The holiday season can easily be the best time of the year. What with festive meals, visiting friends and family, and also the summer holidays, it certainly is a great time to look forward to. However, did you know that the holiday season is also the time that you should be most alert about home safety and security?
With all the merrymaking and holiday plans abound, the festive period can bring about significant safety and security risks if you are not careful. Read up on these home safety tips so that you are properly prepared for the upcoming months!
Be wary of fire hazards
During the festivities, there are plenty of opportunities for fire hazards to arise. After all, Christmas and the new year is when many people host dinner parties or have friends and family over for large meals – which means that you are likely to be using the kitchen and barbeque a lot. Make sure to bear fire safety in mind and never leave things to cook unattended. You should also have a fire extinguisher on hand and be ready to deal with any fire emergencies that may happen.
Check your smoke alarms
In line with ensuring fire safety over the holiday season, you need to make sure that your smoke alarms are all in working order. This is important if you are going to be away from home for a period of time, too. Check your smoke alarm batteries and try out the test function to see whether or not they are working properly. If your smoke alarms are out of date or malfunctioning, you will have to purchase new ones. Shop around for a trusted brand such as our Lifesaver smoke alarm and ensure that your smoke alarms are regulation-approved, like a photoelectric smoke alarm.
Install a burglar alarm system
If you do not already have a wireless alarm system, now is the right time to consider getting one. An alarm system is the best way to deter intruders as the alarm will sound loudly if there is an attempt at a break-in – thus halting any burglary attempts and alerting the neighbourhood to a burglar’s presence. In fact, most would-be intruders tend to avoid targeting houses with an alarm system in place. Moreover, wireless home security systems are easy to install and can be used immediately, so it is less hassle for you.
Get a CCTV camera
For those who are going away for a long holiday, getting a WiFi security camera is a smart move. Besides acting as a deterrent to intruders, a CCTV camera will enable you to be aware of the comings and goings around your home. When you are away from home, you can still view the security footage through your smartphone or any mobile device thanks to your CCTV security system. On top of that, you could get a video intercom from IntelLink which even allows you to talk to the person at your door from your mobile phone just as if you were at home!
Maintain good terms with your neighbour
No matter where you live, it is always a good idea to keep on friendly terms with your neighbour. Besides building a great sense of community spirit, it can also help when it comes to ensuring the safety of your house. If you are away on a trip, let your neighbour know so that they keep an eye out for any suspicious activity around your house. In addition to leaving a light on, you can also ask your neighbour to help take in the mail for you while you are away so that thieves are not alerted to your absence.
Think about your mail packages
Here is one home safety tip that is often overlooked – and it has to do with the mail and packages being delivered to your home. These days, we can buy almost anything online and have it sent straight to our doorstep. However, how do you know whether your packages are safe? If parcels are being left at your door while you are at work or not at home, it may be all too easy for opportunists to swoop in and steal your packages. Try to counter this by arranging a secure drop-off mailbox for your mail and parcels, or by aiming your CCTV cameras at the mail delivery spot.
We hope that these tips are of use to you as you try to keep your home safe and secure this festive season. After all, a theft or a burglary would most certainly put a damper on the merriest time of the year – so be proactive and take some preventative measures if you can!
If you’re searching for a trusted home security provider to help improve your home security, Home Safety Store offers quality products, great prices and excellent service. Get in touch with our team for any enquiries today.
