Your winter prep list should cover more than just snow tires and frozen pipes. No matter where you live and how cold it gets, you need to adjust your home security strategy during the winter months.
Safety needs change with the seasons, so use these tips to maintain your home’s protection this winter.
7 tips to maintain home security this winter
1. Inspect your gas appliances
As temperatures drop, many homes rely on gas-powered furnaces and fireplaces to maintain warmth. If one of these devices has a leak, however, it can spread deadly carbon monoxide poison throughout the home.
Even worse, these appliances don’t see much use throughout the rest of the year, so you may not notice a problem until it threatens your family’s safety. The CDC reports that 430 people die every year from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Nearly 50,000 people in the U.S. are treated for CO poisoning annually as well.
Before you need to use your gas-powered appliances, check for leaks, damage, and other issues. Hire a professional service to check your devices and make any necessary repairs. Take these extra precautions to prevent disaster.
2. Check your safety alarms
Along with checking your appliances, make sure your smoke and CO detectors are working properly. Change the batteries on each device, even if they might last a bit longer. Given the increased risk of CO poisoning during the winter, you don’t want to take any chances.
Test each safety alarm to make sure it works properly. If any of your detectors are beeping or fail to respond to testing, replace them with a new device.
You can also install smart emergency alarms for more reliable protection. These devices will connect directly to your home security system and phone. Whenever a detector is triggered, you will get a notification on your phone. You can use this remote warning to protect any pets or loved ones at home.
You’ll be able to call for help sooner as well. Plus, if you have a professional monitoring plan, your security provider will make sure you get help as quickly as possible.
3. Look for leaks and excess moisture
If you live in an area that experiences cold temperatures, your pipes are at risk of freezing and bursting. When the temperatures are below freezing, turn off all of your water sources outside, including hoses and sprinklers. Make sure your home’s internal temperature is warm enough to keep your pipes from freezing as well.
Keep an eye out for other leaks or areas of excess moisture. To catch all leaks before they damage your home, install flood sensors around your home. These small devices will tell you when they detect excess moisture. Whether that’s from a burst pipe or a leaking appliance, you’ll be able to act quickly.
You can order these smart sensors from most home security companies. Some flood sensors, such as those from Vivint, also have built-in temperature sensors that will alert you when your home’s temperature is low enough to threaten your pipes.
4. Make your home looks lived-in
Burglars are always looking for homes that are empty. Since no one is home to detect the break-in, they have a lower chance of getting caught.
During the holidays, it’s even more important to keep your home lit and maintained. Thieves know that families are often out visiting relatives or attending holiday events, leaving their homes vulnerable.
You can protect your home from burglars by:
- Keeping lights on inside when the house is empty
- Shoveling the driveway, collecting mail, and bringing packages and newspapers inside
- Only sharing your traveling plans with trusted friends and family
When you do have to travel, ask a neighbor or a housesitter to take care of your home for you. You can ask neighbors to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity or vehicles as well.
5. Install security cameras
Outdoor security cameras are always guarding your home’s exterior, even when you’re snuggled in bed or visiting family. If anyone approaches or lurks around your home uninvited, your cameras will capture their activity and alert you to the potential danger.
Along with offering valuable evidence to give to law enforcement, your cameras might be enough to discourage attention from burglars in the first place. Once they see your cameras, thieves may choose a home with fewer protections and risks.
A doorbell camera, in particular, is a helpful defense during the holiday season. This small device will let you know when someone, including delivery drivers, approaches the door. You can watch over your holiday packages with your phone until you can bring them inside. If a porch pirate tries to take them, your camera will alert you to the thief and will hopefully scare them away empty-handed.
6. Don’t hide spare keys
During the holiday season, it’s hard to coordinate everyone’s schedules. You can’t always be home to let guests in, so it’s tempting to keep a spare key hidden around your front door.
Unfortunately, thieves know that trick too. They can use your key to access your home and valuables, turning the most wonderful time of the year into a nightmare.
Instead, equip your home with a smart door lock. You can access your lock through your phone, opening the door for all of your visitors. For even more convenience, you can create unique access codes for each group of guests. They can come and go as they please without leaving your home unlocked and vulnerable.
7. Put your lights on a schedule
Burglars prefer homes with minimal outdoor lighting. Darkness gives them more places to hide. Unfortunately, it can be hard to keep your home lit since the sun often sets before you get home during the winter months.
Use smart lighting or a timer to turn your lights on and off automatically. Even on your busiest days, your home will be well-lit and protected. Plus, with smart lights, you can control them through your phone for even more convenience.
