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During the festive season, your house is full of the best possible things. From delicious food to heaps of generous gifts for your kids to cash presents from your grandparents, Christmas is a time of year that’s all about love and family and kindness – but it’s also about stuff, as much as we like to deny it. Even if you don’t go too far overboard, we all spend part of November worrying about stocking stuffers and how many different sorts of potatoes we should make on Christmas Day. Luckily your family isn’t alone there – but unluckily, potential burglars are perfectly aware of it. Here are some ways to make sure that you keep your home safe at Christmas.
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Update your security system. When was the last time you really thought about how safe and secure your house is? If your neighbourhood is generally safe, then it’s not something that many of us spend too much time considering. But it’s crucial that you make sure that your home is safe and secure with a home security system like AT&T Digital Life. Install a house alarm and make sure that you place a decal in your window so it’s obvious your home is protected. Motion sensor lights outside your house and garage are also extremely helpful as they alert you to any movement going on around your property.
Don’t post too much on social media. On Christmas Eve, half the posts on Facebook are of the huge heaps of gifts that parents have wrapped for their kids. Seeing that generosity and love is beautiful, and you know they’ll have an incredible Christmas morning when ‘Santa comes’, but is it really necessary to post online? Not only does it turn Christmas into something more materialistic than it should be (and it could make parents who aren’t as financially able to buy a lot of gifts for their kids feel bad), but it also isn’t a smart idea for security. A huge amount of thieves use social media to plan out their next crime and to find the best places to rob – make sure you don’t become one of them by showing off.
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Be smart about going away on vacation. Over the festive season, many of us go away for a few days. Whether that’s to spend time with family or take in a winter sun vacation, you need to be careful with your property while you’re gone. Set your lights to timers so they flip on and off at appropriate times, and get a trusted friend or family member to collect your mail for you. Again, don’t post about it on social media – you don’t want everyone knowing that your house is empty! Wait until you’re home to post your photos of your ski trip or your sunny vacation.
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Be careful who you invite into your home. If you have a holiday or New Year party, it’s easy to invite practically everyone you know! But think about it carefully: how well do you really know them? Make sure that you don’t get carried away with your invite list – cut it down to people you really know and trust. When you have your party, lock away your valuables in a cupboard, from your favorite jewelry down to items like your ludicrously expensive face cream.
Make repairs to your home. Before Christmas, take a walk around the outside of your house to inspect your roof and your guttering. If you have missing or cracked tiles on your roof, there could be a leak in your attic, which could be extremely costly to repair. Likewise, the health of your guttering is crucial for the health of your home. Make sure that you unclog it and that there are no cracks. Water damage and damp is one of the most costly and inconvenient things to have to repair in your house so make sure you cut it off immediately. To prevent frozen pipes, wrap wadding around them, and make sure that even if you’re away you keep your thermostat on at a low setting. If you’re really worried, keep your faucet dripping while you’re out to keep the hot water flowing. Check out your doors and windows to make sure they aren’t loose and easy to break into. If they’re loose, this could also cause draughts. Fixing them will save you money that you’ve been wasting on energy bills, as less heat will be lost. In addition, seeing that your house is in great condition will make burglars a lot less likely to target it!
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