With Halloween is just around the corner, now is the time to make sure your family and home are safe and prepared.Just a little extra planning will help you have a ghoulishly good time while protecting your property and all of those visiting ghosts and goblins. To help you, Delco Alarm Systems has compiled some safety and security tips to keep All Hallows Eve both fun and safe.
Halloween safety tips for your home:
- Clear your yard and walkways of trip and slip hazards. Trick-or-treaters are more interested in the goodies in their bags and often miss seeing a hose or sprinkler head in the dark.
- Keep your home well lit. Check outdoor lighting and replace any burnt-out bulbs or broken fixtures. Illuminate your front door so costumed visitors know where you are handing out treats. Avoid using traditional candles inside of jack-o-lanterns and other decorations. They can easily catch on fire. Instead, consider using battery-operated candles to keep your home and visitors safe.
- Lock all other doors as well as vehicles, your garage and any other outbuildings to avoid potential theft. Delco Alarm offers a full line of home automation systems, including the Securenet line of cameras which can be integrated into the Smartlink home automation app. This gives you all of the features of a smart home.
- Keep Fido and other pets inside and away from the front door. Your dog may be a lover and not a biter, but he could easily knock down a small visitor.
- Consider the type of candy you purchase for trick- or- treaters. Not all candy is appropriate for all children. Some candies pose a choking hazard while others could be harmful to children with nut allergies.
- Decide on a cut-off time for answering the door – typically 8 or 9 p.m. depending on any local curfews. If you feel uneasy about anyone who comes to your door, don’t open it. You also have the right to ask anyone you don’t want on your property to leave. If there is a problem or an emergency, press the panic button on your keypad.
While you are out trick-or-treating:
- Make sure your children use makeup instead of a mask. Put reflective tape on their costumes or candy bag. An adult should always accompany children under the age of 12. If you are accompanying your child, bring a flashlight or use the app on your smartphone to help navigate unfamiliar territory.
- Older children should trick-or-treat in groups. Set a time for your older children to be home and check to make sure they have their cell phones handy. With remote controlled locks, they won’t have to worry about carrying or losing a key. They can let themselves inside by putting in their code.
- If you are not going to be home, keep the lights on – both inside and outside of your home. Make sure your home’s motion-sensor lights are working and consider a doorbell camera that will record any activity near your door. Delco Alarm Systems offers the Arlo Pro series of cameras from Netgear, which are completely wireless and have an approximate 6-month battery life. It offers two-way voice communications and motion detection alarm functions. Also, if you aren’t going to be home, remember to set your security system.
Halloween is a fun-filled night of candy and costumes. But remember. There may be strangers walking about in the dark wearing disguises, which gives perfect cover to burglars or vandals. A monitored, professionally installed smart home security system provides protection year-round but gives you an extra layer of security during holidays, including Halloween. For more tips, click on the National Safety Council’s website.
Delco Alarm Systems cares about your safety and the safety of our community. Use our tips to keep your little princess, Pac-Man, and pirate safe and your home protected this Halloween.