The Future of Garden Security Technology and Trends

Gardens are often seen as sanctuaries and a place to relax, unwind, and connect with nature. They’re a place to get away from the stresses of work and household chores and enjoy peace and quiet. However, with the increasing frequency of thefts, vandalism and burglaries, your garden might no longer be the safe havens they once were. But in better news, in recent years, smart home trends have made significant strides in providing homeowners with a sense of security and peace of mind. With the right planning, it’s possible to make use of the latest tech and devices to keep your garden the safe haven you want it to be. Why is it important to secure your garden? When you’re protecting your home, it’s not just the house itself you need to consider but also the land surrounding it. Thieves look to gardens, sheds, garages and outbuildings for items to steal too, especially in rural areas, and during the summer, gardens can become a popular target for criminals who leave valuables and garden furniture outside. What’s more, vandals can be problematic, such as trampling plants, knocking over garden ornaments or damaging tools and garden furniture. Criminals may also use your garden as a way to find hidden entrances or vulnerable spots in your home where they can remain hidden until they can break in. Garden burglary is incredibly common, with over 100,000 incidents reported every year. So, it’s important to keep your garden secure year-round. When you’re armed with cameras, motion sensor lights and other security tools, you’ll feel more protected and able to enjoy your garden to the full. How does a burglar see your garden? Before you invest in security devices, think about how an intruder might look at your garden. You naturally want to strike the balance between a beautiful garden and one that feels safe, and there are ways you can achieve this with clever planning. Ask yourself some questions to get in the mindset of someone approaching your garden, such as is there an easy way to get into the back garden? Are your fences durable and secure? Are there areas in the garden where an intruder could hide unseen? Are there tools which are easily accessible that they could use to break into your home? These questions will help you problem-solve and find ways to make your garden safer. There are several ways to protect and secure your garden, from planting thorny bushes at the base of fences, installing gravel paths to the property and outbuildings so that they make a noise when walked on, and using anti-grip paint on any vertical poles and posts. Naturally, having strong locks on gates and doors is essential – mortice locks are particularly strong but choosing a keyless lock will remove the risk of someone finding your key and gaining access. But there are other technologically-driven trends in home security which are making it easier than ever to protect your property. The future of smart home technology The smart market has grown considerably on a global scale in recent years, and its trajectory is only expected to climb further as new technologies enter the market. Home automation products are incredibly popular, and they not only offer more convenience for homeowners, but they also help to make a home more secure from unwanted intruders and criminal activity. From thermostats to smart lock technology, smart home trends span a wide variety of products now, creating entire smart home systems that work in tandem with one another. They enable you to control every inch of your home, making it a more comfortable and secure place to be. Smart homes offer several advantages. They help to cut costs, reduce your impact on the environment and save you money on your bills every month – since you can adjust them whenever you need to, and switch devices on and off remotely, you only pay for them when you need them. Smart homes give you complete visibility over your home, so you can monitor it wherever you are and protect it from intruders even if you’re not home. Smart home technology has vastly transformed how we secure our homes, and with locks and lighting, homeowners are able to deter intruders and prevent the risk of their homes looking empty when they’re away. For example, security cameras can be installed by driveways or in front gardens, so you have clear visibility over any activity in and around your home. Home and garden security trends have transformed the way we interact with properties. Here, we’ll explore some of the most popular UK garden security trends and how people are using technology to keep their homes and gardens secure. Smart lighting Smart lighting has been a staple of interior home technology for some time, but in 2023, that trend will extend to the outdoors. It’s one of the easier smart garden trends to implement and there are various lighting options to choose from, from motion-activated lights to lighting you can control remotely. When you leave home, you want to make sure that lights are off or on, depending on the time of day. With smart lighting you can either set timers so they come on or switch off automatically, or you can control them via an app on your home which saves you money, cuts back on unnecessary electricity usage and also makes your garden safer. Smart cameras Smart cameras have been around for a while now, but their usefulness in garden security cannot be overstated. They have a range of features that can make them an effective security measure for gardens. They can be set up to detect motion and alert homeowners to potential intruders. They can also be connected to a mobile device, so homeowners can keep an eye on their garden even when they’re away. The future of smart cameras lies in the advancement of their capabilities. Previously, they used Wi-Fi to transmit footage, but now they can be equipped with 5G technology. This ensures that homeowners have a more stable and reliable connection to their cameras, which improves their response time to potential threats. Additionally, smart cameras are becoming more sophisticated in their ability to recognise and distinguish between humans and animals. This will help reduce the number of false alarms and ensure that homeowners are only alerted when there is a genuine threat. Drones Drones have become increasingly popular in recent years, and they have a range of uses, including in garden security. Drones can be equipped with cameras, making them an excellent tool for monitoring large gardens or areas that are difficult to access. Drones mean it’s possible to hone in on a potential intruder to detect them before they act and in many cases, record that footage and store it so you have evidence should you need it later on. As the technology evolves, they could also be programmed to patrol a garden at specific times, alerting homeowners to any potential threats they come across, without you having to lift a finger. Biometric locks Biometric locks are a type of lock that uses a person’s unique characteristics, such as their fingerprint or facial recognition, to grant access. They are becoming increasingly popular in home security, and the trend is likely to continue well into the future. Facial recognition technology, for example, is a popular option in home automation technology and it can be used to deliver an added layer of security for your home and your garden. Biometric locks can be used to secure garden gates, sheds, and other outbuildings. They provide a high level of security, as they can’t be easily bypassed or picked by intruders and thieves. Additionally, they can be integrated with other smart home security systems, providing homeowners with a complete security solution. Keyless locks which can be opened with a smartphone app are also an option, and a great solution if you’re someone who is prone to losing your keys. They’re practical, as you can grant access to others if you need to, such as the dog walker or house sitter, and protects the home and garden from unauthorised access. Virtual fences Virtual fences are a new technology that uses a combination of sensors and algorithms to create a virtual boundary around a property. They are being developed as an alternative to traditional physical fences, which can be expensive and difficult to maintain. Virtual fences can be used to secure gardens, alerting homeowners when someone enters the virtual boundary. They can also be used to keep pets within a certain area of the garden, without the need for a physical fence. The future of virtual fences is likely to involve the integration of AI technology. AI can be used to learn and adapt to patterns of behaviour, making it easier to distinguish between genuine threats and false alarms. Video doorbells Being able to screen your visitors or see people approaching your property is a huge advantage when it comes to keeping your home and your assets protected. And they’re easy to install. You’ll be able to see, listen to and speak to visitors from any location, and you’ll have quick visibility if someone is approaching your home. This visibility means that you can alert the authorities if you need to, even if you’re not at home yourself, should anything sinister occur. The benefit of a video doorbell is that you won’t just be notified if someone is ringing your doorbell but also if someone is close to it, such as someone trying to gain access secretly. AI and ML-enhanced security systems AI and ML technology (artificial intelligence and machine learning, respectively) is an increasingly prevalent way of improving the efficiency and accuracy of home security systems. AI-based devices, for example, can analyse data from motion sensors and cameras to identify a potential threat and alert homeowners or authorities when necessary. Technology is not only becoming more complex and sophisticated, but also more discrete. Inconspicuous hardware that’s integrated into the home is becoming increasingly popular and innovative. For example, brands such as Sonos and IKEA are providing lamps and even wall art that is embedded with speaker technology. Likewise, the Echo Show 15 looks just like a traditional photo frame but is installed with Amazon Alexa and Fire included. This technology is expected to evolve further to be included in other outdoor devices that will look like traditional items but will be equipped with high-tech capabilities. Predictive data analytics With the transformation in how our home security systems operate, it’s only a matter of time before predictive data analytics becomes a standard element of cameras and similar software. Predictive data analytics can significantly improve home security by using advanced algorithms to analyse data from various sources, including sensors, cameras and other smart home devices. It can detect unusual behaviour or activity that could indicate a potential threat, such as if the system detects that someone is repeatedly attempting to enter the home at unusual times, it can alert the homeowner or security personnel to investigate. Similarly, it can be used to develop a personalised security plan based on the homeowner’s behaviour, to arm or disarm security systems based on their routine or identifying vulnerable areas of the home. It has the potential to transform home security by providing a more proactive and personalised approach to protecting homes and families Final thoughts It’s an exciting time in the home technology sector as the devices we use evolve faster than ever before. It doesn’t seem that long ago that having fencing and an alarm in place was sufficient to secure your property. But as criminals get more intelligent with how they approach break-ins, homeowners need to be smarter with how they combat those risks. Smart devices don’t only bring greater convenience and comfort but they make it possible to secure our assets even when we’re not in the property, so we have greater peace of mind wherever we are.

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