It's
one of the best times of the year. The winter holidays are here. Per the PwC's annual Holiday
Outlook, nearly half of all Americans, 47%, will hit the road this year to
travel for the holidays. This is up from the 33% who traveled pre-pandemic.
If you
are a part of the many who plan to travel for the holidays this year and leave
your home alone, you will want to do some preparation work before then to
ensure that your home is safe, secure, and festive when you're not there. As a
result, here are the ten things to do to prepare your home before holiday travel
and you leave your home alone:
1) Install smart devices throughout
your home
Smart
home technology can help keep your home safe, secure, and comfortable wherever
you go. Nowadays, there are several different types of smart home technology to
choose from that can help keep your home safe, including:
● Cameras & security
systems
● Video doorbells & locks
● Smart plugs & lighting
● Smoke alarms
● Voice devices and speakers
For
instance, a security system can be equipped with very loud alarms so that, if
anyone were to illegally enter a home, anyone nearby could hear it. In addition,
security systems can provide law enforcement notifications and live video access
to monitor your home from your smartphone.
Our electrical contractors at Estes Services can help
you select the best technologies for your home and provide smart home installation services.
2) Deploy energy-saving practices
Before
you leave, you will want to deploy energy-saving practices around the home,
including turning off ceiling fans and lights; unplugging appliances or turning
off power strips, and closing curtains and blinds.
3) Place indoor and outdoor cameras
Do you
have home security cameras installed? There are several indoor and outdoor
places where cameras could be installed to help improve your home security,
including:
● First-floor doors and windows
● Living room
● Kitchen
● Main hallway or stairs
● Driveway
● Garage
● Front and back yard
4) Install LED holiday lights outside
Get
into the holiday cheer by installing holiday lights outside. Lights can fill
you with good memories and make you happy during this time of year. They can also help deter burglars, as they would prefer to operate in the
dark.
If
you're thinking of installing exterior holiday lights, consult with our
experienced electricians, as multiple extension cords for holiday lights can
pose a safety hazard. Eliminate your worries by having one of our licensed and
certified Atlanta electricians see if a home wiring upgrade may be necessary to fully
enjoy your lights.
5) Consider smart plugs
It may
be beneficial to have smart plugs in your home so that you can control when
you can turn on or off the lights from your smartphone or even have them on a
timer. This is great for when you're not home, so people still see lights on.
6) Upgrade to smart smoke detectors
Upgrading
to smart smoke detectors can be a worthy and life-saving investment. For
instance, some smart smoke detectors can send fast alerts to your phone when
smoke or carbon monoxide is present; have self-testing functionality, and provide a path light if and when smoke appears.
7) Decorate your outdoor walls with
smart lights
Have
you considered installing outdoor smart wall lights? This could be a festive
way to celebrate the holidays and also provide an additional sense of security.
You can also control them remotely from your smartphone when you're not there.
8) Have an electrical inspection
performed
Fall is
a good time of year to have an Atlanta electrical
inspection performed. It's even more important if you're planning to head out of
town this year. One of our Atlanta electricians will inspect your electrical
system and determine if there are any issues with your electrical wiring,
breaker box, or anything else that could be a cause for concern when you're
away.
9) Be careful about sharing your
travel plans
Of
course, it's always a good practice to be careful who and where you share your
travel plans with. Have fun, but be cautious. Think twice before sharing any
detailed information about your travel plans on social media, especially if
your accounts are public.
10) Have fun and enjoy the holidays
Last
but not least, have fun and enjoy the holidays. By golly, be jolly! This is
truly the most wonderful time of the year, and we hope that Estes Services can
help you bring on the holiday cheer with our top-quality electrical services, no job is too big or too
small for our experienced team.
Choose Estes
Services for Your Electrical Services this Holiday Season
Consider
these top 10 things before you embark on your holiday travel this year. At
Estes Services, it's our goal to help you enjoy the holidays more comfortably
with our top-quality electrical services.
Before
you head out of town this season, give us a call, and we will make sure your
home's electrical comfort, safety, and security are just right. It's that Easy;
It's Estes!
We
provide electrical services in the greater Atlanta area, including Alpharetta, Buckhead, Decatur, Druid Hills, Dunwoody, Fayetteville, Johns Creek, Kennesaw, Marietta, Midtown, Peachtree City, Roswell, Sandy Springs, and Virginia Highland.
Schedule service today.
