The holiday season is finally here! Whether you’re heading somewhere sunny or celebrating a little closer to home, we’ve prepared this list of tips to help you make sure you and your home are safe and ready for the holidays.
Protecting the Interior & Exterior of Your Home
Christmas just isn’t complete without festive lighting inside and outside your home. Here are some of our favourite tips to ensure your home is extra safe over the holiday season.
Christmas Lights
Before stringing your lights on your house or outdoor trees, be sure to check for frayed cords or cracked bulbs. When it’s time to retire for the night, don’t forget to turn off the lights. You may also want to consider installing an outdoor timer to switch the lights on and off each day. And just to be safe, make sure you always have an unexpired fire extinguisher on-hand.
Inspect your Furnace & Chimney
In Newfoundland & Labrador, we all love to get cozy during the holidays. Before snuggling in, be sure to keep your home safe by:
- Getting a professional to inspect your furnace
- Changing your air filters, if needed
- Cleaning out air ducts and vents
- Hiring a chimney sweep to make sure your fireplace is safe and ready to use
- Using a fireplace screen
- Checking batteries on smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors
Candles
Whether you’re observing Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Christmas this holiday season, it’s quite likely that your celebrations will involve some candles. No matter how you plan to celebrate, be sure to exercise caution around open flames indoors. Always remember to:
- Set candles on a stable surface
- Place candles out of reach of children and pets
- Space candles away from flammable decorations. For added security, use flame-resistant decorations
- Consider using flameless candles
Christmas Trees
The holiday season just isn’t complete without a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. When trimming your Christmas tree, remember to:
- Place the tree far away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators and/or heating vents
- Water real trees regularly, or consider purchasing a fire-resistant artificial tree
- Make sure whatever tree you have is secured on its stand
Travelling for the Holidays
Spending the holiday away from home? Before you leave, take a minute to check out a few tips that’ll help you keep your home safe and secure while you’re gone.
Never leave your home in the dark
Keep some lights on (e.g., porch lights or lamps) throughout your home, especially at night. Consider adding motion-sensor lighting or smart plugs that can control lights, TVs and more from a smartphone application. You’ll be able to turn your electronics and lighting on and off throughout the day, even when you’re miles away.
Notify a Neighbour
Ask a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your house and let you know if any suspicious activity occurs while you’re gone. It might also be a good idea to hire a snow removal service or make other arrangements to keep snow from accumulating on your driveway and walkway.
Hide Packages & Gifts
Keep all gifts away from the Christmas tree, away from any windows or any other places where brightly wrapped presents might be visible to anyone passing by.
If you are planning on receiving any packages while you’re away, here are a few ways to prevent porch pirates from swiping your packages:
- Add a doorbell camera and/or security to the exterior of your home.
- Provide alternate delivery instructions (e.g., bring the package to the back of the house)
- Ask friends/family members to stop by your home to pick up your packages or deliver them to your workplace.
We know how busy the holiday season can be. Reach out to us at 1-877-478-3377 if you have any questions about policies or coverage as you’re making your holiday plans.