Five Ways to Keep Your Home Safe While You’re Away for the Holidays

Daniel Ehinger
4 days ago
2 min read

Five Ways to Keep Your Home Safe While You’re Away for the Holidays

(Practical peace of mind from your local Central Coast electricians at Elect Electric)

Cozy room with warm lights, TV showing a child in red near a door. Adjacent laptop displays a car on a rainy street. Brown curtains add warmth.

Traveling for the holidays can be exciting—but it also leaves your home vulnerable. Empty driveways, dark windows, and quiet nights can catch the attention of people you don’t want noticing your house.

Before you head out of Atascadero, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, or Santa Maria, take a few simple steps to keep your property bright, secure, and powered while you’re away.

1. Light It Like You’re Still Home

Burglars prefer dark houses. Use timers, smart plugs, or SPAN Smart Panel scheduling to turn indoor and outdoor lights on and off automatically.

A few well-placed lights in living spaces, hallways, and porches make it look like someone’s still home—even if you’re on the road.

💡 Bonus tip: swap out burned bulbs now so your timers actually do their job.

2. Check Your Security Cameras Before You Go

Person monitors multiple security camera feeds on three screens. Blue-toned room, focused, analytical atmosphere.

If you’ve installed a Reolink camera system, make sure:

Motion alerts are working.
Floodlights trigger properly at night.
Your phone app connects remotely.
Storage is clear and recording normally.

If you don’t have a system yet, Reolink’s no-fee cameras are a great upgrade before you travel. They record to your own device (no cloud, no subscription) and let you check live footage from anywhere.

3. Protect Your Power and Electronics

Winter storms can bring unexpected PG&E outages and power surges that damage electronics or knock your cameras offline.

Before leaving, consider:

Whole-home surge protection to shield sensitive equipment.
A battery backup system (like Tesla Powerwall 3) to keep lights, cameras, and Wi-Fi running when the grid goes down.

Peace of mind means knowing your home stays protected—even when the lights go out.

4. Unplug What You Don’t Need

Appliances and chargers draw power even when idle. Unplug non-essential items such as toasters, coffee makers, or entertainment systems.

It’s safer, saves energy, and prevents potential hazards while you’re gone.

5. Schedule a Quick Safety Check

If you’ve noticed flickering lights, buzzing outlets, or breakers that trip under load, don’t leave town without having them checked.

Our team at Elect Electric can perform a pre-trip safety inspection, repair faulty lights, or add GFCI protection where it’s missing—usually in a single visit.

Family of four sits on blue airport seats, smiling warmly. A suitcase is nearby. Large windows reveal a pink plane outside.

Before You Go, Secure What Matters

The holidays should bring peace, not worry. A few preventive steps now can keep your home safe and sound until you’re back.

If you’d like help inspecting your lighting, installing Reolink security cameras, or adding surge protection or backup power, we’re ready to get it done before you travel.

👉 Schedule your safety visit today at www.ElectElectric.com

Serving Atascadero, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Maria, Elect Electric helps Central Coast homeowners stay safe, efficient, and connected—all year long.