Halloween Safety at Home: Have Your Candy and Eat It Too

You have set up your spookiest decorations, stockpiled the tastiest candy, and donned your best costume. You’re ready to be the best Halloween house in the neighborhood. And hopefully, your night will have more treats than tricks. October 31st can be one of the scariest days for homeowners and parents, and not just because of the creepy costumes. Here are some Halloween safety and security tips so you can have a fun, worry-free night.

Adjust Your Security System

Before the festivities begin, make sure you disable any security devices like alarm systems or home security cameras. (Assuming someone is home to pass out candy, of course.) Otherwise, harmless trick-or-treaters could accidentally activate the system over and over.

That’s annoying for you, but it also might cause an issue with law enforcement. It can be extremely taxing on police resources to respond to false alarms. Besides, many cities will charge fines for having police respond to unnecessary calls. You can avoid all of this by anticipating your spooky visitors.

Once the festivities are over, remember to turn your devices back on before you go to bed. That way, you’re protected from things that go bump in the night.

If you have Deep Sentinel’s outdoor security cameras protecting your front door, we’ll lend a hand. Our live security guards are trained to pause your cameras when they notice repetitive events like a stream of costumed kids knocking on your door.

Check the Path to Your Door

Before all the little ghosts and goblins arrive, walk the path you expect them to take to your door. Is the walkway obvious? Is there anything to step on or slip on? Can you see the door?

Cleanliness is key. Sweep walkways and remove tripping hazards. It’s easy to go overboard on decorations and leave no obvious path for visitors to use. So practice self-control and keep the decor out of the way! And consider using signs if you need your guests to go somewhere besides the front door. You don’t want trick-or-treaters skipping the amazing experience you’ve set up because they don’t know where to go.

Use Lighting to Show the Way

When creating a spooky experience, it’s tempting to make everything dark. Because people are afraid of things they can’t see, right? Avoid making this mistake. Insufficient visibility can be a safety hazard. Plus, if anyone tries to make mischief, you’ll be able to spot them in your yard. For maximum Halloween safety, and to increase your home’s security every other day of the year, eliminate dark spots on your property.

Make sure the path to your home is well lit and plan to have some extra lighting for your decorations as well. After all, you don’t want to spend hours setting up an amazing home display only to have it go unnoticed. Colored accent lights, fog, and sound effects can create the spooky effect you wanted without the dangers of darkness.

It may seem obvious, but turn off the lights where you don’t want people to go. If you’re away from home, make sure it’s clear that your house isn’t a treat stop. Simply turning off the porch light and closing the blinds can communicate that you’re not giving out any more treats. On that note, check if your neighborhood has a “signal” that a home is participating—some communities use porch lights or special lamppost covers.

Carefully Craft Big Scares for Better Halloween Safety

You may be thinking about spooking trick-or-treaters in a big way, such as a costumed creep jumping out or a decoration making noise when people approach. If you’re planning an epic finale, make sure that you have plenty of space between the scary thing and its intended audience. Plan for flailing limbs of terrified visitors, sudden leap backs, and the possibility that people might fall down. And make sure that there is a way to escape your big scare without running into the street. Safety comes first for everyone.

Lastly, be aware that some people aren’t looking for a terrifying experience. A home that’s too scary might lose some visitors, especially young children. If you find it challenging to create a safe and scary set-up, then consider going a more silly route. Friendly-looking decorations and brighter lighting will all go a long way to making sure everyone is welcome to your doorstep. And you can’t go wrong with a good old-fashioned jack-o-lantern.

Halloween Safety That’s All Treats, No Tricks

So there you have it. Armed with these tips, you can plan an exciting and safe Halloween experience for everyone who comes asking for treats. And if you aren’t going to be home this Halloween, secure your home against tricksters with a sophisticated video camera monitoring system. In addition to home security cameras, Deep Sentinel provides 24-hour video surveillance to make sure false alarms don’t ruin your night. Stay safe this Halloween and rest easy with Deep Sentinel at your door.