Home Safety Checklist For Oakland

Staying safe in your residence should be your topmost priority. But are you overlooking a few big safety components? Look over this home safety checklist for Oakland and find out where your living space needs an update.

We give you a few whole-home safety items, and then we delve down room-by-room. Then, you can call (510) 295-0552 or fill out the form below to speak to a security expert.

Essential Home Safety Checklist for Oakland

While you will want to use a individual room process for home safety, there are a few items that work for the whole-house approach. These devices can sync to each other through a smart hub, and often can react to one another. You can also control each of your home safety components with a smartphone app, like ADT Control:

Monitored Home Security System: Each one of your entryways should employ a sensor that notifies you to a break-in. When your alarm triggers, your monitoring expert responds to the alert and sends a first responder.

Smart Lighting For Each Room: Of course, you can set your smart bulbs so your home is more eco-conscience. But they can also allow you to remain safe throughout an emergency. Have your smart bulbs come on when an alarm triggers to shoo off robbers or brighten the way out to a outside location.

Smart Thermostat: Likewise, a smart thermostat in Oakland can save you up to 15% in gas and electric costs. Also, it can start an exhaust fan during a fire.

Monitored Fire Detectors: At the very least, you have a smoke detector on each level. You can increase your fire preparedness by utilizing a monitored fire detector that detects both smoke and heat, and pings your 24-hour monitoring experts when it thinks that there’s a fire.

Smart Locks: Every door that needs a deadbolt can upgrade to a smart door lock. Now you can preset numbered codes to family and friends and receive alerts to your mobile device when the locks are activated. Your locks can even automatically turn off, helping you to quickly get out when you have a fire or other emergency.

Living Room/Family Room Safety Checklist For Oakland

You’ll spend most of your time in the family room, so it’s the perfect area to start making your house safer. Electronics, like a big screen or video game console, typically are located in your living room, making it a popular room for thieves. Start with hanging a motion detector or indoor security camera in there, then take a look at some of these ideas:

Motion Detectors: By hanging motion detectors, you’ll have a high-decibel noise if they detect unexpected movement in your family room. Look for motion sensors that filter out pets or you’ll get your sirens go off every time your dog passes through for a midnight stroll.
Security Camera: An indoor security camera offers a constant watch on your family room. Get constant feeds of your room so you can see what’s downstairs through the mobile app. Or speak with family members when they come home from school using the two-way talk feature.
Surge Protector/Outlet Maintenance: Make sure you protect all your electronics and stop overtaxing your circuits with a surge protector. For added comfort, use a smart plug with a surge protector included.
Furniture Bolted To The Wall: If you have any small children, you’ll need to secure your bookshelves and entertainment center to a wall. This is extra important if your living room has carpeting that can make objects extra unstable.
Enhanced Locks For Sliding Doors: If your living room uses a glass door that slides out to a deck, patio, or outside porch, you probably can see that the door lock is usually thin. Install an enhanced lock, like a bottom bar or locks that secures the door to the top and bottom of the door frame.

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Oakland

The kitchen has plenty of items that can add safety to your house. Most of these items are also simple to add and should be bought from the a retail store:

Fire Extinguisher: A fire can happen from a neglected frying pan or a towel that’s too close to a burner. Always keep a fire extinguisher at the ready for any kitchen mishaps.
Circuit Interrupter Box On Every Outlet: A circuit interrupter outlet should be used anywhere there’s nearby running water to prevent electrocution. That means the plugs close to your kitchen counter and sink. Since the late ‘80s, it’s been standard to have one GFCI per circuit. But if you don’t want your whole kitchen to turn off when one outlet trips, you’ll want to install a single GFCI for every outlet.

Monitored Carbon Monoxide Detector: A CO detector is handy in spaces that have gas for the oven and range. If your gas appliances spring a leak, the CO detector will play a high-decibel siren and call your monitoring expert.
Disinfectant Wipes Or Spray: The biggest safety hazard in the kitchen is actually bacteria and protein that comes with uncooked meat and dairy. Always have disinfectant wipes or a bleach spray to clean your counters after cooking.
Freezer and Refrigerator Alarm: The items in the refrigerator have to stay at a chilly temperature to be safe to use. If you leave the fridge or freezer door open too long, then a constant beep will let you know so you can close the door. Some refrigerators come with a pre-installed alarm, older models won’t, and you’ll have to buy a fridge alarm from the hardware store.

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Oakland

Just because you don’t a bunch of space in your bathroom, you will still have safety hazards. From flood prevention to medicine care, here are some safety improvements for your bathroom:

Flood Detectors: A leaking toilet or shower can create a whole lot of damage. Get alerted early about pooling water with a flood detector and save the time and money from renovations.
Non-slip Shower Mats: A fall in the bathroom can be a painful occurrence, causing bumps, gashed heads, or trips to the hospital. Make sure you avoid these hazards with a no-slip bath mat for your wet feet.

No-slip Bathtub Strips: Like a tiled floor, a tub basin can be a slippery surface to be on. It’s a good idea that every bathtub has some non-slip stickers so your feet have a rough patch to gain traction.

Medicine Door Lock: If you have young toddlers or someone with memory complications, you need to take additional precautions regarding prescription medicine. Hide away your pills and syrups by getting a medicine cabinet with a latch that locks.

GFCI Circuits: Similarly to the kitchen, you should also put in a surge protecting GFCI outlet on each bathroom receptacle. These will cut the current if they ever get wet or you have a sudden jolt from a curling iron or hair dryer.

Child’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Oakland

A child’s bedroom should counterbalance safety with simplicity. If their window treatments or other items are safe but difficult to operate, then your child may get around the device with risky methods -- like shimmying up a chest of drawers -- to touch them. Here are some straightforward, yet safe, ideas:

Cordless Window Coverings: Safety professionals have designated corded window treatments a secret hazard for children and animals. Install motorized treatments that your child can easily control via remote. Or better yet, link your motorized treatments to your ADT smart hub so they open automatically when it’s time to get up, and go down at bedtime for extra privacy.

Tableside Security Camera: An indoor security camera perched on your toddler’s desk or dresser can act just like a baby monitor that you can watch with your phone. And if they need something, they can use the intercom talk feature included on the camera.

Outlet Covers: While each outlet should have covers on them for your little children, this is especially urgent in a child’s bedroom. It’s the main place in your house where your child will most likely hang out solo without parental supervision.

Window Escape Ladder: If you have bedrooms on an upper floor, then you will want to put in a window safety ladder. These can help a young one get out of their room in case the hallway or downstairs are blocked off with fire. Remember to rehearse how to use the ladder one or two times a year.

Toy Box Or Low Shelves: It’s weird to view a toy chest as a safety device, but you’ll see the light if you’ve ever walked on a Lego in your socked feet. A uncluttered floor let your child have a quick escape when there’s a safety or security event.

Master Bedroom Safety Checklist For Oakland

The main bedroom should be an oasis, so let your safety devices make life easier if you have an emergency event. After all, being wrenched awake by a loud buzzer can be quite a shock.

Home Security Touchscreen: Having a touchscreen on your bedside table lets you see what’s what that noise was without jumping out of bed. You could also use your ADT smartphone app but, the touchscreen can be easier to use to use when you’re yawning and disoriented.

Device Charging Stand: We use our smartphones for so much now alarms, web browsers, game machines, and sometimes even phones. The only problem is that a depleted phone will cut us off from communications if during an emergency. So, a an easy-to-use charging station is an important part of your nightstand.

Smart Lights Or Nightlights: A tiny light can be a beacon when you’re startled awake from a siren or other noises. If you have trouble falling asleep with a small nightlight, install smart lights in your bedroom and hall. Then you can get light on-demand with a button push or vocal command.
Fireproof Safe: Keep your important papers like birth certificates, passports, or banking information in a fireproof safe. Your lockbox can be a bigger one that is located out of the way or a small handheld safe that you can carry on your way out during a fire or other emergency.

Heat Sensor: The issue with most bedrooms is that they tend to run too warm or be frigid since they sit far away from the thermostat. A heat sensor will communicate to your smart thermostat so you should have a pleasant, peaceful sleep at just the right temperature.

Garage/Basement Safety Checklist For Oakland

Most safety needs in the garage or basement have to do with your pipes or HVAC system. Seeing issues before they start can stave away more devastating problems later on. So, as you walk around your garage or basement, check over these critical items:

Flood Sensor Or Sump Pump Alarm: Placing a flood sensor in back of your water heater and sump pump drain can save you from finding a mess when you go 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 Alarm: It’s smart to hang a CO alarm in areas where a natural gas leak can spring up. If you employ gas heat, you’ll want to hang an alarm in the same area as your unit.
Remote Water Shutoff Valve: If your water alarm senses a hot water heater leak or a burst pipe, then you need to shut off the primary water pipe at once. With a remote shutoff valve, you can turn off your water flow from any mobile device. That’s perfect when you’re on vacation and see a flood sensor alert on your phone.
Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage door open leads to all sorts of problems. You can lose HVAC energy through that open door, and all sorts of animals or thieves can just saunder in. A sensor will notify you about a neglected garage door and lets you lower it with your phone.
Heat Sensor: A heat alarm in your basement or garage is handy if you wonder about your pipes freezing. The heat in these rooms can be surprisingly different than the rest of the house, so you may want to maintain a closer eye on them through your security mobile app.

Outside Safety Checklist for Oakland

Your foliage, drive, and front step are just as important to make safe as the rest of your house. Try this checklist to create a safe outside:

Doorbell Camera: See who’s arrived at the front door before you open it and chat with guests. See package deliveries and review video clips if they are stolen.

Outdoor Security Camera: You can hang outdoor cameras to guard against suspicious lurkers in your back yard. These security cameras come in handy in places where you may not have a view -- like a side yard or by the garage door.

Low Shrubbery: Overgrown bushes can create some privacy, but they also block you seeing into the outside. Don’t give potential burglars a dark shadow to hide. Plus, large shrubs or trees too close to your structure can jam up gutters and summon ants and termites.
ADT Yard Signs: One of the largest disincentives for a thief is alerting potential rogues that you use a monitored home security system. An ADT yard stick by the front door and a window sticker will alert ne'er-do-wells that they should move on to an less prepared house.

Motion Activated Porch Lights: Light is the largest enemy to those who skulk in the unlit places. Motion-controlled lighting on your deck, patio, or garage can help scare possible intruders away. Flood lights also help you get inside when you arrive back home late at night.

Call Secure24 Alarm Systems To Help Complete Your Home Safety Checklist for Oakland

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t help you with each household item on your Oakland home safety checklist, we can install a state-of-the-art home security. With easy-to-use devices and ADT monitoring, we can install the best system for your home’s needs. Simply contact (510) 295-0552 for more information or send in the form below. Or personalize your own solution with our Security System Designer.