Home Safety Checklist For Richmond

Staying safe and secure in your house should be your largest priority. But are you overlooking one or two useful safety components? Look over this home safety checklist for Richmond and see where your home requires an update.

This guide begins with a few whole-home safety ideas, and then we break it down room-by-room. Then, call (804) 294-0619 or fill out the form below for additional information.

Whole Home Safety Checklist for Richmond

While you should use a room-by-room approach to home safety in Richmond, there are a few methods that work for the entire house approach. These devices can link with one another through a smart hub, and can even work off other things. You can also control each of your home safety components with a mobile app, such as ADT Control:

Monitored Security System: Each one of your windows and doors should use a sensor that notifies you and your family to a break-in. As the alarm goes off, your monitoring team picks up the call and quickly sends a first responder.

Smart Bulbs For Every Major Room: Of course, you can schedule your smart lights to make your house more efficient. But smart lights can also allow you to stay safe during an emergency. Have your smart bulbs come on when a security alarm trips to scare off intruders or brighten the way out to a outside area.

Smart Thermostat: Likewise, a smart thermostat in Richmond can save you between 10%-15% in utility costs. It also can start an exhaust fan if you have a fire.

Monitored Smoke Detectors: It’s code that you need to have a fire detector on every level. You can increase your fire game by installing a monitored fire detector that looks for unusual smoke and heat, and pings your 24/7 monitoring experts when it senses a fire.

Smart Door Locks: Every door that utilizes a deadbolt can use a smart door lock. Now you can preset numbered codes to each family member and receive texts to your smartphone when your locks are unlocked. Your smart lock can even automatically turn off, allowing you to quickly leave when you have a fire or dangerous situation.

Living Room/Family Room Safety Checklist For Richmond

You’ll spend most of your time in the living room, so it can be the perfect area to improve your home safety. Popular items, like a big screen or stereo system, usually sit in your family room, making it a popular space for burglars. Begin with hanging a motion sensor or security camera in there, then continue on with the following ideas:

Motion Sensors: By hanging motion sensors, you’ll have a high-decibel siren whenever they detect unusual movement in your living room. The best devices are motion detectors that ignore pets or you’ll see a tripped alarm each time your cat comes in for a drink of water.
Indoor Security Camera: An indoor security camera puts a visual on your family room. View live feeds of everything so you can see what’s going on through the mobile app. Or speak with your kids in the living room using the two-way talk feature.
Surge Protector/Cord Maintenance: Protect those electronics and stop overburdening your circuits with a surge protector. For added convenience, set up a smart plug with surge protection built-in.
Heavy Furniture Secured To The Wall: If you have any small children, you’ll need to bolt your entertainment center or other heavy furniture to a wall. This is especially important if your living room has carpet that can make heavy objects extra wobbly.
Enhanced Locks For Sliding Doors: If your living room has a sliding door that opens to a deck, patio, or screened-in porch, you already get that the latch is pretty thin. Put in an enhanced lock, like a cross bar or locks that secures the door to the bottom and top of the frame.

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Richmond

The kitchen has many items that should bring comfort and safety to your home. Most of these things are also simple to add and can be bought from the Target or Walmart:

Fire Extinguisher: Fire can happen from a neglected frying pan or a faulty burner. Always store a fire extinguisher at hand for any cooking mishaps.
Circuit Interrupter Box On Every Outlet: A circuit interrupter outlet should be installed anywhere they’re close to running water to prevent an electric shock. That includes the plugs by your sink and kitchen counter. Since the late ‘80s, it’s been standard to have one circuit interrupter outlet per circuit. But all your plugs will go if one outlet sees a surge, so try to use a single GFCI on each outlet.

Monitored Carbon Monoxide Detector: A CO detector is advised for kitchens that have gas for the oven and stove. If your gas lines leak, the CO detector will play a loud, buzzing siren and contact your monitoring expert.
Disinfectant Wipes Or Spray: The most overlooked safety problem in the kitchen is the viruses, bacteria, and protein that comes with uncooked meat and vegetables. Always store disinfectant wipes or spray to scrub off your area after cooking.
Refrigerator Alarm: The food items in the fridge should remain at a chilly temperature to stay ready to use. If you leave the freezer or refrigerator door ajar, then a small beep will tell you to close the door. Some fridges already have a pre-installed alarm, some won’t, and you’ll have to get a refrigerator alarm from the hardware store.

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Richmond

Just because you don’t a bunch of square footage in your bathroom, you will still have safety concerns. From flood detectors to electric safety, here are five safety tips for your bathroom:

Flood Detectors: A leaking sink or tub can cause an expensive amount of destruction. Find out early about pooling water with a flood detector and save a bunch of money from damage.
Non-slip Shower Mats: A slip and fall in the bathroom can be a painful occurrence, causing bumps, gashed heads, or broken bones. Make sure you steer clear from these hazards with a textured bath mat for after your bath or shower.

Textured Bathtub Strips: Likewise, a tub can be a slippery surface to move in. It’s a good idea that each has some non-slip stickers so your feet and toes have a rough patch for stability.

Medicine Door Latch: If you have young children or someone with memory complications, you have to take additional attention regarding prescribed medicine. Safeguard your bottles by getting a medicine cabinet with a locking latch.

Circuit Interrupter Outlet: Just like the kitchen, you will have to also put in a safer circuit interrupter outlet on every bathroom circuit. This will cut the current if they ever get wet or they experience a sudden surge from an electric razor or hair dryer.

Child’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Richmond

A child’s bedroom should pair safety with manageability. If their window coverings or other things are safe but tricky to operate, then your children may try dangerous activities -- like shimmying up a chest of drawers -- to touch them. Try these easy, and safe, ideas:

No Cord Window Treatments: Safety professionals have long called cords from shades and blinds a secret danger for kids and pets. Put in motorized blinds or shades that your child can easily control with a remote control. Or better yet, pair your motorized treatments to your security system so they rise without anyone’s help at dawn, and lower in the evening for added darkness.

Indoor Security Camera: An indoor security camera perched on your toddler’s dresser can behave like a high tech baby monitor that you can see from a mobile device. And when they need you, they can use the intercom talk button on the camera.

Outlet Covers: While each outlet should have outlet safety caps on them to protect your small children, this is especially needed in their bedroom. It’s the one room in your home where your children will most likely play solo without consistent adult supervision.

Window Safety Ladder: If you have bedrooms on an upper level, then you should put in a window fire ladder. These can let your children get out of their room even if the stairway or ground floor are engulfed in smoke and fire. Just remember to go over how to employ the ladder one or two times a year.

Toy Box Or Low Shelves: It’s strange to view a toy chest as a safety component, but you’ll see the light if you’ve ever tramped on a building block in your socked feet. A clutter-free floor let your child have a quick retreat when there’s a safety or security event.

Master Bedroom Safety Checklist For Richmond

The bedroom should be a refuge, so let your safety devices give you peace of mind when you experience an emergency. After all, being startled awake by a loud alarm can be quite a shock.

Home Security Touchscreen: Having a touchscreen on your bedside table lets you see what’s happening without leaving your bed. You could alternatively turn on your ADT smartphone app but, the touchscreen is often easier to control to use when you’re yawning and confused.

Device Charging Station: We use our smartphones for so many things now alarms, news readers, social media, and maybe even phones. However, an uncharged cell in the middle of the night cuts us off from reaching help if during an emergency. To make sure your phone always works, a an easy-to-use charging station becomes an essential.

Nightlights Or Voice Activated Smart Lights: A tiny light helps ground you when you’re bolted awake from a fire alarm or other noises. If you have trouble falling asleep with a nightlight, use smart bulbs in your bedroom. Then you can control light simply with a button push or vocal command.
Fireproof Safe: Keep your essential documents like insurance cards, medical information, or banking information in a fireproof lockbox. Your lockbox can be a bigger one that is located in a corner or a small portable lockbox that you can carry when you leave during a fire or break-in.

Temperature Sensor: The problem with most bedrooms is that they can be too warm or be frigid because they are across the house from the thermostat. A heat sensor can communicate to your smart thermostat so you will have a pleasant, relaxing sleep at the perfect climate.

Garage/Basement Safety Checklist For Richmond

Most safety problems in the garage or basement are with your pipes or HVAC system. Finding hazards early can stop more devastating emergencies in the future. So, as you look around your storage areas, pay attention to these safety items:

Water Sensor Or Sump Pump Alarm: Placing a flood sensor next to your water heater and sump pump drain can stop you from wading into a mess when you step into your garage or basement. It’s definitely better than sorting through a bunch of soiled storage boxes.

CO Detector: It’s smart to install a CO alarm in areas where a natural gas leak can happen. If you employ gas heating, you’ll want to put a detector in the same place as your inbound pipes.
WiFi Water Shutoff Valve: If your water detector senses a hot water heater leak or a broken pipe, then you will have to shut off the main water valve at once. With a wireless shutoff valve, you can stop water flow from your phone. That’s helpful when you’re out of town and receive a water leak alert on your phone.
Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage door open brings about all types of issues. You can waste HVAC energy through that open door, and all sorts of animals or intruders can just walk in. A sensor will notify you about an open garage door and lets you close it remotely.
Heat Sensor: A heat sensor in your garage or basement is handy if you wonder about your pipes freezing. The heat in these areas can be drastically different than the rest of the home, so you will need to maintain a closer eye on the temperature through your mobile app.

Home Perimeter Safety Checklist for Richmond

Your landscaping, drive, and front porch are just as crucial to secure as the inside 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 answer it and talk to visitors. View packages and look at video clips if they are stolen.

Outdoor Camera: You can install outdoor cameras to alert you to late night activity in your back yard. These security cameras are especially useful in areas where you might not have a window installed -- like a side yard or by the driveway.

Low Shrubbery: High shrubs can offer some serenity, but they also obscure your line of sight of the outside. Don’t give potential intruders a dark shadow to hide. Plus, large bushes, shrubs or trees around your home can clog gutters and summon pests.
ADT Signs And Decals: One of the most popular disincentives for home intrusion is advertising to aspiring burglars that you use a state-of-the-art ADT security system. An ADT yard stick by the stoop and a window cling will tell people that they might want to move on to an unprotected score.

Motion Controlled Porch Lights: Light is the largest obstacle to people who lurk in the dark. Motion-controlled flood lights on your deck, porch, or garage can help scare possible intruders away. Flood lights also help you see the walk when you come home late after work.

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

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t install each household item on your Richmond home safety checklist, we can offer a powerful home security system. With easy-to-use devices and ADT monitoring, we can personalize the perfect system for your house’s needs. Simply call (804) 294-0619 and talk to a professional or send in the form below. Or personalize your own system with our Security System Designer.