'Tis the Season to Secure Your Home: 5 Tips from Savvi

The holiday season brings joy, celebrations, and unfortunately, increased security risks for homeowners. Between Black Friday shopping sprees, vacation travels, and the surge of package deliveries, December creates unique vulnerabilities that opportunistic criminals often exploit. At Savvi, we've analyzed seasonal crime patterns and developed comprehensive strategies to keep your home protected when it matters most.

Our cutting-edge smart home security system, included with all insurance protection plans, goes beyond traditional coverage to offer proactive prevention. But even the most advanced technology works best when combined with proven security fundamentals. Here are five essential tips from Savvi's security experts to fortify your home this holiday season.

1. Master the Art of the Occupied Home: Keep Lights and Electronics Running

The most effective deterrent against break-ins remains making your home appear continuously occupied. During winter's extended darkness, this strategy becomes even more critical. Savvi recommends keeping your porch light illuminated and your television running during short absences, especially after sunset.

Modern criminals conduct surveillance before attempting break-ins, often observing patterns of activity over several days. A consistently lit porch signals active occupancy, while the flickering glow of a television suggests someone's home watching their favorite holiday movies. These simple measures cost pennies in electricity but provide invaluable peace of mind.

Our smart home automation features take this concept further. Consider purchasing Wi-Fi smart plugs that integrate with your Savvi app to control lights and simulate natural occupancy patterns, automatically adjusting lights throughout your home based on your typical schedule to fool even the most observant criminals.

These smart plugs are inexpensive and are great, especially for extended holiday travel, and give your home the appearance of occupancy while our professional monitoring team keeps watch over your property 24/7.

2. Secure Every Entry Point: The Foundation of Home Protection

Locking doors and windows might seem obvious, but statistics show that 30% of burglaries occur through unlocked entry points. During the holiday rush, it's easy to forget basic security measures when juggling shopping bags, rushing to parties, or managing excited children.

Savvi's comprehensive approach includes door and window sensors that integrate seamlessly with your security system. These cutting-edge devices immediately alert you and our monitoring center if any entry point is breached, whether you're home or away. The sensors also provide status updates, helping you remember which doors or windows might have been left unsecured.

Beyond traditional locks, consider upgrading to smart locks. These innovative devices allow remote locking and unlocking, automatic securing when you leave home, and detailed logs of who enters and exits your property. During holiday entertaining, you can grant temporary access to guests while maintaining complete control over your home's security.

Our professional monitoring team receives instant notifications from any sensor activation, ensuring rapid response even during the busiest holiday schedules. This comprehensive coverage means you can focus on enjoying the season while we handle your home's security.

3. Eliminate Hiding Spots: Strategic Landscape Management

Holiday decorating often focuses on aesthetics, but security-conscious homeowners consider visibility alongside curb appeal. Overgrown shrubs, untrimmed trees, and dense landscaping create perfect concealment for criminals surveying your property or attempting unauthorized entry.

Savvi's loss prevention specialists recommend maintaining clear sightlines around your home's perimeter, particularly near ground-floor windows and entry doors. Trim vegetation to below window level and ensure adequate spacing between plants and your home's exterior. This approach doesn't require sacrificing beauty – strategic pruning often enhances both security and landscape appeal.

HD security cameras work optimally when positioned with unobstructed views of your property's key areas. The full HD 1080p resolution captures crystal-clear footage, but even the most advanced camera technology becomes ineffective when blocked by overgrown vegetation. Regular landscape maintenance ensures your security investment provides maximum protection.

During winter months, consider how bare branches and reduced foliage affect visibility. Areas that seemed well-concealed in summer might become exposed, requiring adjusted camera positioning or additional sensors. Our smart home specialists can reassess your property's security coverage and recommend seasonal adjustments to maintain optimal protection.

4. Practice Digital Discretion: Social Media Security Awareness

The modern world's connectivity creates new security vulnerabilities that previous generations never faced. Social media platforms make it effortless to share exciting holiday plans, vacation photos, and gift purchases – but this digital oversharing provides criminals with detailed intelligence about your absence and valuables.

Savvi's security experts strongly advise against real-time social media posts about travel plans, expensive purchases, or extended absences from home. Instead, save vacation photos and holiday memories for after you return. This simple practice eliminates the risk of advertising your home's vulnerability to potentially thousands of followers, including acquaintances you might not fully trust.

Consider adjusting your social media privacy settings during holiday season, limiting post visibility to close friends and family only. Review your follower lists regularly, removing connections you don't personally know or haven't interacted with recently. Remember that criminals often research targets through social media, gathering information about routines, valuables, and travel schedules.

Our smart home monitoring provides continuous protection even when you share holiday memories publicly. Professional monitoring never takes vacation days, ensuring your home receives constant attention regardless of your social media activity. Still, combining technological protection with digital discretion creates the most comprehensive security strategy.

5. Outsmart Package Thieves: Advanced Delivery Management

Package theft skyrockets during holiday season, with criminals following delivery trucks and monitoring homes for unattended shipments. Traditional advice suggests having packages delivered to work or using delivery lockers. Rather than accepting default front-door delivery, specify alternative locations like side doors, back porches, or secured areas less visible from the street. Many carriers allow detailed delivery instructions that can significantly reduce theft risk.

For ultimate package security, coordinate with neighbors to accept deliveries during your absence, or consider staggering delivery dates rather than having all holiday packages arrive simultaneously. This approach reduces the visual impact of multiple packages sitting unattended and spreads security attention across several days rather than creating one high-risk period.

The Savvi Advantage: Comprehensive Holiday Protection

These five fundamental security practices become exponentially more effective when enhanced by Savvi's cutting-edge smart home technology. Our comprehensive insurance protection plans include professional monitoring, motion sensors, door and window sensors, key fob arming systems, and our intelligent Savvi hub that coordinates your entire security ecosystem.

The integration of proven security fundamentals with advanced technology creates layered protection that adapts to holiday season challenges. Whether you're hosting family gatherings, traveling to visit relatives, or simply managing increased package deliveries, Savvi's comprehensive approach ensures your home remains secure.

Our concierge-style claims handling means that if security incidents do occur, you'll receive immediate support and streamlined resolution. But our primary focus remains prevention – helping customers avoid claims through proactive protection and smart technology that anticipates threats before they materialize.

This holiday season, embrace both tradition and innovation. Follow these time-tested security practices while leveraging Savvi's modern technology to create comprehensive protection worthy of your family's safety and your home's value. After all, the greatest gift you can give yourself this season is complete peace of mind.