Home Safety Checklist For Akron

Staying safe in your home should be your largest concern. But are you missing some key safety items? Take this home safety checklist for Akron and discover where your house can use greater attention.

We give you some whole-house safety items, and then we break it down on a room level. Then, you can call (330) 355-9089 or complete the form below to get your home set up.

General Home Safety Checklist for Akron

While you should employ a room-by-room method for home safety in Akron, there are some items that are useful for the whole home. These devices can link with one another through a touchscreen hub, and can even work off other things. You can also control each of your home safety devices using a smartphone app, such as ADT Control:

Monitored Home Security System: Each one of your windows and doors should have a sensor that warns you and your family to intrusion. After the alarm goes off, your monitoring agent answers the call and calls a first responder.

Smart Lights For Most Rooms: Of course, you can set your smart bulbs to become more efficient. But smart lights can also help you keep safe during an emergency. Have your smart bulbs flip on when a sensor triggers to shoo off burglars or illuminate the way out to a secure location.

Smart Thermostat: Likewise, a smart thermostat in Akron can save you between 10%-15% in utility spending. It also can turn on your exhaust fan when your alarms senses a fire.

Monitored Fire Detectors: It’s code that you have a fire alarm on every level. You can increase your fire preparedness by installing a monitored fire detector that detects unusual smoke and heat, and pings your 24-hour monitoring team when it senses a fire.

Smart Door Locks: Every door that utilizes a deadbolt can be made safer with a smart door lock. Now you can program numbered codes to family and friends and get notifications to your smartphone when they are used. Your doors can even automatically open, allowing you to quickly get out when you have a fire or dangerous situation.

Living Room/Family Room Safety Checklist For Akron

You’ll spend a lot of time in the family room, so it may be the most reasonable area to optimize your home safety. Electronics, like a TV or video games, usually are located in your living room, making it a tempting room for thieves. Begin with hanging a motion sensor or indoor security camera in your room, then continue on with all these ideas:

Motion Detectors: By putting in motion detectors, you’ll hear a high-decibel alarm if they detect unusual movement within your living room. Look for motion sensors that aren’t set off by pet movements or you’ll see your sirens go off every time your dog passes through for a drink of water.
Security Camera: An indoor security camera puts an eye on your family room. Get real-time feeds of the area so you can find out what’s happening through the mobile app. Or speak with your kids in the family room with the two-way talk feature.
Surge Protector/Outlet Maintenance: Safeguard all your electronics and stop overburdening your electric system with a surge protector. For added energy-efficiency, use a smart plug with a surge protector included.
Furniture Bolted To The Wall: If you have babies or toddlers, you’ll need to bolt your bookshelves and entertainment center to your wall. This is extra important if your living room has carpet that can make furniture extra unbalanced.
Special Locks For Glass Doors: If your living room has a sliding glass door that opens to a deck, patio, or outside porch, you already know that the latch is fairly flimsy. Install a special lock, like a bottom bar or locks that bolt to the bottom and top of the opening.

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Akron

Your kitchen has plenty of items that can add safety to your home. Many of these items should be simple to add and can be found in the a retail store:

Fire Extinguisher: A fire can happen from an overfilled skillet or an errant grease splatter. Always store a fire extinguisher at hand for any kitchen emergencies.
GFCI Box On Each Outlet: A circuit interrupter outlet should be installed on outlets where they’re by running water to prevent a deadly shock. That includes the outlets around your sink and kitchen counter. Since 1987, it’s been code to have one circuit interrupter outlet per circuit. But for simplicity’s sake, try to have a single GFCI for every outlet.

Monitored CO Detector: A CO detector is advised for spaces that use a gas oven and range. If your gas lines spring a leak, the carbon monoxide detector will play a high-decibel noise and contact your monitoring center.
Disinfectant Wipes Or Spray: The largest safety issue in the kitchen is the invisible bacteria and protein from uncooked meat and dairy. Always store cleaning wipes or a bleach spray to sanitize your counters before and after making a meal.
Refrigerator Alarm: The items in your fridge have to stay at a chilly temperature to stay ready to use. If you leave the refrigerator door open, then a small beep will tell you to check the seal. Some appliances already have this installed, some won’t, and you’ll have to pick up a fridge alarm from online.

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Akron

Just because there’s not a bunch of room in your bathroom doesn’t mean that there aren’t safety issues. From flood prevention to medicine care, here are some safety tips for your bathroom:

Flood Sensors: A leaking toilet or bathtub can cause extensive destruction. Deal with a leaking pipe with a flood detector and save a bunch of money from water damage.
Textured Bathroom Mats: A slip in the bathroom can be devastating, causing bumps, sore joints, or sprained ankles. You can steer clear from these hazards with a no-slip bath mat for after your bath or shower.

Non-slip Bathtub Strips: Another water hazard, a bathtub can be a slippery surface to be on. Make sure every tub has some no-slip strips so your feet and toes have a rough patch to gain traction.

Medicine Door Lock: If you have young kids or anyone with memory complications, you should take additional attention regarding medicine. Hide away your pills and syrups by installing a medicine cabinet with a locking latch.

GFCI Circuits: Similarly to the kitchen, you need to also install a grounded circuit interrupter outlet on each bathroom outlet. These will stop the flow of the current if they ever get wet or they experience a sudden spike from a hair dryer or curling iron.

Kid’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Akron

Your child’s bedroom should balance safety with manageability. If their window shades or other items are safe but hard to operate, then your kids may perform risky activities -- like climb a chest of drawers -- to touch them. Here are 5 easy, yet safe, ideas:

Cord-Free Window Coverings: Safety professionals have identified corded window treatments an unsuspecting problem for children and animals. Use motorized blinds or shades that kids can easily control with a remote control. Or better yet, link your motorized coverings to your security system so they rise on a schedule when the sun comes up, and go down at bedtime for an easier sleep.

Tableside Security Camera: A security camera placed on your child’s desk can double as an HD baby monitor that you can watch with a mobile device. And if they need you, they can hit the intercom talk feature on the camera.

Plug Covers: While each outlet should use protective covers on them when you have small children, this is especially urgent in their bedroom. It’s the one room in your house where your children will most likely hang out by themselves without constant adult supervision.

Window Fire Ladder: If you use bedrooms on above the first floor, then you need to have a window safety ladder. These should let your children leave the house when the stairway or ground floor are blocked off with fire. Remember to practice how to employ the ladder a few times a year.

Toy Chest Or Low Shelves: It’s weird to look at a toy box as a safety device, but you’ll get it if you’ve ever walked on a Lego in your bare feet. A clutter-free floor let your child have a quick way out when there’s a fire or break-in.

Main Bedroom Safety Checklist For Akron

Your main bedroom should be an oasis, so let your safety devices give you peace of mind if you have an emergency event. After all, being startled awake by a high-decibel buzzer can be quite a shock.

Home Security Touchscreen: Having a smart hub on your dresser helps you know what’s happening without jumping out of bed. You could always use your ADT phone app but, the touchscreen may be easier to control to use when you’re coming out of sleep and disoriented.

Device Charging Stand: We use our smartphones for so many things now GPS, internet searches, time wasters, and --legend has it-- even phones. The only problem is that a dead device in the middle of the night cuts us off from communications if during an emergency. To make sure your phone always works, a charging cord or station is should be used nightly.

Nightlight/Smart Lights: A tiny light helps ground you when you’re bolted awake from an alarm or other loud noises. If you won’t drift off to sleep with an outlet light, put in smart lights in your fixtures. Then you can have light anytime with a button push or voice command.
Fireproof Lockbox: Keep your essential documents like social security cards, stock certificates, or a bankbook in a fireproof safe. This can be a bigger one that sits in your closet or a small portable safe that you can carry when you leave during an emergency event.

Heat Sensor: The drawback with a master bedroom is that they might be too warm or be frigid because they are across the house from the thermostat. A temperature sensor will talk to your smart thermostat so you should have a pleasant, relaxing sleep at the perfect climate.

Basement/Garage Safety Checklist For Akron

Most safety problems in the garage or basement deal with your water heater or HVAC system. Seeing problems early can stop bigger emergencies in the future. So, as you take a look around your basement or garage, check over these safety items:

Flood Detector Or Sump Pump Alarm: Putting a flood alarm by your water heater and sump pump can prevent you from finding a pond when you go into your basement or garage. Do you really want to lose your night drying the floor?

CO Detector: It’s beneficial to install a carbon monoxide detector in a place where a CO leak can spring up. If you have gas heat, you’ll want to put a detector in the same place as your inbound pipes.
WiFi Water Shutoff Valve: If your water alarm senses a hot water leak or a busted pipe, then you will want to shut off the primary water valve immediately. With a remote shutoff valve, you can block water flow from anywhere in the world. That’s perfect when you’re visiting relatives and get a flood sensor notification on your mobile device.
Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage door up causes all sorts of headaches. You can waste heat or air through that open door, and critters or intruders can just wander in. A sensor will alert you to an open garage door and lets you lower it through the app.
Heat Sensor: A temperature sensor in your garage or basement is handy if you fret about freezing pipes. The temperature in these rooms can be drastically different than the rest of the home, so you may need to maintain a close look on them through your mobile app.

Outside Safety Checklist for Akron

Your landscaping, drive, and front walk are just as crucial to make safe as the rest of your house. Try the items on this checklist to defend your perimeter:

Doorbell Security Camera: See who’s knocking on the door before you open it and talk to visitors. View packages and look at video clips if they disappear.

Outdoor Security Camera: You can hang outdoor security cameras to alert you to unusual lurkers in your yard. These devices come in handy in areas where you might not have a window installed -- like around a cellar or by the garage door.

Low Shrubbery: High foliage can create some serenity, but they also block your view of the yard and curb. Don’t give potential thieves an area to hide. Plus, high shrubs or greenery around your home can jam up gutters and summon bugs.
ADT Signage: One of the largest deterrents for home intrusion is telling aspiring intruders that you use an updated security system. An ADT sign by the main walk and a window sticker will tell people that they might want to shove off to an easier score.

Motion Triggered Flood Light Fixtures: Light is the best enemy to people who sneak around in the dark. Motion-activated lighting on your deck, patio, or garage can frighten lurkers away. Lights also help you see the walk when you get home late after work.

Use Secure24 Alarm Systems To Help You Finish Your Home Safety Checklist for Akron

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t install non-security devices on your Akron home safety checklist, we can install a powerful home security system. With everything from alarms to thermostats, we can install the ideal system for your house’s needs. Simply call (330) 355-9089 and talk to a professional or send in the form below. Or personalize your own system with our Security System Designer.