Keep your home safe and secure this holiday season with First National Real Estate’s Chief Executive Officer, Ray Ellis’, tips on how to safely decorate the family home and ensure your home is properly secured for the holiday break.
Decorating Safely
· Before setting up any Christmas lighting, test your smoke alarms to ensure they are working correctly
· Only use electrical equipment that is Australian standards compliant and avoid cheaper priced inferior overseas products
· If using lights from last year, check for any sign of wear and tear before lighting up
· Scrutinise transformers, leads and power boards to ensure they are in good working condition
· Only use indoor lights for indoor areas as they aren’t weatherproof rated for outdoor use
· Look for weatherproof rated outdoor lights for decorating outdoor areas around the home
· Read and follow all manufacturer instructions
· Be sure to turn off all Christmas lighting and blow out all candles before bedtime, leaving your property and in stormy weather conditions
· Turn off at the power and unplug Christmas lights on living Christmas trees before watering
· Never put Christmas lights around or above swimming pool areas and ensure no leads are near wet areas
Safely Secure Your Home
· Never leave your property without doublechecking all doors and windows are safely secured
· Ensure you are up to date on home and contents insurance payments
· Take cash with you when leaving your property and never leave valuables lying around
· Check your social media settings and ensure they are set to private, so you aren’t broadcasting your holiday to people you don’t know and trust
· Never leave a message on your answering machine indicating that you are away
· If going away for a long period of time, re-direct mail or use a Parcel Locker so that Christmas parcels and general mail doesn’t pile up at your door
· Entrust a local neighbour to water your property on a regular basis especially during hot weather spells as a wilted garden is a sure sign that no one is home
