Holiday season is in full-swing. Decorations are out, traditional holiday music is everywhere and the lines at your favorite stores are getting way too long. The stress of it all can be overwhelming, which is why it’s important to remove one key part of the season off your list of anxieties: holiday home safety.
The last thing you want to experience during the happiest time of year is theft or catastrophic damage to your home. Fortunately, you can take steps to dramatically reduce your risks!
Learn some of the best holiday home safety tips by reading below so you can get back to focusing on your last-minute shopping rush!
Holiday Home Safety Facts
The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is typically seen as one of the most fun and joyous times of year. But it’s also one of increased crime and dangerous accidents – making it necessary to keep holiday home safety a priority for your family.
Here are some of the most surprising facts surrounding the holiday season:
- Thanksgiving to New Year’s marks one of the highest rates of theft and burglary for the year! While the weather seems to be a deterrent in February, where burglary rates drop, it doesn’t stop thieves during the holidays.
- Even if your home is safe, the porch isn’t! Over 25 million Americans have had at least one holiday package stolen from their front door in 2016. This was up from the previous year.
- If you have the holiday spirit and put up decorations, they could be a target too. Nearly 23 million Americans had decorations damaged or stolen in 2016 too!
- Thieves aren’t the only risk. Your risk of fire is up dramatically during the holidays, often due to your Christmas tree.
- The top three days for candle fires are Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
- Christmas tree fires aren’t common, but they aren’t rare either. 6.5 million Americans have had a Christmas tree-related fire. A majority of the deaths and injuries from home fires happen when they start in common rooms like living rooms, one of the most popular locations for a Christmas tree.
But stay optimistic! The holidays are still a time for cheer – especially when you take steps to keep your family safe. Here are some of our top holiday home safety and security tips to let you focus on family and fun this season.
Protect Yourself from Fire Hazards
In most cases, preventing accidental fires is easy when you take the proper precautions! Follow these tips to keep your home safe during the holidays:
Find a Fresh Christmas Tree
While fake trees are more popular than ever, plenty of us still prefer the real deal. When you go looking for a tree, try to find a fresh one. Fresh trees can absorb more moisture, staying healthy for longer and reducing their likelihood for catching fire easily.
Going Out? Lights Off!
Wrapping your tree in decorative lights is a must! But those lights are using electricity – and they often sit in storage for most of the year. A large portion of holiday fires start due to electrical faults. If you aren’t going to be home, or if you’re going to bed, turn off the lights. Not only is it safer for your home, it’s energy-conscious!
Say No to Daisy-Chaining Extension Cords
That last row of lights is always the hardest to put up – and even worse, the extension cord just can’t reach! While you may be tempted to add another extension cord for the length you need, it’s not safe. Go out and buy a longer extension cord so you don’t have to “daisy-chain” them together, or you may risk a preventable fire.
Invest in a Home Fire Alarm System
Nearly 50 percent of deaths due to home fires happen when a home doesn’t have a functional alarm. As part of Habitec Security’s home security installation, we can install state-of-the-art fire alarms and smoke detectors. They’re the best way to give you the time to respond to fires; and when integrated with a home security system, they can help alert emergency services to get firefighters to your home faster.
Secure Your Home from Theft
Theft is another common way to steal the joy out of the holidays. Most home thefts involve thousands of dollars’ worth of property. These are the best ways to prevent your home from being a target this year.
Install a Monitored Security System
Burglars have always and will always choose the easiest houses to steal from. The best way to protect yourself is to make your house too much of a risk to break into. Habitec’s monitored security systems are custom-installed based on your needs, with options for glass break detectors, wireless operation and additional sensors.
Our award-winning Central Station monitors your security system, alerting you in the event of any break-ins or unusual activity. This offers you peace of mind, even when you’re out shopping or enjoying a holiday party down the street!
Don’t Advertise Your Valuables
In the age of social media, it’s tempting to update your friends and family on every moment of the holiday festivities. But these updates are beacons to tech-savvy burglars looking for most lucrative houses to target.
Staying quiet on social media until after the New Year when your schedule goes back to normal will improve your holiday home safety.
Likewise, you should take steps to avoid letting boxes for new electronics or other expensive gadgets draw attention to your home. Whether it’s before Christmas and you have big gifts sitting in the window, or after unwrapping with a new HDTV box sitting by your garbage, these signal to thieves your house is worth the risk!
Keep an Eye on Your Home
Home surveillance is another critical addition to holiday home safety. It offers you several benefits as part of a home security package:
No Anxiety – Even if you’re out of town visiting family, you’ll be able to remotely check in on your home to make sure everything is fine.
Passive Detterant – Just the presence of cameras is enough to make most thieves keep moving.
Theft Recovery – In the event your home is still targeted, surveillance is crucial for aiding law enforcement in identifying your thief. This not only increases your chance of recovering stolen valuables, but also reduces headaches when dealing with insurance!
Contact Us Today to Secure Your Home!
Keep your home safe! If you’re considering a security system for your home or business, our security experts can design a system for your security needs and backed by award-winning, 24-hour local monitoring. Contact us today!
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