The last thing anyone needs this holiday season is added stress. Unfortunately, a break-in or a house fire will most certainly do just that. Here at Crime Prevention we believe that your best first line of defense is a home security system, but there are some special measures that you can take to help ensure a safe household this season.
How to Avoid House
Fires
- Prior to decorating your house, inspect the wiring on all of your holiday lights and make sure that it isn’t frayed or damaged – especially those that will be used to decorate a Christmas tree or outdoor plants. Damaged and open wires have the potential to spark and can be very dangerous.
- Keep Christmas trees in a water or wet stand. This will keep them from drying out and becoming more susceptible to fires.
- Make sure that your Christmas tree is on a sturdy stand. Dangling lights and hanging ornaments make these trees very easy to accidentally pull down – especially if you’re a running child or a curious pet.
- In the event of a fire, all doors and passageways need to be clear for quick evacuation. Thus, it’s important to make sure that there aren’t any decorations blocking these paths. Take some time to plan out their placement before setting everything up.
How to Avoid
Break-Ins
- Lock all of your windows and doors when leaving the house – it doesn’t matter how short of a time you’ll be away. The holiday season is a time where burglars tend to bring their “A-Game”, so you should too. Don’t give them any chance at an open house.
- Leave a radio or a TV on in the house while you’re out. This will help make the home seem occupied and is likely to deter intruders.
- Keep gift-wrapped packages out of sight of windows and doors. There’s no reason to tempt potential thieves by showing them all of the great presents that are just sitting in your house. If you like to keep your gifts in an area near a window, consider keep the blinds or curtains closed for extra security.
- If you’re leaving for the holidays, make sure that your lights are set up on a timer – again, to make your house seem lived-in. Don’t just leave your lights on for 24 hours per day, smart burglars will see right past that.
Just as much as you do, we want to make sure that your family, friends and property are safe this season. If you’d like to speak with one of our consultants to make sure that your home is as safe as possible, don’t hesitate to schedule a no-obligation appointment today.
