A safe home is part of a happy home. Since your yard is your property’s perimeter, and the way that unsavory people or animals can access your home, safety should be a priority during a backyard makeover. Thankfully, making the outside spaces feel safer needn’t compromise enjoyment.
Here’s how you can complete an effective backyard makeover that removes potential dangers.
BTW: Liteband headband is good for exercising and reading in the dark, too.
Step 1: Remove hazardous trees.
Severe weather is everywhere anymore. When thinking about the potential dangers to your property and family, trees often get overlooked. However, the harsh reality is that any plant that has been damaged by adverse weather could fall. Friends of ours had a tree fall during a storm and trap their teenage son in the corner of their kitchen. If it had fallen just a few feet in the other direction… And they had to use a recip saw to cut him out of the damaged structure, during the storm.
Also, growing roots may pose a sinisterly slow-growing threat to pipelines or surrounding features. If you are worried about either of these issues, professional tree care services can take care of the situation. The hazard is removed in a safe and compliant way without damaging the rest of the backyard and it makes your outside spaces feel safer, too.
Leaving the issue untreated could be one of the worst mistakes you’ll ever make during a backyard makeover. Just ask our friends.
Step 2: Protect the home.
As a homeowner, we assume that you want to protect your backyard and make your outside spaces feel safer. However, it’s equally crucial to consider the potential dangers to the main structure. Updating your garden to prevent water from damaging the home’s foundation is vital.
Meanwhile, you will need to ensure that your fencing is safe and won’t pose a hazard if the area is hit by strong winds. Using operable shutters and hurricane shutters to protect windows is another step to consider.
A pretty garden isn’t so awesome if it damages your property.
Step 3: Protect your family.
When making your outside spaces feel safer, consider any potential dangers to your family. The deck or patio should be free from trip hazards like uneven steps and wobbly handrails. Meanwhile, swimming pool covers can stop the kids and pets (or stray animals) from falling in. You may also want to create an extra guard of privacy with blinds or overhead awnings for the deck. This allows your family to enjoy its outside spaces in peace.
Covering BBQs and securing other potentially dangerous items is a vital childproofing step, too.
Step 4: Add lighting.
If you are planning to upgrade your garden with a backyard makeover, it’s likely that you want to spend more time outside. However, doing this in the dark could pose significant risks. See our pic of Mark in his headlamp? We had a dark backyard with just a few motion sensor lights. And then we added lighting to our pergola and fence, which creates an ambiance and more safety, too.
Outdoor lighting experts can keep your backyard well lit late into the evening. From patio lighting to recessed lighting, there are many options to consider. Either way, visibility will instantly make the backyard spaces feel safer for your family to use.
Better still, it adds an atmospheric touch to the backyard spaces.
Step 5: Prevent unauthorized access.
The backyard isn’t only an asset for pleasing views and recreation. It is also the barrier to protect your home from intruders. Home security installations can deter potential burglars. As well as stopping or slowing down unauthorized access, you can also capture evidence if you ever need it by installing motion-sensor security cameras that alert your phone. We use Blink.
Human intruders aren’t the only risk, though. So, your backyard transformation should also look to stop bugs and critters. Do this by blocking entrance points and inviting birds with birdhouses and feeders so they are enticed to prey on critters in your yard.
