Protect Your Home from These Common Holiday Hazards
We love the holidays as much as the next person, but as purveyors of Fort Lauderdale real estate for families, couples, and individuals, we can’t help but consider home safety – even on our days off. We’ve written this blog to help our clients consider keeping their homes secure and free from potential damages or disasters this holiday season – above all so that we can all enjoy our family time without undue worry! Read on to learn some steps you can take to protect your property.
Carefully consider all fire risks, and take the proper precautions to avoid incidents. Statistically, the holidays are sadly one of the most common times of year for house fires to occur; this is due in large part to a greater prevalence of open flames (placed in windows or interior areas for their warm lighting effect, or in fireplaces) and faulty wiring from lighting. To avoid incident, remember to never place candles near any other materials – be it too close to the wall, paper, your Christmas tree, or fabric, and never use an indoor extension cord outside. Turn indoor lights off when you aren’t home; no one else can see them, and this only diminishes the risk of an electrical fire.
This last one may sound obvious, but don’t burn your tree in a fireplace, either; while fireplaces aren’t as common in Southern Florida as they are elsewhere, every year across the U.S. someone decides their tree would make excellent kindling. Also, pine wood burns poorly, and all wood should be seasoned prior to use.
Mitigate risk of theft by taking several safety precautions. We recommend investing in a home security system no matter what, but the holidays are a particularly lucrative time for theft (we’ve all seen Home Alone), so rates of home burglaries naturally rise. The solution to this issue is threefold:
- Keep your travel plans offline, or guard them very carefully. Burglars still case homes in person, but with increasing regularity they can and will do so from behind the safety of their computer screens instead. Simply gleaning the name of a homeowner (from a piece of stolen mail, for example) can get them access to a Twitter or Facebook account, thus allowing unguarded posts regarding travel to clue them in as to the perfect time to enter your home. Keep all posts firmly private, or avoid mentioning them at all until afterwards.
- Have a neighbor perform check-ins. Ask a trusted friend, family member, or neighbor to remove your mail, newspapers, package notices on the door, or any other signs that you aren’t home. If you can, it can be helpful to even go so far as to have a neighbor periodically turn on and switch off your lights.
- Invest in a monitored security system. Whether or not you plan on being home for the holidays, it’s a wise choice to invest in a security system that will call law enforcement or private security guards to your home upon your request, or on automated suspicion of a break-and-enter (though attempted access without a code, for example). The holidays should be a time to enjoy ourselves, not be afraid, and this worthwhile expenditure is priceless in peace of mind.
Interested in searching for real estate in Fort Lauderdale, or selling your current home in the area? As premier realtors in Southern Florida, we strive to take the best care possible of our clients, and go above and beyond to ensure the ease of their transaction and well-being during their home purchase or sale. Interested in learning more? Contact us today!
Tom Wolf Realtor
Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Agent
