Home Security for the Holidays

The holidays are a special time for most people, but in many areas, this is when the crime rate increases. With so many people traveling during the season and so many people buying things like new TVs, phones, jewelry, and electronic gadgets as gifts, thieves often consider the holidays to be a great opportunity to get what they want for nothing. Whether your plans include spending the holidays at home or to go out of town, you need to take some extra special steps in your home security.

Evaluate Your Home

The first step in home security should be a complete evaluation of the home security measures you have already taken. Be sure that doors are locked, especially when you leave. If your windows are old and the locks no longer work, consider vinyl replacement windows. They will have locks that work and can help make your home more secure.

Extension Cords

You may wish to light up your outdoors with all of your newest holiday decor, but if you can’t find an outlet outside, never run your extension cords in through the windows. This is one of the first things a thief will look for. Even one small crack will allow them to lift the window and get into your home.

Holiday Lighting

Your outdoor holiday lights, as well as the lights in your home, should also be set up on an automatic timer. As it gets dark out early, you may not get home from work until well past sunset. An automatic timer system is especially important if you are going out of town. Many thieves will only break into homes that are dark, so having the lights on could prevent your home from being burglarized.

Security Cameras

You may also wish to install security cameras inside and outside of your home. First, a surveillance camera outside your home is going to deter a large majority of potential thieves from even going near your home. Second, if you do have a break-in, you will have it as evidence. However, combined with an active monitored alarm system, the police can be alerted at once. The holidays are a time of year that should be enjoyed. While you may hate to think about this particular matter during a time that is supposed to be filled with beautiful memories, you need to take home security seriously. This is the time of year that crimes are rampant, and you must do whatever you can to protect your family and your home. If not, you could end up with a holiday filled with something other than happy memories.

Winterize Your Home with Ease

Winter is right around the corner and the chore list is growing. Understandably, people feel so overwhelmed they begin procrastinating, especially with so many extra things going on with the holiday season. After all, a few more days won’t matter. The truth is, homeowners can winterize their houses in just a few easy steps and put that chore behind them. Simply prepare the plumbing, inspect the furnace, check the windows and have the chimney swept. Just like that, the house is prepared for winter and homeowners can finally relax.

Prepare the Plumbing

One of the most common winter disasters is frozen or broken pipes, which results in expensive cleanup and repairs. Homeowners can avoid the cost by preparing their home’s plumbing. By inspecting and insulating exposed pipes, draining and storing garden hoses, and draining AC pipes, one reduces the likelihood of dealing with plumbing disasters when the temperature plummets.

Furnace Inspection

The colder the nights become, the more tempting it gets to turn up the heat. That said, one should have the furnace or boiler inspected before starting up the heating system again. At the very least, this is a good time to replace old filters, but an inspection may uncover potential problems that could leave the family in the cold when the weather gets bitterly cold outside.

Insulate Windows and Doors

Doors and windows with old insulation often work as sieves, sucking all the heat out and letting in the cold. Homeowners can save some money and keep the family warm by taking the time to inspect all the windows and doors. If the insulation is rotting or crumbling, simply use weather stripping around the doors and caulk the windows. For an extra layer of protection, one might consider vinyl replacement windows, which lock the heat in where it’s most needed while cutting down on energy bills.

Ready the Fireplace

Most people love the thought of relaxing by a warm fire on a cold winter’s night. Unfortunately, a clogged chimney can shatter the tranquil mood and become dangerous to the family. For that reason, one should schedule a chimney and fireplace inspection as soon as possible. They will ensure the chimney is properly screened, remove creosote and soot, as well as inspect the fireplace damper. With the fireplace ready for the winter, homeowner can enjoy plenty of cozy nights no matter the temperature outside.

Overlooked Ways to Keep Your Energy Bills Down This Winter

During the winter season, it’s easy to see your energy bills suddenly skyrocket. Now that it gets dark earlier, people are turn their lights on sooner and are more likely to cook warm meals in the oven, especially with big holiday meals and other special holiday treats. There’s also the Christmas lights you use to decorate your tree or the outside of your home. Not to mention, you’ll be running your furnace more. It all adds up fast. There are lots of things you can do to help cut down on how much energy you use this time of year, but here are a few ways that people often overlook.

Use the Fireplace

Instead of turning the heat up to stay warm indoors, try using your fireplace more often to keep the chill away and remain comfortable. Wood-burning fireplaces can easily heat a living room or bedroom that they're in, which can make it easy to rely less on your furnace and use less energy. If you keep your furnace down and get more use out of your fireplace, you can always use blankets and sweaters to give you a little extra warmth if you’re still chilly.  Best of all, when you have your fireplace to help out, you have the assurance of knowing you’ll have a source of heat and light if your power goes out.

Use the Right Size Dishes

When cooking for the holiday season, many people make the mistake of using casserole dishes or pans that are too large for the items that they're cooking. After all, it might seem better to use too big of a dish than one too small. Using the right size of a dish can prevent using more heat in the oven and therefore require less time to cook the meal.

Keep the Curtains Closed

Curtains and other window coverings are more than just a decorative statement, they can play an important part in keeping your home warm. It's important to switch out your sheer curtains for a ones made with a heavier material that can help to insulate the home and prevent the outdoor temperatures from getting in. The curtains should be opened in the mornings and during the day to allow sunlight in for extra warmth before they're closed when the sun goes down.

Switch to LED Bulbs If you haven’t started using LED bulbs yet, now is a good time to start. LED bulbs are more energy efficient. Incandescent light bulbs use 60 watts compared to LED bulbs, which only use six to eight watts when they're in use. This means that incandescent bulbs use an average of 3,285 kilowatts each year compared to LED bulbs, which use 329 kilowatts annually.

Prepare Now for Winter Storms

Winters can come with some major storms and many have the potential to knock out your power for days. An ice storm can actually knock it out for weeks. By preparing now for the winter storms, you can be sure that you and your family are safe and prepared for anything thrown your way.

Winterize Your Home

A lot of heat can escape your home if it is not insulated properly. Before winter arrives, be sure that your home has adequate insulation. If your windows are old, be sure to use caulking to seal them or consider installing vinyl replacement windows as they are known for their efficiency. Also, be sure to install weather stripping around your doors. The idea is to keep the cold from getting in and the heat escaping.

Get Your Emergency Supplies Ready

When most people think of emergency supplies, they think of extra batteries for flashlights, a battery operated radio, and extra blankets. Emergency supplies must also include an emergency heat source, extra lighting, and a supply of food and water. With food, be sure that you have enough food that’s non-perishable and that doesn’t require the use of electricity to cook and that you have enough on hand to feed your family for at least a week or more. Keep your grill supplied with propane and you will always have something to cook on. When stocking up on food supplies, do not forget the needs of your pets.

Prior to a Storm

If you know a storm is coming, be sure that your vehicle has at least a half of tank of gas and is ready to travel if necessary. Inside your vehicle, keep an emergency supply ready that includes extra blankets, flashlights with extra batteries, and a small supply of snacks, such as crackers. You also should have a car charger for your cell phone. Before the storm hits, be sure that everything that could be blown around is removed from your yard and that your vehicle is parked in an area where falling limbs will not damage it. The idea is to be prepared and ready to go if necessary.

Winter storms are something that most people take in stride. These are the people who have prepared for the worst. You may not want to think about it, but ignoring it will not make the risk go away. The fact is that it is better to be prepared than to have nothing on hand when the winter storm knocks your power out and you are stuck at home due to the bad roads.

How to Heat Your Home When the Power Goes Out

With cold weather coming on quickly, the one thing you should be concerned about is how you are going to heat your home if the power goes out. For many people, especially those who live alone, the answer is to simply go stay with someone who does have power. However, in a widespread power outage, this may not be an option and you must find a way to heat your home.

Woodstove

If you do not have a woodstove in your home, you are certainly at a disadvantage, but this does not mean that you can’t have one for emergencies. A temporary woodstove can be installed in just a few moments. You simply need an unobstructed window, a small wood burning stove, a chimney pipe that also has the elbow, a small piece of plywood, and, of course, a good supply of wood. Simply put the chimney out an open window and put the plywood around it to cover it up. The woodstove is temporary and can be put up and taken down just as easily.

Kerosene Heater

While kerosene heaters of the past have been proven to be quite dangerous, there are many available on the market that come with extra safety measures. For example, many of the heaters available will shut off automatically if it tips over or is bumped too hard. While these kerosene heaters are safe, you still want to be sure that you have a carbon monoxide detector that runs off batteries nearby.

Candles and Clay Flowerpot

Although this method is only good for heating up a small room, it is perfect for those who do not have any other means of producing heat. Simply place tea light candles on a fire-proof surface and place a clay flowerpot over them. The heat from the candle will go into the pot and expand. The clay pot should have a hole in the bottom of it, which will actually be the top as the pot will be placed over the candles upside down. Placing several of these makeshift heaters in a small room may not bring the room up to a high temperature, but it will keep you from freezing.

When the power goes out in the middle of winter, your first thought may be to go somewhere else to get warm. However, safety should always be your top concern and, if the roads are bad, you should stay home. Just be sure that you take all safety precautions with your emergency heat source to prevent any unnecessary risks. The idea is to stay warm without harming you or your family.