VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – Halloween is just days away. That means it’s time to prep your house for trick-or-treaters so you can keep them safe, and protect yourself from potential legal trouble.
WAVY.com sat down with Mark Horton of TowneBank. He’s a senior vice president working in the insurance division. He suggests using battery operated candles instead of true flames in those pumpkins to help reduce the risk of a fire. He also says, on the day of trick-or-treating, make sure all pathways to your home are clear and easily accessible.
“Maybe move those leaves out of those pathways. You have to remember you have younger kids coming through there, and they’re not familiar with where your house is or how it’s set up. So, doing that and making sure it’s well-lit is a great thing,” Horton said.
No matter how proud you are of the decorations in your home, Horton says trick-or-treaters should not come inside. He also recommends keeping your animals away from children on this spooky night.
“Your dog, who may be friendly, may see someone in a Halloween costume with a mask on and they don’t like masks. So, we always ask that you please put your animals away,” Horton said.
Remember to protect your cars. Horton says you should park them in your garage, or somewhere away from trick-or-treaters, so there is less potential for your car to get scratched or damaged in some way.
At the end of the night, clean everything up and remember to blow out any candles that may be burning.
“Just the simple things that you do the day of, the morning of, before everyone comes over will really save you a lot of headache in the long run and just make your night so much more enjoyable.”