Many people know the benefits of an electric fence for security as well as keeping livestock in the fields, but very few know how the electric fence came to be. Who had the first idea? What was the first motive and how did it evolve over the years? These are all questions that beg to be answered and are fascinating for anyone who is considering an electric perimeter security fence.   

The First Mentions of Electric Fences  

The first mention of an electric fence is credited to Fanny Trollope in 1832. She described an electric fence used to protect a museum exhibit in her book, Domestic Manners of the Americans. Thirty-eight years later in 1870, Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea detailed a defensive weapon that used electrification. Following his footsteps in 1889, Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Author’s Court also featured an electric fence.  

Fences for War Borders  

Electric fences were used as wartime defense mechanisms as early as 1905, when the Russian army improvised them during the Russo-Japanese War at Port Arthur. By World War I, the German army had developed the idea into a fence that stretched the entire 186-mile border between Belgium and the Netherlands. Called “The Wire of Death,” this fence was amped to thousands of bolts, was backed by barbed wire, and was used to stop people from crossing the border without authorization.   

Agricultural Uses 

1936 was the year Bill Gallagher, a New Zealand inventor, decided to do something about the fact that his horse was using his car for a scratching post. He made an electric fence from a Meccano set and a car’s ignition coil. His idea went global when he started the Gallagher Group, which is still thriving today under his son’s ownership. In 1962, another New Zealander by the name of Doug Philips used capacitor discharge to increase an electric fence’s range capacity from several hundred yards to 20 miles.    

Improvements in Fencing  

In 1939, electric fences started to be regulated by the U.S. government, amid concerns of public safety. ANSI/UL standards were implemented for fence controllers, which prompted design improvements. Polyethylene insulators replaced porcelain ones, bringing down the cost. Other improvements included high tensile steel and moveable fence components.   

A Perimeter Security Fence for Every Need 

America Fence knows that your property needs protecting with advanced technology that helps deter, detect, and delay intruders. Our fences are an effective way to secure any outdoor area. From manufacturing plants and prisons to secluded properties and defense department sites, we supply the perfect fence for your application. We partner with Gallagher Security Systems, which is a division of the company that started it all with modern electric fencing. This allows us to offer the most advanced technology on the market for your property.   

Protect your property and assets by calling America Fence today at 770-931-4077 

Whether you’re looking to install a security fence around your residence or commercial property, it’s important to make sure you’re hiring an expert. This is especially important if you want to put an electric perimeter security fence around your property, because the installer must be knowledgeable in how to properly set up and install the fence so that it functions consistently and safely.  

Fences are only as good as their installation, which is why you want to look for experts that are experienced, professional, and will get the job done correctly without skimping or cutting corners. Here are a few tips on how to spot an expert security fence installer.  

What to Look for in a Security Fence Installer

Bonded and Insured

A fence installer who isn’t properly licensed, insured, and bonded presents a liability to your property. If an uninsured crew member gets hurts at your residence or commercial property, the responsibility for paying will fall to you as the owner. Be sure to ask if the fence company is insured, and request to see proof.  

Reviews, Testimonials, and Referrals

Word-of-mouth goes a long way to establish a fence company’s credibility. While almost every company can get a bad review, there should be more positive feedback than negative. If there are negative reviews, see how the company responds to them — did they quickly address and try to resolve the issue?  

Client referrals and testimonials are a great way to determine if you’re looking at an expert fence installer. Since fence companies work within local areas, ask around to see who other property owners have trusted with their fencing needs.  

Choose the Right Installer for Your Electric Security Fence

Provides and Sticks to a Quote

Expert fence companies know the expected costs, materials, and time that will go into finishing your fencing project. Ask for a free consultation to evaluate project costs. If they won’t give you an honest quote, or try to leave room to add in additional costs later, that’s not the fence installer you want to work with. You shouldn’t have to pay more than what you were initially quoted.  

Established and Experienced

America Fence Company has been installing all types of commercial and residential fencing since 1968. Our employees are all E-verified, bonded, and insured, making us the fence company you can trust. We offer free consultations and always cater to the needs of the client. Whether you want a privacy fence at your residence, or an electric perimeter security fence installed at your commercial property, our level of expertise is second to none. Call America Fence Company at 770-931-4077 to schedule your free consultation today.   

As a business owner, you know that your property, assets, and equipment needs to be protected from the risk of theft, intrusions, vandalism, and unauthorized visits from strangers. A fence is the best way to protect your business, because they create a physical and psychological deterrent to keep criminals out.  

From a liability standpoint, fencing also ensures that you control who can go where on your property, keeping customers and employees safe.  

An electric perimeter security fence is one of the best ways to secure your property and protect your business. With so many fence types available, here are five signs that your business needs an electric security fence.  

Your Business Needs an Electric Security Fence if…

You Have Outdoor Assets

Whether you own a warehouse, distribution center, or auto dealership, if you store valuable assets outdoors, you need to secure them with an electric fence. Property that’s stored outside is often the first things intruders go after, which can be costly for your business.  

You Store High-Value Products

In addition to storing your assets and equipment outside, the overall value of your products should factor into your choice to install an electric perimeter security fence. Chain-link and even barbed wire fences can be cut or climbed, but if an intruder tries to damage or disarm an electric fence, it triggers an immediate alarm.  

You Should Protect Your Business with an Electric Security Fence if…

You’ve Had Past Security Breaches

If your previous security efforts haven’t deterred criminal activity, it’s time to consider an electric fence. Its physical presence, as well as the threat of a non-lethal but painful shock, will help keep intruders off your property.  

There’s Been Crime in Your Area

Don’t wait until thieves come to you to protect your property. If you experience a break-in, you’ll lose money not only in asset losses — filing an insurance claim is likely to increase your rates.  

You Need 24/7 Security Monitoring

Alarms, cameras, and even security guards can’t match the protection you’ll get from an electric security fence. They’re a safe and effective crime deterrent, and can be integrated with other security systems such as intruder alarms.  

America Fence Company partners with a worldwide leader in security fences, Gallagher Security Systems, to ensure your fence is reliable, trustworthy, and secures your business. We’ll work with you to help you decide what level of protection is best for your business’s needs.  

Contact America Fence online or call 770-931-4077 today to find out how to protect your property with an electric perimeter security fence. 

Fences, regardless of their type, are used to prevent intruders or trespassers from accessing homes, commercial properties, and high-security areas. Using an electric perimeter security fence is an effective way to protect your property and valuable assets.  

In addition to the high-voltage electricity that passes through them, electric security fences offer many advantages to the properties they protect.  Here are five benefits of electric security fencing. 

Electric Perimeter Security Fences Offer Several Advantages

Deterrence, Detection, and Delay

Electric perimeter security fences deter potential intruders from accessing your property, standing in their way as a physical, intimidating barrier. While the shock these fences deliver is non-lethal, it’s enough to stop most people in their tracks, delaying their attempt to steal your assets or materials.   

Should someone attempt to cross the fence barrier in spite of the electric shock, high-security options such as intruder alarms will detect the intruder’s presence when they access your property. In addition to detecting security breaches, intruder alarms will also alert you to doors being opened or devices being tampered with.  

Ease of Installation

While electric fences should always be installed by professionals, they’re known for being easy to install, use, and maintain. Rather than incurring extra cost of building brand new fences, electric perimeter security fences can be installed parallel to or on top of your existing fence structure. Traditional fencing materials are heavy and sometimes difficult to transport, which can add to the cost and time it takes to get them installed.  

Fewer Maintenance Costs

Electric fences are composed of steel or aluminum wires that have been coated with a protective material to prevent rusting. You don’t have to worry about damage caused by precipitation, and there’s no need to paint or re-stain the material like you would for a wooden fence. The basic maintenance these fences require include checking for adequate voltage in the wires with a voltage meter, preventing grass and other objects from touching the fence, and checking the connections.  

Why Electric Security Fences Are a Smart Way to Protect Your Property

Versatility

Almost any existing fence structure can be modified to include an electric fencing component. It can be added to the top of a fence structure to deter intruders from climbing over, or at the bottom of a security fence to stop trespassers from crawling under. It can be installed on cement walls, chain-link fencing, and even decorative wrought iron fencing.  

Safety

When compared to an intrusion deterrent like barbed wire, electric fences are a safer way to secure your property. Barbed wired can cause potentially fatal injuries, while an electric perimeter security fence delivers a non-lethal shock that can have its voltage adjusted up or down.  

As you can see, electric fencing offers many benefits besides their ability to detect, deter, and delay unwanted visitors from accessing your property and valuable assets. When you work with America Fence, we’ll make sure that you get an electric fence that perfectly matches your protection needs. Contact America Fence online or by calling 770-931-4077 to reap the benefits of an electric perimeter security fence.  

If you want to secure your property against potential intruders, you can’t beat the protection and peace of mind you get from electric fences. They’re your first line of defense, and will deter, detect, and delay those that threaten your business, your assets, and your property.  

Electric fences use non-lethal electric shocks that will stop unwanted intruders from climbing the fence, making them a safer choice than a potentially dangerous barbed wire fence. An electric perimeter security fence can come in several styles and sizes, depending on your needs. If you want to safeguard your property with an electric fence, here are some factors to consider. 

Electric Fence is a Physical and Psychological Deterrent

Electric fences can piggyback on an existing fence, function on top of a wall, or stand alone as a main perimeter barrier. Wall tops and stand-alone electric fences are especially good at acting as physical deterrents, because their height and imposing presence will discourage unwanted visitors from going any further.  

Regardless of the fence’s physical presence, the threat of electric shock acts as a psychological deterrent against trespassers and intruders. If the sign on the fencing advertising its voltage doesn’t deter intruders, the experience of the electric shock will. The voltage intensity can be adjusted according to your security needs, but the shocks are always regulated to be safe while also being short, sharp, and unpleasant.  

Select an Electric Fence with Alarm Monitoring

If an intruder attempts to climb the fence or cut the fence wires, there should be an immediate alarm triggered. Some companies use alarm monitoring that includes a log of the times and dates when the security system is armed, disarmed, or sets off an alarm.  

Depending on your security needs, you may want to pair your electric fence with cameras, security lighting, imaging systems, intruder alarms, and other alarm monitoring systems.  

The Right Electric Security Fence Includes Access Control

You should be able to configure your electric perimeter security fence to fit your needs. A fully integrated access control system allows you to manage and monitor the functionality of your fence. Everything that happens on your property is communicated in real time to control system operators, who can provide quick response to breaches and other security threats. This puts you in command of your security system, supported by security and site management solutions.  

Make Sure Your Electric Security Fence is Safely Installed

To get the most out of your security fence, its installation is best left to the experts. If an electric fence doesn’t have a good grounding source, you run the risk of stray voltage. They should be installed away from hazardous facilities and protected against power fluxes with a surge protector.  

America Fence Company knows the details and specifications that come with installing an electric perimeter security fence that works well without safety risks. We can also help you choose the right electric fence for your needs. Give us a call at 770-931-4077 to learn more about our fence services.