As the year comes to a close, New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration, reflection, and welcoming the possibilities of the upcoming year. Needless to say, some of the most fun out of the year comes right on this day! It’s a day filled with new beginnings and saying goodbye to some much-needed endings. But, while you’re busy planning the perfect party, preparing to welcome guests, or even heading out for some fun, it’s essential to prioritize the safety of your home and loved ones.
You might be surprised to learn about the sheer number of accidents and unfortunate events that happen to houses on this day. But regardless, if you play it safe, then your house will be just fine! So, with that said, here’s how you can keep your home safe during your NYE celebrations!
Check Your Smoke Alarms
Not just these, but do you have a fire extinguisher? Does your fire extinguisher work? It might sound unnecessary or like a lot of work, but you should absolutely do this! It’s best to just go ahead and ensure that all alarms are working correctly and replace batteries if needed. Plus, you should place fire extinguishers in easily accessible locations, especially in the kitchen and near potential fire hazards (granted, they should have been there anyway).
Be Cautious with Candles
During the holiday season like this, everyone goes wild for candles; they’re put on tables and the windows, hung up on sconces- you name it! Plus, candles can add a lot of warmth and even some festive ambiance to your New Year’s Eve celebration (if you’re doing this at home), but they also pose a fire risk- a major risk.
So, instead, it might be best to opt for flameless candles to eliminate the risk of an open flame. Nowadays, these are pretty common, and they really do look realistic, thanks to that flickering effect. If you choose traditional candles, keep them away from flammable materials and never leave them unattended. Plus, why not consider placing candles in sturdy holders to prevent tipping?
Use Fireworks Responsibly
Planning on celebrating NYE with a bang? A literal bang, that is? Well, if you plan to celebrate the New Year with fireworks, prioritize safety. Seriously, do not neglect that! You’re going to have to follow local regulations when it comes to the use of fireworks. Don’t do these by your house, let alone any building for that matter (a major mistake that so many people make each year).
Plus, you should keep a bucket of water or a hose nearby in case of emergencies and always aim fireworks away from buildings, trees, and other potential fire hazards. The same goes for sparklers, too; while these might seem harmless enough (and there are plenty of photos showing these lit up inside homes), you really do not want to make that mistake!
Heading Out? Secure Your Home!
So, one thing you want to keep in mind is the amount of break-ins and vandalism that happens during NYE when people aren’t home. In general, when it comes to vacations, whether it be the summer or winter season, if people know for a fact you’re not home or if there aren’t any clear that someone could be home, that’s usually when it happens. So, you’re going to want to really try to secure your home; you might want to consider locksmiths to add additional locks, maybe get a Ring doorbell or some other camera doorbell; there are even motion lights for outside. You could even consider it, too.
While this sounds overboard, nowadays, it’s really not. Break-ins and vandalism can happen to anyone; you could very well be that anyone! So stay vigilant because, during NYE, there are a lot of careless people and a lot of people with bad intentions. Even if you’re going to be home, you still need to do this.
Limit Access to Restricted Areas
It sounds weird, doesn’t it? But if you’re hosting a party at your home, there’s always a chance of people being inebriated when arriving or during the party itself. So, you know your home better than anyone else. So, with that said, you should really try to either warn people or entirely restrict access to certain areas where people could easily harm themselves. This is especially important if you have outdoor areas, balconies, or rooms that may pose safety risks. So ideally, use barriers or signage to guide guests and prevent accidents.
