large barbecues, fire pits and garden furniture.
If you’ve been to the garden centre and brought flowers, shrubs or trees, keep them out of sight until you’ve had the chance to plant them.
Lock your sheds and outbuildings, and look at replacing any rusty padlocks. Also lock up ladders and secure wheelie bins they are perfect for giving burglars a leg up into the rest of your home.
Keep boundary hedges and fences well maintained – this will help deter opportunistic thieves.
Plant prickly shrubs or hedges as a defence.
Consider installing security lighting or CCTV.
Use a security pen to mark valuable items that are left in the open with your postcode
Avoid sharing images of your expensive outdoor investments on social media.
If you’ve got rare or exotic plants, statues or art in your garden, it might be worth looking at specialist garden cover.
Andrew Moore, home claims director at More Than, said: ‘Items of unsecured garden furniture can be easy pickings for opportunistic thieves. With many retailers reporting shortages, we could see a rise in theft of these types of items as thieves look to take advantage.
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Install A High Perimeter Fence And Gate
High gates and fences provide privacy. Thieves usually need to scout the area they intend to steal from. Getting a clear picture of the target commodity is central to their planning and vital to their success. A high fence will block their view and keep them from having a clear sight of your patio from outside.
Even where criminals can still see your patio, it will be difficult for them to hop over a tall fence with your furniture and escape. It can also make it hard for them to gain access to your home in the first place.
If thieves are unable to gain easy access to your patio, it could put them off. Just ensure that any walls or fences surrounding your property are in good condition. Check to see that the gates are secure. If there are any rot signs, you will want to fix the weak parts to make them impossible to kick down.
Lock Your Furniture Together
This is the most simple and easy way to secure outdoor furniture. Its not 100% foolproof but if you cant or arent willing to store your furniture inside its the second best option.
Wind a security cable or a chain through the arms or legs of the pieces and lock them down with the designated lock or a different padlock. If the device youre using is thick enough, chances are that the thief wont be able to cut through it to release the furniture. At least not quickly or quietly enough to get away with it without anyone noticing.
Stealing multiple pieces of furniture locked together like that is pretty much impossible, because its difficult to carry and difficult to store inside a vehicle. However like I said, make sure that youre using a strong enough chain/cable, because the protection that this method provides depends solely on the quality of the locking device being used.
I recommend using this affordable 30 ft long steel cable in combination with Master Lock solid steel padlock. The cable is tough and long enough to pull through multiple pieces of furniture, while the padlock is one of the toughest on the market and its designed for securing different areas. So in addition to being used with a steel cable, it can also be used to secure a garage, shed, storage unit, moving truck, trailer etc.
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