March 31, 2023

7 Benefits Of Installing A Privacy Fence

Have you ever looked out onto your residential or commercial property and wished you had more privacy? Many people feel that way, especially if they have children, pets, or valuables to protect. Keep reading to learn everything you ever wanted to know (and then some!) about privacy fences.

A white vinyl privacy fence installed in the backyard of a home in Indiana

Have you ever looked out onto your residential or commercial property and wished you had more privacy? Many people feel that way, especially if they have children, pets, or valuables to protect.

You need a line of defense around your home that deters people from entering your property, or even from trying to get a glimpse at it.

A privacy fence is just the right line of defense for the job. Not only will it make it more difficult for passersby to spy on you, but it’s also hard to climb over. Plus, it adds value to your property! 

And those aren’t the only benefits that privacy fencing provides. But before we get into those, you may be wondering what a privacy fence is and what makes it different from a normal fence. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered there, too! 

Keep reading to learn everything you ever wanted to know (and then some!) about privacy fences.

What Is A Privacy Fence?

A privacy fence is, as the name suggests, a fence designed to keep people from seeing and bothering you or your property. 

At this point, you may be experiencing visions of metal spikes on top of the fence or something equally dramatic. But rest assured that there are subtler (and less aggressive) ways of constructing a fence to keep nosy people from spying or trespassing.

The first distinguishing feature of a privacy fence is its height, which can be anywhere from six to eight feet. * In a practical scenario, you can imagine how this would prevent people from poking their heads over or even daring to scale it. 

But that’s not all that makes this type of fence optimal for privacy. Unlike your common picket or chain link fences, privacy fencing can be specifically designed without slats or any other openings through which someone could peer into your yard. 

*Most city governments impose limits on how high residential fences can be, so be sure to check your local building codes before you settle on any type of fencing on your property.

What Materials Is A Privacy Fence Made Of?

A privacy fence is typically made of vinyl or wood, both of which are beautiful and durable materials. The color is up to you - and there are a lot of different colors to choose from! The main criterion is that the fence can’t be seen through, which is why you shouldn’t choose materials like chain link or wire if privacy is your goal.

How Expensive Is A Privacy Fence?

The cost of a privacy fence depends on a variety of factors, such as:

  • The type of fencing material you’re using (vinyl is more expensive than wood, but the tradeoff is it has a longer lifespan)
  • The height of the fence
  • The size of your property

Due to its height, you should expect privacy fencing to cost a little more than a regular fence, simply because your fence installer will require more material to put it together. And, of course, the bigger your property is, the higher the cost will go.

Pro Tip #1: If you want to save some money, you can always go with wood instead of vinyl. Just be aware that wood requires a lot more maintenance than vinyl in the long run. But if you take care of it, it should last quite a few years before you need to replace it.

Benefits Of Installing A Privacy Fence On Your Property

When you install a privacy fence around your yard, you should get ready to reap a lot of rewards. 

Here are seven benefits you can expect to experience with privacy fencing:

  1. Increases Privacy
  2. Provides Safety For Kids And Pets
  3. Increases Security
  4. Provides A Wind Barrier
  5. Provides A Sound Barrier
  6. Creates A Property Boundary
  7. Could Increase Home Value

Next, we’ll give you a detailed breakdown of each benefit.

Privacy

A privacy fence’s most obvious benefit is that it is a polite but firm way to keep your business to yourself and not the whole neighborhood. As well as deterring your neighbors from spying on you, privacy fencing wards off strangers and passersby who may try to poke their noses where they don’t belong. 

To this, you may say, “Someone could still stand up on a ladder or a box and look over my fence.” They could, but that could attract a lot of unwanted attention - not to mention the fact that it requires more effort than simply peeking through slats or holes in the fence. 

The truth is that people are less likely to try to invade your private space if you make it difficult for them to do so. A privacy fence serves that purpose to a “T.”

Safety For Kids And Pets

Nothing is more precious than our children. That’s why, even when they’re out in your private backyard or side yard, we know you want to take every precaution to ensure their safety. 

For kids who love to play outside, a privacy fence is a great choice. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, it provides excellent protection for your kids from strangers as well as animals. And second, it also deters the adventurous children from climbing over the fence themselves and getting hurt or lost.

A privacy fence can provide the same benefit for pets as it does for your kids. With a privacy fence that’s between six and eight feet tall, you won’t have to worry about your dog jumping out of the yard and running away. Additionally, you won’t have to be concerned about wild animals – like deer, foxes, coyotes, and roving dogs – getting in your yard and destroying your property or attacking your furry friends.

Pro Tip #2: If animals getting in (or out) of your yard is a pet worry of yours, we recommend choosing vinyl as the material for your privacy fence. Vinyl is more difficult for animal claws and paws to find purchase on.

Security

Most homeowners nowadays have some sort of alarm that lets them know whenever someone tries to break into their front or back doors. Unfortunately, the alarm doesn’t stop people who want to break in or harass you from going up to your door in the first place. 

A privacy fence - high, difficult to scale, and completely solid - is that deterrent that’s missing from your current alarm system. Not only can thieves not see through it, but they can’t see over it, either. And even in the unlikely event that they did decide to make the extra effort to climb over the tall fence, they would certainly have a difficult time getting back over while carrying off anything of value. 

Remember, if you make it hard for thieves and other people who wish you harm to gain access to your property, they are much more likely to move on. A privacy fence is no cakewalk.

In addition to rounding out your existing home security measures, this type of fence also brings you security of a different variety. The peace you feel knowing that you have a strong, sturdy fence surrounding you and your loved ones like a wall is well worth the cost and effort of installation.

Wind Barrier

Another benefit of a privacy fence is the way it functions as an effective barrier between your home and those 50 mph wind gusts we get in Indiana from time to time. It will help protect your yard and any items you have stored on it – as well as the façade of your home – from getting blown away or damaged by flying debris carried into your yard by high winds. 

Sound Barrier

If you live on a busy street or near a highway, then you may be interested in a privacy fence as a sound barrier. The height of the fence and its gapless construction work together to reduce ambient noise floating into your yard. That means you and your family can enjoy being outside without your voices being drowned out by construction noise, lawn mowers, neighbors’ music, and other annoying sounds. 

Property Boundary

In case you don’t already have a fence delineating your property boundary, a nice, tall privacy fence is an effective way for homeowners to say, “This belongs to me!” That’s not an empty gesture, as it lets strangers know where not to trespass. 

Along the same lines, privacy fencing allows you to designate a safe space on your property for your kids or pets to go outside and play, or for you to tend a garden or do any number of other wholesome outdoor activities.

Home Value

Conscientious homeowners will be excited to hear that a privacy fence can actually increase your home value - by between 10%-25%. That's a pretty significant gain (especially in the current housing market)!

You may be wondering why this is. According to Progressive, a fence that offers privacy (along with other features, like curb appeal) is attractive to many potential homebuyers. The right buyer may be willing to pay more money for a residential property that already has a handsome, well-kept privacy fence installed on it.

Pro Tip #3: You can potentially increase the value of your privacy fence by ensuring it is as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional. 

If you’ve never picked out fencing materials before, you may be surprised by how many options there are for colors and designs. Working with a professional privacy fence company, you can come up with a fence design that lends to the beauty of your home, while still giving you the privacy and security you desire. 

How Do I Get Privacy Fencing In Southern Indiana?

At ARK Fencing, we are a professional, family-owned privacy fence company serving customers in Southern Indiana as well as the rest of the state. Not only do we offer premium fencing materials for commercial and residential properties at the best price, but we offer timely and expert installation that is backed by many years of experience. 

Click here to schedule a free consultation and request a free quote for your new privacy fence!