How to Keep Your Home Safe During the Holidays
The festive season is almost upon us. You can look forward to cozying up by warm fires, drinking eggnog and traveling to fantastic destinations. However, would-be thieves may try and take advantage of traveling homeowners during holiday time. The incidence of burglaries has been on the rise. Who needs that added risk when you give yourself the gift of home safety for Christmas?
The holidays are the perfect time to focus on keeping your home safe, especially while traveling. You’ve got time to do it the right way. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your home safe over Christmas.
Talk to a Trusted Neighbor
If you have the option, chat with a neighbor you trust, as they can help protect your home during the holidays. Tell them when you’ll be away and for how long, and ask them to watch out for any suspicious activity. Give them a contact number for where you’re staying so they can get ahold of you if they need to. If anyone is visiting your home while you’re away, let your neighbor know or else they might call the police on your unsuspecting guest.
Keep Your Plans Offline
As excited as you may be, try to keep your travel plans private. Avoid advertising that your home will be unoccupied, both before you leave and while you’re away. Posting updates in real time lets everyone know your home is unoccupied.
Once you’re home and able to monitor your property, you can post as much as you like.
Ditch the Darkness
Nothing says “nobody’s home” like a dark house at night. You want to unplug all the lights and appliances you don’t use but keep some outside lights on at night. The lights give the impression that someone is at home and make it easy for neighbors to see if someone is skulking around your yard after hours.
Hide Gifts and Packages
Keep all the Christmas goodies hidden away and tempt burglars as little as possible. Place your Christmas tree and the gifts underneath away from doors and windows, so no one is tempted to break in and try to make off with them.
Ask your trusted neighbor to collect package deliveries while you’re away. Thieves won’t be able to resist them if they’re sitting there and will likely check out the rest of the house while they help themselves to your packages.
Limit the Evidence
There are other telltale signs that you aren’t home, like mail piling up outside your door and trash sitting for weeks. Ask someone to take out your trash if you didn’t do so before you leave, and put a pause on your mail delivery. If you’re going to be gone for a more extended period, organize for someone to mow your lawn or snowblow your driveway if necessary. The more it looks like someone is still in the house, the better.
Secure the Valuables
Take the time to double-check that doors and windows are locked before you leave, and ensure that all your tempting valuables are locked somewhere secure and out of sight. If you have a safe or a particularly secure room in your home, move all your treasured items there, and take extra measures to ensure it’s difficult to access.
Check Your Lights
Whether you’re going to be home or not, Christmas lights are a staple in most American homes. However, they can increase the chance of electrical fires while you’re away. Check your outside and inside lights for broken wires and any other signs of electrical damage to reduce the possibility of electrical fires. Consider these safety tips:
- Use extension cords with the correct rating: Extension cords come in indoor and outdoor varieties. Use only outdoor cables for outdoor decorations, and ensure that all your cords meet the power needs for the intended use.
- Place cords with care: Remove cords from walk areas where people could trip and fall over them. Remember, running cords under furniture or rugs could cause them to overheat.
- Stick to one extension cord: Plugging extension cords into each other is a fire hazard.
- Attach cords with care: Never nail or staple cords. Instead, use insulated holders to prevent them from becoming a fire hazard.
- Look for signs of damage: Inspect all your lights and cords before plugging them in. Look for fraying or visible wires, loose connections and cracked or broken sockets and discard the item if you find any.
- Keep display features and heat sources separate: All decorations and lights should be at least three feet away from fireplaces and heaters.
- Ensure outside lights are waterproof: You should never leave lights and cables in an area where they might come into contact with standing water. Check all your outside lights and ensure they’re waterproof. Water and electricity never go well together.
- Check your furnace and chimney: While you’re at it, ensure a professional inspects your furnace and your chimney is clear.
Lights are part of Christmas celebrations, and we shouldn’t have to go without them. The holidays are the perfect time to upgrade your fire alarms and have peace of mind while enjoying your festive lights.
Install Cameras and Security Systems
Installing a sound security system is the most reliable option for keeping your home safe over Christmas. The correct security setup will protect your home, inside and out.
You can set up cameras in any part of your home, and a smart security system will allow you access to the footage from anywhere in the world. In some cases, security systems have the option of live footage so you can see what’s happening in real time. These cameras will alert you and your security company if anyone attempts to break in or steal Christmas packages.
A security alarm has several uses, including frightening potential burglars and making them think twice about breaking in. The sound will also let the neighbors know something is going on. You can set the alarm to alert the police and your security company if you choose.
Inform your security company of the dates you’ll be away so they can monitor your home and ensure everyone knows you have an excellent security system installed. Burglars don’t want the extra hassle of top-notch security when trying to get in and out fast.
Contact Security Monster to Help You Prepare for the Holiday Season
Make sure your Oregon home and business have the best security and protection this holiday season with Security Monster. The best gift you can give yourself this Christmas is trusted home security you can rely on while you’re away. Chat with one of our experienced security professionals to install a state-of-the-art security package you can manage from your phone.
Let the monster protect you with various cameras, alarms and fire alarms. Enjoy both installation and monitoring of security systems, 24/7 assistance and guard response services. You can request a quote today and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year, stress-free.