Home Safety Checklist For Erie

Being safe in your residence should be your largest concern. But are you missing some big safety components? Take this home safety checklist for Erie and find out where your house can use an update.

This guide starts with some whole-home safety ideas, and then we whittle it down room-by-room. Then, phone (814) 212-8989 or complete the form below to get your house ready.

Basic Home Safety Checklist for Erie

While you may want to employ a room-by-room approach to home safety in Erie, there are some methods that work for all of your rooms. These components can link together through a smart hub, and oftentimes respond to one another. You might also control each of your home safety devices using a mobile security app, like ADT Control:

Monitored Security System: All your windows and doors should use a sensor that alerts you to intrusion. After the alarm triggers, your monitoring center answers the call and calls emergency personnel.

Smart Lighting For Most Rooms: Of course, you can schedule your smart lighting to make your home more efficient. But they can also help you remain safe throughout an emergency. Have your lights come on when an alarm goes off to scare off burglars or brighten a path to a safe area.

Smart Thermostat: Likewise, a smart thermostat in Erie can save you 10%-15% in gas and electric costs. But it also can flip on your exhaust fan if you have a fire.

Monitored Smoke Detectors: At the very least, you have a smoke detector on each level of your house. You can improve your fire preparedness by utilizing a monitored fire detector that senses both smoke and heat, and pings your round-the-clock monitoring team when it thinks that there’s a fire.

Smart Lock For Every Door: Every door that utilizes a keyed lock can upgrade to a smart door lock. Now you can set key codes to family and friends and receive texts to your mobile device when they are unlocked. Your locks can even automatically open, letting you quickly get out if you have a fire or other emergency.

Living Room/Family Room Safety Checklist For Erie

You’ll hang out most in the living room, so it may be the best room to start making your home safer. Electronics, like a big screen or stereo system, probably reside in your living room, making it a popular room for thieves. Begin with placing a motion detector or security camera in there, then continue on with all these ideas:

Motion Sensors: By hanging motion detectors, you’ll get a shrieking siren whenever they sense suspicious motion within your living room. Look for motion detectors that aren’t set off by a dog or cat or you’ll get your sirens go off every time your cat passes through for a midnight stroll.
Indoor Camera: An indoor security camera offers a constant watch on your living room. View live feeds of your room so you can know what’s going on without leaving your bed. Or talk with your kids in the living room using the two-way talk feature.
Surge Protector/Cord Maintenance: Make sure you protect all your electronics and quit overloading your outlets with a surge protector. For added convenience, use a smart plug with surge protection included.
Furniture Secured To The Wall: If you have babies or toddlers, you’ll need to secure your bookshelves and entertainment center to a wall. This is extra crucial if your family room has rugs or carpet that can make heavy objects extra wobbly.
Special Locks For Sliding Glass Doors: If your family room has a sliding door that opens to a deck, patio, or outside porch, you probably get that the lock is pretty worthless. Install a special lock, like a bottom bar or small locks that are located on the top and bottom of the frame.

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Erie

The kitchen has many items that can bring comfort and safety to your house. Many of these objects should be easy to add and should be bought from the a retail store:

Fire Extinguisher: Fire can spring up from an unwatched skillet or an errant grease splatter. Always store a fire extinguisher at hand for any kitchen emergencies.
Circuit Interrupter Box On Every Outlet: A circuit interrupter outlet should be standard on outlets where they’re close to running water to prevent an electric shock. That means the plug outlets close to your sink and kitchen counter. Since the late ‘80s, it’s been standard to have one circuit interrupter outlet per circuit. But each one of your plugs will go if one outlet senses a surge, so you’ll want to use an unchained GFCI for every outlet.

Monitored CO Detector: A CO detector is recommended for the kitchen if you have gas for the oven and range. If your gas appliances leak, the carbon monoxide detector will cause a loud, buzzing siren and contact your monitoring professional.
Disinfectant Wipes Or Spray: The most overlooked safety problem in the kitchen is actually bacteria and protein that comes with blood from meat and dairy. Always keep cleaning wipes or a bleach spray to scrub off your area when making a meal.
Refrigerator/Freezer Alarm: The items in the refrigerator should stay at a chilly temperature to be ready to eat. If you leave the refrigerator door open too long, then a constant beep will let you know so you can close the door. Some fridges already have this installed, some don’t, and you’ll have to get a fridge alarm from online.

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Erie

Just because you may not have a lot of room in your bathroom, you will still have safety hazards. From water problems to electric safety, here are some safety ideas for your bathroom:

Flood Sensors: A leaking sink or tub can create an expensive amount of damage. Get alerted early about pooling water with a flood detector and save yourself from redoing the whole bathroom.
Textured Bathroom Mats: A fall in the bathroom can be a painful occurrence, causing bumps, gashed heads, or sprained ankles. Make sure you prevent these issues with a no-slip bath mat for your wet feet.

Textured Bathtub Stickers: Another water hazard, a tub can be a slick area to be on. It’s a good idea that each tub has some textured strips so your feet and toes have a rough patch to gain traction.

Medicine Door Latch: If you have curious children or a family member with memory complications, you have to take extra care regarding prescribed medicine. Hide away your bottles by installing a medicine cabinet with a latch that locks.

GFCI Circuits: Just like the kitchen, you should also install a safer circuit interrupter outlet on every bathroom circuit. This will stop the flow of the electricity if water enters the outlet or they experience an unusual jolt from a curling iron or hair dryer.

Children’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Erie

Your child’s bedroom should balance safety with accessibility. If their window coverings or other items are safe but hard to operate, then your children may perform risky methods -- like climb a bookshelf -- to use them. Here are 5 straightforward, yet safe, ideas:

No Cord Window Treatments: Safety experts have identified corded window treatments a hidden hazard for children and animals. Put in motorized blinds or shades that your child can easily manage with a remote control. Or go state-of-the-art and pair your motorized coverings to your ADT smart hub so they can raise without anyone’s help at dawn, and go down at night for extra privacy.

Tableside Security Camera: An indoor security camera perched on your kid’s desk can double as an HD baby monitor that you can view from a smartphone. And when they need you, they can use the two-way talk feature included on the camera.

Plug Covers: While each outlet should have covers on them for your little children, this is doubly urgent in a child’s bedroom. It’s the one place in your house where your child will most likely be by themselves without additional supervision.

Window Safety Ladder: If you use bedrooms on above the first story, then you need to install a window fire ladder. These will let your children get out of their room even if the stairway or lower levels are blocked off with fire. Just remember to rehearse how to unfurl them at least twice a year.

Toy Chest Or Low Bookshelves: It’s strange to look at a toy chest as a safety component, but you’ll understand if you’ve ever walked on a Lego in your bare feet. A clutter-free floor gives your child a quick way out when there’s a safety or security event.

Master Bedroom Safety Checklist For Erie

Your main bedroom should be a refuge, so let your safety devices make life easier if you have an emergency event. After all, being wrenched awake by a wailing alarm can be quite a shock.

Security System Touchscreen: Having a touchscreen on your bedside table lets you see what’s what that noise was without jumping out of bed. You could always use your ADT phone app but, the HD touchscreen may be easier to control to use when you’re yawning and finding your bearings.

Device Charging Area: We rely on our phones for so many things now GPS, web browsers, time wasters, and maybe even phones. But, an uncharged cell can cut us off from the outside world if there’s a problem. To make sure your phone always works, a an easy-to-use charging station becomes an important part of your nightstand.

Smart Lights Or Nightlights: A plug-in light helps ground you when you’re startled awake from a siren or other sounds. If you won’t drift off to sleep with a nightlight, put in smart bulbs in your bedroom and hall. Then you can have light anytime with a button push or vocal command.
Fireproof Lockbox: Store your vital papers like insurance cards, passports, or a bankbook in a fireproof safe. Your lockbox can be a big one that camps out out of the way or a smaller portable lockbox that you can grab as you escape during an emergency event.

Heat Sensor: The issue with bedrooms is that they can run too hot or be cold since they sit far from the thermostat. A temperature sensor can talk to your smart thermostat so you should have a pleasant, restful sleep at just the right climate.

Garage/Basement Safety Checklist For Erie

Most safety needs in the garage or basement deal with your pipes or heating system. Finding hazards early can stop bigger problems later on. So, as you look around your garage or basement, take note of these safety items:

Flood Detector Or Sump Pump Alarm: Installing a flood alarm next to your water heater or sump pump can stop you from wading into a lake when you step into your garage or basement. The last you need is to spend the weekend getting rid of standing water and salvaging all those ruined boxes.

Carbon Monoxide Detector: It’s smart to install a carbon monoxide alarm in areas where a gas leak can occur. If you have a gas furnace, you’ll want to put an alarm in the same area as your HVAC unit.
Wireless Water Shutoff Valve: If your water detector detects a plumbing leak or a busted pipe, then you will want to cap the primary water line quickly. With a remote shutoff valve, you can stop water flow from anywhere in the world. That’s perfect when you’re on vacation and see a water leak text on your phone.
Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage open causes all types of headaches. You can lose HVAC energy through that open door, and all sorts of animals or thieves can just saunder in. A remote sensor will alert you to an open garage door and lets you lower it with your phone.
Temperature Sensor: A heat sensor in your garage or basement is essential if you wonder about freezing pipes. The temperature in these areas can be drastically different than the rest of the house, so you will need to maintain a closer eye on the temp by using your mobile app.

Outside Perimeter Safety Checklist for Erie

Your landscaping, driveway, and front porch are just as crucial to make safe as the inside of your home. Try this checklist to make your outside safe:

Doorbell Security Camera: See who’s knocking on the the front step before you open it and welcome visitors. Get a visual on deliveries and record video clips if they are stolen.

Outdoor Camera: You can hang outdoor cameras to notify you about unusual lurkers in your back yard. These security cameras come in handy in places where you might not have a view -- like around a cellar or by the driveway.

Window Height Shrubs: Overgrown foliage can create some serenity, but they also hinder you seeing into the outside. Don’t give potential intruders a place to hide. Plus, tall bushes, shrubs or trees around your home can clog gutters and invite pests.
ADT Signage: One of the largest discouragements for home intrusion is telling potential intruders that you have an updated ADT security system. An ADT yard stick by the stoop and a window cling will show ne'er-do-wells that they might want to move on to an unprotected score.

Motion Controlled Flood Light Fixtures: Light is the largest obstacle to those who sneak around in the shadows. Motion-controlled flood lights on your deck, porch, or garage can frighten lurkers away. They also help you get inside when you get home on those dark, winter nights.

Contact Secure24 Alarm Systems To Help You With Your Home Safety Checklist for Erie

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t install every item on your Erie home safety checklist, we can install a customized security system. With easy-to-use devices and ADT monitoring, we can customize the perfect system for your house’s needs. Simply call (814) 212-8989 for more information or complete the form below. Or customize your own solution with our Security System Designer.