Keep the season festive: Explore tips to improve safety during the holidays

Thanksgiving feasts, Christmas parties, and sharing special moments with family members are some of the things we cherish during the holidays. It’s a time to celebrate, but the season has some unique safety risks. Thankfully, following some easy tips and using an advanced security system at your Las Cruces home can help ensure safety during the holidays.

Leaving town? Avoid burglaries at your Las Cruces home with the latest video cameras and automation

Venturing out to spend time with relatives is an important aspect of the holidays, but leaving your Las Cruces property vacant raises the danger of break-ins. But there is a way to reduce the risk. Modern home security systems let you watch over your home regardless of where you are with advanced surveillance. You can check real-time feeds from your video cameras with the home security app on your cell phone.

Top surveillance tools can actively defend your home from thieves. If a person creeps too close, cameras will shine a light or generate a sound to scare them away. Here are some additional ways you can deter intrustions when you’re traveling: 

• Schedule lights to activate at different times to make your home look inhabited
• Ensure your home security sign is noticeable
• Check your cell phone app to ensure doors are locked and your system armed
• Avoid broadcasting on social networks that you’re going out of town

Defend against holiday porch pirates in Las Cruces

For many families, the holidays mean a constant flow of packages to your front door. Don’t attract thieves by allowing them to sit on your stoop. Instead, get an immediate notification to your mobile device whenever something appears so you are reminded to grab it. 

Whenever possible, arrange deliveries for when you’ll be present. Alternatively, ask a neighbor to bring them in. You can open your door and deactivate your alarm from your phone. If somebody is at your door, you can communicate with them via your doorbell camera’s 2-way talk function. 

Follow established fire safety during the holidays in your Las Cruces home 

String lights, candles, Christmas trees, and homemade meals are popular during the holidays, but they also heighten your risk of fires. Here are some tips on how to avoid them:

• Kitchen blazes increase during the holiday season, notably at Thanksgiving. Never turn your back on an active stovetop. Keep kids at a distance to prevent burns. Always follow manufacturer guidelines when operating fryers.
• Water Christmas trees and keep them a safe distance from fireplaces and candles. Be mindful that trees grow more combustible as they dry.
• Avoid overloading electrical outlets with extension cords and lights. Loose connections and damaged outlets are prone to sparks and may cause fires.
• Burning candles are beautiful but also risky around decorations and trees. Place them wisely and always put out flames when stepping out of a room.

Monitored fire alarms are a great way to enhance your protection. When safety devices like CO detectors and fire alarms link to your home security, you and your dedicated monitoring specialists will know when an alarm goes off, whether you’re there or not.

Stay safe during the holidays with a Vivint smart home in Las Cruces

Discover everything you need to remain safe during the holidays and every day of the year from Vivint. Our Las Cruces smart homes give you innovative features like video cameras with active deterrence, custom automation, and monitored environmental alarms. Give us a call at (575) 567-8689 and give your household the gift of better security this holiday season.