Goblins and witches and monsters, oh my! You probably have your Halloween candy ready, but is your home safe and secure in preparation for the holiday festivities? Check out these safety tips to make sure your home and your trick-or-treaters are safe this Halloween.
Turn on the lights.
It’s important that your property is well lit this Halloween to ensure those trick-or-treaters can make it to your door safely. You also want to prevent people from pulling any not-so-nice pranks in your yard or on your house. Take some time to replace any burned-out bulbs in your exterior lights and turn them on before the sun goes down. If you aren’t going to be home or want to discourage trick-or-treaters from stopping by, you can keep your exterior lights turned off.
Clear a safe path.
In order to prevent your Halloween guests from tripping on your walkway, make sure your sidewalk and yard are free of clutter. It’s a good idea to put your car in the garage, lock your garage doors, and put away any potted plants. Place decorative items like jack-o-lanterns and spooky figures a safe distance from crowds. You want them to be enjoyed, not messed with. Be careful where you leave any cords or ropes, so they are not a danger to your Halloween guests. Kids often go from house to house without worrying about sidewalks. If you have a yard display, be sure it is well lit and clearly visible.
Keep your pets in a safe place.
Frequent doorbell ringing, strangers in the yard, and scary costumes easily frighten pets. Halloween probably isn’t your pets’ favorite holiday. It’s important to protect your furry friends from cars and trick-or-treaters, but you also need to protect your guests. Avoid anyone getting bitten or harmed by your pet acting out of fear or stress. It’s best to keep them inside or in some kind of safe, enclosed space away from the front door.
Deactivate your home security system.
Lots of “intruders” and “suspicious activity” on your doorstep can lead to false system alarms. This happens quite often on Halloween. Since your bell will be ringing and your door will be opening repeatedly throughout the night, it’s a good idea to disarm your alarm before those trick-or-treaters arrive. But remember to turn your alarm on before you go to bed!
This is a prime time of year for mischief, so if you’ll be away from home on Halloween, be sure to set your security alarm system. Motion-sensitive lights can be an effective layer of protection as they can alert your neighbors if someone is on your property. Lastly, inform a trusted neighbor that you’ll be out of town before you go.
Reduce your fire risk.
For those of you planning to use candles in your jack-o-lanterns, keep a close eye on them as they present a fire risk. Place them far away from your walkways to ensure fire hazards like costumes, props and decorations lighting on fire. Battery powered light sources are a safe alternative to an open flames. You can find these at most grocery and hardware stores.
Get around to those home improvements.
If you have any unfinished projects around the house that could present a risk of danger, be sure to take care of those. Loose bricks, cracked cement, tools lying around…the less risk at your house the better.
Be proactive by taking pictures.
Snap a few photos of your property before the sun goes down. No matter how secure your home is, you can always prevent vandalism and pranks. Having photos to show your insurance agent will be helpful if any funny business takes place.
Click here to learn what to do if your home gets vandalized.
HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
If you see a MOHFL property that you’re interested in while you’re out there trick-or-treating, give us a call or click here! We’d love to give you a personal showing.