Whether you're against the idea of property rights or not, the quote above by Robert Frost is still famous. I'm not here to write about property rights however. Residential security is my passion, and barriers, specifically fences for today's topic, are a large part of that security.
Fences create boundaries. They tell people, "This land separates that land." Do you listen to fences? Maybe you should. Depending on where they are, they may have some pretty good stories to tell! There are no fences here to steal my glory though, so I'll tell a story instead.
The more you read in life, the more frustrated you become trying to share your ever growing knowledge. It's as if the more you learn, the less others will listen. I've read and heard it compared to a curse. For example a friend laughed at me once when I told him the Great Wall of China was built to entrap escaping invaders not keep them out.
A fence around your property won't keep invaders out either. It will however serve as a legal boundary. Once the boundary is crossed too, the motive of the person bypassing it is better understood to be negative. You want a fence to provide a beginning layer of defense. In physical security the primary strategy followed is defense in depth. A perimeter fence is your first layer.
Depending on your property, your fence may only separate the city street from your front porch. If you're in the country, a perimeter fence could stretch for thousands of feet in each direction to seal in the entire property. Both city and country fences will have a variety of gates too. You should have gates and keep them closed when not in use. An open gate is an open invitation after all. What good is a fortified defensive wall if the gate house is left wide open?
Unlike the Great Wall of China, your fence should be see through. By having a solid fence, you provide those who have crossed it automatic concealment. Retaining walls much closer to your home can and should be solid, but keep your perimeter fence transparent. Then your neighbors and people traveling past your property will be able to see what is happening.
My preference for a perimeter wall is a chain link fence secured in a foundation of concrete. The material is much cheaper than higher grade iron or steel rod construction. Also, it is transparent, difficult to climb, and inexpensive to repair. You can easily retrofit it with varying levels of barbed or razor wire too if the Mongols are galloping towards your castle.
One of the best attributes of chain link fencing is its durability. Fence companies don't want to sell you chain link fences because chain link fences last forever and do not require maintenance. Remember your childhood school grounds? Go back to them today. The same chain link fence you leaned against to get your first sloppy kiss is probably still there. Now there's an argument for solid material fencing.
Privacy does not always equal security however.
The Chinese could not determine where an attack would occur. However, once the invaders were inside and being pursued, the wall performed miracles. It prevented the enemy's easy escape, slowed them down, and often entrapped them. Taking the Chinese loot back to Mongolia was no longer an easy task.
Your home perimeter fence does the same thing. Consider it the first of many layers of defense. You want the thief advancing on your home to be seen while also delaying his prompt escape with your large screen television.
I welcome comments and suggestions below. These posts only scratch the surface of the material being discussed, so there's plenty of room for further discussion. It is my hope to present the information in an entertaining and educational way. If you've learned something new from what I've shared, let me know. If you have something new to teach me, I welcome it as well. We are all both teachers and students. Thank you!
