The holiday season is undoubtedly one of – if not the most – festive times of the year. Amid all the get-togethers, shopping, baking, and overall holiday cheer, though, it’s easy to let one’s guard down when it comes to safety.
Here are a few tips to keep your home safe during this joyous season and ensure you and yours remain merry and bright.
Guard Against Porch Pirates
It’s a pretty amazing time we live in that you can order just about anything online and have it delivered to your doorstep within a matter of hours. Unfortunately, it’s also given rise to porch pirates – a.k.a. the common thief.
The easiest way to keep your packages out of the wrong hands is to require a signature upon delivery (make sure you’re home to sign). If you can’t be home, however, here are some other security procedures to consider:
- Leave instructions with your delivery carrier to conceal the package
- Use a porch lock box
- Coordinate with neighbors for delivery
- Have your package delivered to your workplace or a mail center.
Fire Safety
People have a tendency to push electrical systems to the max during the holidays. If you plan on putting up a Christmas tree, be sure to keep it watered to avoid the needles drying out and sparking easier, should a flame come near them. It’s also a good idea to discard any lights that may be broken or have damaged cords.
If you use a space heater, be sure to keep it at least 5 feet away from your tree, and never leave Christmas lights plugged in overnight or when you leave your home.
Security Lighting
Next to a locked door, there is no better way to keep your home safe and secure when you’re out of town than good lighting. Motion sensor lighting is great, but keeping entryways lit throughout the night is even better. A porch light by the front door and a light over the garage or back door is a strong deterrent to intruders.
If you’re going away for several days, it’s also a good idea to leave a few lights on inside the home as well. If you’re worried about running up your electric bill, set a timer to turn the lights on and off at certain hours.
Update Alarms
With so much going on during the holiday season, it can be easy to neglect minor security procedures. If you didn’t change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you rolled your clocks back with the end of daylight savings time, go ahead and do that.
If you have a security system and plan to be out of town for several days, test the alarm system before you leave and notify the security company of how long you’ll be away.
Final Checklist
Nobody wants to get on the road to grandma’s house and second guess themselves if they turned off the oven. Put a reminder on your phone with a simple checklist of things to do before you hit the road, including:
- Lock all doors and windows
- Turn off appliances
- Turn down the heat/AC unit
One of the features Caliterra residents love so much about the homes in this master-planned community is the careful design and planning that went into each home’s construction. To learn more about our available inventory, contact our team today.
