Holiday Home Safety

It’s that time of year when families gather to celebrate the season. We want to give you and your family some great holiday home safety practices this year. Your home is the place for making memories, and we want to help you make those memories wonderful with holiday home safety.

Decorations: Holiday Home Safety

Lights and Cords

Don’t use cords with exposed wiring.
Make sure that cords aren’t placed, near water, in walkways where people may trip, or under furniture where they can be pinched.
Don’t leave your lights on when you are sleeping or away from home.
Consider using LED lights that don’t produce heat, and keep incandescent bulbs away from potentially flammable materials.

Trees

Dried real Christmas trees are highly flammable, keep them watered durning the holidays
Clean up dried fallen needles
Take your tree to a tree recycling or disposal center directly after taking down your decorations.

Candles

Burning candles should be kept a least 12 inches away from other flammable objects, including curtains, walls, decorations, and other items.
Keep candles away from the reach of pets and children

The Fire Place

Make sure your fireplace is clean and properly ventilated before firing it up for the colder weather.
Keep flammable decorations away from the fireplace
Never leave the fireplace unattended

In the Kitchen: Holiday Home Safety

Unattended Cooking

The holidays can be a busy time, as they should be. However leaving cooking or baking food unattended is the number one way that home fires start during the holidays.

Set kitchen timers
Don’t leave your home with food cooking

Frying the Turkey

Choose a smaller bird for frying 8-12 pounds is ideal.
Make sure the turkey is fully thawed before frying.
Never use outdoor fryers indoors; including the garage, deck, or near structures.
Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

Food Allergies

Knowing your guests food allergies is a smart step toward safety as a holiday party host. You can keep you guests safe by letting them know which dishes to avoid.

Leftovers

Holidays are a popular time for leftovers, remember to store and reheat dishes properly to avoid tummy trouble.

Store perishable foods in the refrigerator.
Reheat leftovers to at least 165 degrees.
Use your sense of smell and toss leftovers that have a sour or bad smell.

Theft: Holiday Home Safety

Protecting Your Home

Unfortunately, the holiday season is also a common time for burglaries. Because criminals rely on the fact that it’s a popular time to travel it’s important that you don’t make it easy to break in.

Keep all doors and window locked while you are away.
Utilize security cameras, even the sight of a camera can deter burglars.
Ask a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on your home while you are away.

Package Delivery

Ordering gifts online is an easy way to shop and get a good deal, but unattended boxes on your doorstep are an easy target for theft.

Ask a trusted neighbor to pick up you package while you are at work
or have your package delivered to a PO box.

Gifts in the Car

Burglars are looking for cars with pricey holiday gifts inside.

Always lock your car doors.
Take your gifts home when possible.
Hide gifts with a jacket or blanket.

Social Media: Holiday Home Safety

Vacation Announcements

If you are traveling, it’s is wise to avoid posting photos and information about your time away from home. Burglars can look at your online activity.

Post your photos when you get home
Make sure your privacy settings don’t allow strangers to locate your home.

Photos of Gifts

Don’t post photos of expensive gifts that could tempt burglars or to your home.

Invitations

If you are hosting a party at your home, make sure that the social media invitations are only available to people that you know.

Driving Safety: Holiday Home Safety

Weather Conditions

Winter weather can make driving a different experience than you are used to.

Slow down by lifting your foot off the accelerator when you begin to lose traction.
Keep a safety kit in your car that includes warm clothing and blankets.
Make sure your car is prepared for winter weather traveling with good tires, plenty of fuel, antifreeze, and wiper fluid
Don’t drive while you are drowsy
Put you phone away, text, post, and scroll when you aren’t behind the wheel.

Drinking and Driving

Drinking and Driving is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States. The celebrations surrounding the holidays increase the numbers of drunk driving accidents every year.

Utilize a driving service like Uber, Lyft, or local taxi.
Plan for a designated sober driver.
Be aware of other drivers on the road that may be leaving holiday parties in the evenings.
Don’t allow friends and family to drive drunk, help them find a safe way home if they are intoxicated

We hope this quick list of holiday home safety tips help keep you and your loved ones safe during the upcoming holidays. Our goal is to use our blog to share information with home owners for happy and healthy homes. We also provide customers with expert knowledge on mortgage and home buying.

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