Keep the season merry: Find tips to ensure safety during the holidays

Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas parties, and sharing precious moments with family are several of the things we look forward to over the holidays. It’s a time for cheer, but the season also brings some unique safety risks. Fortunately, abiding by some basic guidelines and using a well-equipped security system at your Madison home can boost safety during the holidays.
Are you traveling? Avoid intrusions at your Madison home with modern video cameras and automation
Venturing out to spend time with relatives is a cherished aspect of the holidays, but leaving your Madison property unoccupied ehances the risk of burglaries. But there is a way to reduce the risk. Modern home security systems permit you to keep tabs on your home regardless of your location with the latest surveillance. You may check live streams from your cameras with the home security app on your mobile device.
Leading surveillance devices take an active approach to safeguarding your home. If a person gets too close, cameras will beam a light or generate a sound to scare them away. Here are a few more ways you can avoid break-ins when you’re out:
- Schedule lights to activate at different moments to make your home appear inhabited
- Make sure your home security sign is visible
- Go to your cell phone app to ensure doors are locked and your alarm activated
- Avoid announcing on social networks that you’re going out of town
Protect against seasonal porch pirates in Madison
For numerous families, the holidays bring a steady flow of packages to the front door. Avoid enticing opportunistic criminals by leaving them on your stoop. Rather, get an automatic notification to your smartphone whenever a package shows up so you are reminded to collect it.
When you can, schedule deliveries for when you’ll be present. When that’s not possible, ask a neighbor to collect them. You can unlock your door and turn off your alarm from your phone. If somebody is on your porch, you can speak to them with your video doorbell’s two-way talk function.
Practice accepted fire safety during the holidays in your Madison home
Christmas trees, candles, decorative lights, and homemade meals are common during the holidays, but they also heighten your risk of fires. Here are some tips for how to avoid them:
- Cooking fires escalate during the holiday season, especially at Thanksgiving. Don’t turn your back on an active stovetop. Keep children clear of hot burners to protect against burns. Be sure to adhere to manufacturer directions when cooking with fryers.
- Keep Christmas trees watered and away from fireplaces and candles. Keep in mind that trees become more fire-prone as they dry.
- Avoid overtaxing electrical outlets with extension cords and lights. Improper connections and faulty outlets are at risk of sparking and may cause fires.
- Glowing candles are beautiful but also dangerous around trees and decorations. Position them wisely and always put out flames when stepping out of a room.
Monitored fire alarms are a fantastic way to improve your protection. When safety devices like fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors link to your home security, you and your dedicated monitoring specialists will be alerted any time an alarm sounds, whether you’re on site or not.
Stay safe during the holidays with a Vivint smart home in Madison
Find all the tools you need to stay safe during the holidays and all year round from Vivint. Our Madison smart security systems include advanced features like custom automation, monitored environmental alarms and surveillance with active deterrence. Give us a call at (608) 470-6808 and give your household the gift of better security this holiday season.