Home Safety Checklist For Columbus

Keeping safe in your residence should be your largest responsibility. But are you overlooking some big safety items? Take this home safety checklist for Columbus and find out where your living space can use greater attention.

This guide starts with five whole-home safety ideas, and then we delve down on a room level. Then, you can call (614) 368-9896 or send in the form below to speak to a security agent.

Basic Home Safety Checklist for Columbus

While you should take a individual room method for home safety, there are some things that work for multiple rooms. These items can talk with one another through a smart hub, and often can respond to other components. You might also manage each of your home safety devices through a mobile security app, such as ADT Control:

Monitored Security System: All your doors and windows should use a sensor that notifies you to a break-in. As the alarm goes off, your monitoring agent responds to the alert and sends the police or fire department.

Smart Lighting For Each Room: Sure, you can schedule your smart bulbs to become more efficient. But smart lights can also help you stay safe in an emergency. Have your smart bulbs flash on when a security alarm triggers to scare off robbers or light a path to a outside area.

Smart Thermostat: Likewise, a smart thermostat in Columbus should save you up to 15% in gas and electric costs. Also, it can flip on your exhaust fan during a fire.

Monitored Fire Detectors: At the very least, you will have a fire detector on every level of your house. You can increase your fire game by hanging a monitored fire detector that detects excessive heat and smoke, and alerts your round-the-clock monitoring team when it detects a fire.

Smart Door Locks: Every door that needs a keyed lock can use a smart lock. Now you may preset key codes to friends and family and receive texts to your mobile device when the locks are activated. Your doors can even automatically open, helping you to quickly get out if you have a fire or other emergency.

Family Room Safety Checklist For Columbus

You’ll spend most of your time in your family room, so it’s the most reasonable area to start making your house a safer place. Highly sought after items, like a big screen or stereo system, typically sit in your living room, making it a tempting area for robbers. Start with installing a motion detector or indoor security camera in your room, then continue on with all these ideas:

Motion Detectors: By hanging motion sensors, you’ll get a high-decibel noise if they sense unexpected motion in your family room. The best devices are motion detectors that filter out a dog or cat or you’ll get a tripped alarm every time your pet comes in for a midnight stroll.
Security Camera: An indoor security camera offers a visual on your living room. View constant feeds of the area so you can know what’s downstairs from the mobile app. Or speak with family members when they arrive home from school by using the two-way talk feature.
Surge Protector/Outlet Maintenance: Make sure you protect those electronics and stop overburdening your outlets with a surge protector. For additional comfort, set up a smart plug with surge protection in the unit.
Heavy Furniture Secured To The Wall: If you have babies or toddlers, you’ll want to secure your bookshelves and entertainment center to a wall. This is extra crucial if your family room has carpeting that can make objects extra unbalanced.
Enhanced Locks For Sliding Doors: If your family room uses a sliding door that slides out to a backyard, deck, or porch, you get that the door lock is pretty thin. Put in a special lock, like a bottom bar or locks that are located on the bottom and top of the frame.

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Columbus

Your kitchen has room for items that can add safety and security to your home. Most of these items are also a snap to add and should be found in the Target or Walmart:

Fire Extinguisher: Fire can spring up from a neglected frying pan or a towel that’s too close to a burner. Always have a fire extinguisher in close reach for any kitchen emergencies.
GFCI Box On Every Outlet: A circuit interrupter outlet should be standard anywhere there’s nearby running water to lessen the chance of a deadly shock. That includes the plug outlets around your kitchen counter and sink. Since 1987, it’s been code to have one circuit interrupter outlet per dedicated circuit. But each one of your plugs will go if any outlet detects a surge, so try to have a single GFCI for every outlet.

Monitored Carbon Monoxide Detector: A CO detector is advised for spaces that use natural gas for the oven and range. If your gas appliances malfunction, the CO detector will emit a loud, buzzing noise and contact your monitoring agent.
Clorox Wipes Or Spray: The biggest safety problem in the kitchen is the viruses, bacteria, and protein from raw meat and vegetables. Always keep cleaning wipes or a bleach spray to sanitize your counters after making a meal.
Freezer and Refrigerator Alarm: The food items in the refrigerator should stay at a chilly temperature to be healthy to eat. If you leave the refrigerator door open too long, then an alarm beep will tell you to close the door. Some refrigerators come with an alarm, others won’t, and you’ll have to get a refrigerator alarm from the store.

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Columbus

Just because you may not have a bunch of square footage in your bathroom doesn’t mean that there aren’t safety hazards. From flood prevention to electric safety, here are some safety improvements for your bathroom:

Flood Sensors: A leaking sink or bathtub can create a whole lot of water damage. Find leaks early with a flood detector and save yourself from reflooring the whole bathroom.
Non-slip Shower Mats: A slip and fall in the bathroom can be painful, causing bumps, bruises, or sprained ankles. You can steer clear from these issues with a non-slip bath mat for while you towel off.

Textured Bathtub Stickies: Like a tiled floor, a tub basin can be a slippery surface to move in. It’s a good idea that each bathtub has some no-slip stickers so your feet have a textured patch to grip.

Medicine Door Lock: If you have curious children or someone with memory complications, you need to take additional care regarding prescription medicine. Hide away your prescriptions by using a medicine cabinet with a locking latch.

Circuit Interrupter Outlet: Similarly to the kitchen, you need to also put in a safer GFCI outlet on each bathroom receptacle. These will cut the electric current if they ever get wet or they experience a sudden jolt from a hair dryer or curling iron.

Children’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Columbus

A child’s bedroom should pair safety with accessibility. If their window coverings or other items are safe but difficult to use, then your kids may get around the device with unsafe methods -- like scale a dresser -- to use them. Try these simple, yet safe, ideas:

Cordless Window Coverings: Safety experts have long called corded window treatments a hidden problem for children and animals. Put in motorized shades that your child can easily manage via remote control. Or go state-of-the-art and pair your motorized coverings to your security system so they open automatically at dawn, and lower in the evening for an easier sleep.

Indoor Security Camera: A security camera perched on your child’s desk can behave just like a high tech baby monitor that you can see with a smartphone. And if they need something, they can push the two-way talk feature on the camera.

Plug Covers: While every outlet should use outlet safety caps on them when you have little children, this is especially important in their bedroom. It’s the one place in your home where your toddler will most likely play by themselves without constant adult supervision.

Window Safety Ladder: If you use bedrooms on the second story, then you need to put in a window fire ladder. These should help a child leave the house in case the hallway or lower levels are blocked off with fire. Remember to go over how to unfurl the ladder at least twice a year.

Toy Chest Or Low Bookshelves: It’s interesting to look at a toy chest as a safety item, but you’ll understand if you’ve ever tramped on a building block in your socked feet. A uncluttered floor gives your child a quick escape when there’s a fire or break-in.

Main Bedroom Safety Checklist For Columbus

The bedroom should be a refuge, so let your safety devices make you more responsive when you have an emergency. After all, being wrenched awake by a loud alarm can be confusing.

Security System Touchscreen: Having a smart hub on your dresser lets you see what’s going on without getting out of bed. You could always log into your ADT smartphone app. However, the touchscreen is often faster to use when you’re yawning and confused.

Phone Charging Station: We depend on our smartphones for so much now GPS, internet searches, game machines, and --legend has it-- even phones. The only problem is that a depleted device can cut us off from reaching help if during an emergency. So, a charging cord or station is should be used nightly.

Nightlight/Smart Lights: A tiny light helps ground you when you’re jolted awake from a siren or other loud noises. If you can’t fall asleep with an outlet light, install smart lights in your bedroom. Then you can get light on-demand with a mobile device or voice direction.
Fireproof Lockbox: Stash your vital documents like social security cards, medical information, or a bankbook in a fireproof safe. This can be a bigger one that camps out in a corner or a small portable lockbox that you can grab on your way out during an emergency event.

Temperature Sensor: The problem with bedrooms is that they might run too hot or be chilly since they are far away from the thermostat. A heat sensor will talk to your smart thermostat so you will have a comfortable, restful sleep at just the right temperature.

Basement/Garage Safety Checklist For Columbus

Most safety needs in the garage or basement are with your water or heating system. Seeing hazards before they start can stave away more devastating emergencies later on. So, as you walk around your garage or basement, pay attention to these safety items:

Flood Sensor Or Sump Pump Alarm: Putting a flood sensor in back of your water heater and sump pump drain can stop you from discovering a pond when you walk into your garage or basement. The last you need is to waste the weekend bailing out water and sorting through all those ruined boxes.

Carbon Monoxide Alarm: It’s smart to hang a carbon monoxide detector in an area where a gas leak can spring up. If you have gas heating, you’ll want to hang an alarm in the same place as your unit.
Wireless Water Shutoff Valve: If your flood detector finds a hot water heater leak or a busted pipe, then you will have to shut off the main water line immediately. With a remote shutoff valve, you can turn off your water flow from any mobile device. That’s nice when you’re out of town and get a flood sensor notification on your smartphone.
Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage door open leads to all types of issues. You can lose heat through that large opening, and all sorts of animals or lurkers can just walk in. A sensor will alert you to a forgotten garage door and allow you to close it through the app.
Heat Sensor: A heat alarm in your garage or basement is a definite if you fret about frozen pipes. The temperature in these areas can be drastically different than your main rooms of the home, so you may need to keep a close look on the temperature by using the ADT mobile app.

Outside Perimeter Safety Checklist for Columbus

Your yard, drive, and front step are just as crucial to make safe as the rest of your house. Try this checklist to make your outside safe:

Doorbell Security Camera: See who’s arrived at the the front step before you answer it and chat with guests. View deliveries and record video clips if they are stolen.

Outdoor Security Camera: You can place outdoor cameras to notify you about late night movement in your back yard. These security cameras are especially useful in areas where you might not have a view -- like around a cellar or by the garage.

Low Shrubbery: High foliage can create some serenity, but they also obscure you seeing into the yard. Don’t give potential thieves a place to hide. Plus, large bushes or greenery too close to your structure can clog gutters and invite pests.
ADT Signage: One of the most popular deterrents for a thief is advertising to aspiring intruders that you use a state-of-the-art home security system. An ADT yard stick by the main walk and a window sticker will show ne'er-do-wells that they ought to move on to an easier house.

Motion Controlled Outside Lighting: Light is the greatest deterrent to those who sneak around in the shadows. Motion-activated lighting on your deck, patio, or garage can shoo lurkers away. Flood lights also help you get inside when you come to the house late at night.

Use Secure24 Alarm Systems To Help You With Your Home Safety Checklist for Columbus

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t help you with each household item on your Columbus home safety checklist, we can offer a powerful home security system. With easy-to-use devices and ADT monitoring, we can customize the perfect system for your house’s needs. Simply call (614) 368-9896 and talk to a professional or fill out the form below. Or customize your own ADT system with our Security System Designer.