Home Safety Checklist For Plano

Being safe and secure in your home should be your largest concern. But are you overlooking one or two big safety components? Use this home safety checklist for Plano and discover where your house can use some work.

This guide begins with five whole-house safety techniques, and then we whittle it down to specific room ideas. Then, phone (972) 357-1049 or send in the form below to get your house ready.

Essential Home Safety Checklist for Plano

While you should use a individual room method for home safety in Plano, there are some items that are practical for the whole house. These components can sync with one another through a touchscreen hub, and often can respond to one another. You might also control every one of your home safety components with a smartphone app, such as ADT Control:

Monitored Home Security System: Each one of your windows and doors should employ a sensor that alerts you to forced entry. When an alarm trips, your monitoring center answers the call and immediately sends a first responder.

Smart Bulbs For Every Major Room: Sure, you can schedule your smart bulbs to become more energy-efficient. But they can also help you keep safe in an emergency. Have your downstairs lights flip on when a sensor triggers to scare off burglars or light the way out to a outside area.

Smart Thermostat: Like your smart lights, a smart thermostat in Plano should save you up to 15% in energy spending. But it also can flip on the exhaust fan during a fire.

Monitored Fire Alarms: At the very least, you have a fire detector on every level of your house. You can improve your fire readiness by utilizing a monitored fire detector that senses unusual smoke and heat, and alerts your round-the-clock monitoring agents when it senses a fire.

Smart Door Locks: Every doorway that uses a keyed lock can use a smart door lock. Now you may preset codes to friends and family and get notifications to your mobile device when your locks are used. Your smart lock can even automatically open, helping you to quickly get out when you have a fire or dangerous situation.

Family Room Safety Checklist For Plano

You’ll hang out most in the living room, so it can be the most reasonable place to optimize your home safety. Electronics, like a big screen or video games, usually reside in your living room, making it a tempting area for thieves. Start with placing a motion sensor or indoor camera by the doorway, then take a look at all these ideas:

Motion Detectors: By installing motion detectors, you’ll have a high-decibel noise whenever they sense suspicious motion within your family room. Look for motion detectors that filter out pet movements or you’ll have a tripped alarm every time your pet comes in for a bite of food.
Security Camera: An indoor security camera puts a visual on your family room. Watch live feeds of your room so you can find out what’s downstairs from the mobile app. Or talk with your kids when they come back from school using the two-way talk feature.
Surge Protector/Outlet Maintenance: Protect those electronics and stop overtaxing your outlets with a surge protector. For extra convenience, set up a smart plug with surge protection included.
Entertainment Center Secured To The Wall: If you have any small children, you’ll want to attach your bookshelves and entertainment center to your wall. This is extra crucial if your living room has carpeting that can make furniture extra wobbly.
Special Locks For Glass Doors: If your living room uses a sliding glass door that slides out to a deck, patio, or outside porch, you already know that the door lock is usually thin. Put in an enhanced lock, like a cross bar or locks that secures the door to the top and bottom of the door frame.

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Plano

Your kitchen has many items that should bring safety to your home. Most of these items should be a snap to add and can be bought from the a retail store:

Fire Extinguisher: Fire can spring up from a neglected pot or an errant grease splatter. Always store a fire extinguisher at the ready for any stove or oven mishaps.
Circuit Interrupter Box On Each Outlet: A GFCI outlet should be used everywhere there’s nearby running water to ward off electrocution. That means the plugs around your sink and kitchen counter. Since 1987, it’s been code to have one GFCI per dedicated circuit. But if you don’t want your whole kitchen to go dead when one outlet surges, you’re going to want to use an unchained GFCI for every outlet.

Monitored CO Detector: A CO detector is handy in spaces that have gas for the stove and oven. If your gas appliances malfunction, the CO detector will play a high-decibel noise and contact your monitoring professional.
Cleaning Wipes Or Spray: The biggest safety issue in the kitchen is the invisible bacteria and contamination from uncooked meat and other foods. Always store cleaning wipes or spray to scrub off your surfaces after making a meal.
Refrigerator/Freezer Alarm: The milk, meat, and perishables in your fridge have to stay at a cold temperature to stay safe to use. If you leave the freezer or refrigerator door ajar, then an alarm beep will remind you to check the seal. Some refrigerators already have this installed, others don’t, and you’ll have to buy a fridge alarm from the hardware store.

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Plano

Just because you may not have a lot of square footage in your bathroom there’s still safety hazards. From flood detectors to electric safety, here are some safety tips for your bathroom:

Flood Detectors: A leaking sink or bathtub can cause extensive destruction. Deal with a water problem with a flood detector and save hundreds to thousands of dollars from damage.
No-slip Bath Mats: A fall in the bathroom can be devastating, causing pulled muscles, bruises, or broken bones. Make sure you avoid these hazards with a non-slip bath mat for after your bath or shower.

Non-slip Bathtub Strips: Another water hazard, a tub basin can be a slick area to move in. Make sure each tub has some non-slip stickers so your feet have a bumpy patch for stability.

Medicine Door Lock: If you have young toddlers or anyone with memory complications, you need to take extra care regarding prescription medicine. Safeguard your prescriptions by using a medicine cabinet with a child-proof lock.

GFCI Circuits: While installing better outlets in the kitchen, you need to also use a safer GFCI outlet on each bathroom circuit. These will cut the electric current if water splashes on them or there’s a harmful spike from an electric razor or hair dryer.

Child’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Plano

Your kid’s bedroom should balance 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 dangerous activities -- like climb a dresser -- to touch them. Here are 5 simple, yet safe, ideas:

Cordless Window Treatments: Safety experts have designated window treatment cords a secret danger for children and animals. Put in motorized blinds or shades that kids can easily manage through a remote. Or even better, pair your motorized treatments to your ADT smart hub so they rise on a schedule when the sun comes up, and lower in the evening for an easier sleep.

Indoor Security Camera: A security camera placed on your child’s desk or dresser can act just like a baby monitor that you can watch from a mobile device. And when they want your help, they can use the intercom talk feature that comes with the camera.

Outlet Covers: While each outlet should use protective covers on them to protect your young children, this is especially needed in a child’s bedroom. It’s the main place in your house where your children will most likely be alone without constant adult supervision.

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

Toy Box Or Low Bookshelves: It’s strange to view a toy box as a safety item, but you’ll see the light if you’ve ever tramped on a Lego in your stocking feet. A clean floor means a quick way out when there’s a fire or break-in.

Main Bedroom Safety Checklist For Plano

The bedroom should be an oasis, so let your safety devices give you peace of mind if there's an emergency. After all, being jerked awake by a high-decibel alarm can be quite a shock.

Smart Hub Touchscreen: Having a smart hub on your dresser helps you know what’s going on without jumping out of bed. You could alternatively log into your ADT mobile app. However, the touchscreen can be easier to manage to use when you’re coming out of sleep and confused.

Personal Charging Area: We depend on our phones for almost everything now alarms, web browsers, game machines, and --legend has it-- even phones. The only problem is that an uncharged cell in the middle of the night cuts us off from the outside world if there’s a problem. To keep it nice and ready, a an easy-to-use charging station is an essential.

Nightlight/Smart Lights: A tiny light can be a beacon when you’re bolted awake from a fire alarm or other sounds. If you have trouble falling asleep with a nightlight, put in smart bulbs in your bedroom and hall. Then you can get light anytime with a push of a button or voice command.
Fireproof Safe: Stash your essential paperwork like birth certificates, passports, or banking information in a fireproof safe. Your safe can be a large one that sits in your closet or a small handheld lockbox that you can grab as you escape during a fire or break-in.

Temperature Sensor: The issue with a master bedroom is that they tend to run too hot or be chilly because they are located far away from the thermostat. A temperature sensor can talk to your smart thermostat so you should have a pleasant, relaxing sleep at the perfect climate.

Garage/Basement Safety Checklist For Plano

Most safety needs in the basement or garage deal with your pipes or furnace. Seeing problems at the source can stop more devastating disasters later on. So, as you look around your basement or garage, take note of these critical items:

Flood Detector Or Sump Pump Alarm: Putting a flood sensor in back of your water heater or sump pump drain can prevent you from discovering a pond when you go into your garage or basement. It’s much better than rummaging through a bunch of soiled storage boxes.

Carbon Monoxide Detector: It’s beneficial to hang a carbon monoxide detector in areas where a natural gas leak can happen. If you use a gas furnace, you’ll want to put a detector in the same room as your HVAC unit.
WiFi Water Shutoff Valve: If your flood detector finds a hot water leak or a burst pipe, then you need to cap the primary water line quickly. With a remote shutoff valve, you can block water flow from any mobile device. That’s nice when you’re visiting relatives and get a flood sensor text on your phone.
Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage open brings about all types of issues. You can waste heat or air through that large opening, and critters or intruders can just wander in. A sensor will text you about a forgotten garage door and lets you close it through the app.
Heat Sensor: A temperature alarm in your garage or basement is a definite if you wonder about freezing pipes. The temperature in these rooms can be drastically different than the main part of the home, so you may need to have a close look on them through your mobile app.

Outside Perimeter Safety Checklist for Plano

Your landscaping, drive, and front porch are just as crucial to secure as the interior of your house. Try this checklist to defend your perimeter:

Doorbell Camera: See who’s knocking on the door before you answer it and welcome visitors. View packages and record video clips if they vanish off the step.

Outdoor Camera: You can install outdoor security cameras to guard against suspicious movement in your yard. These security cameras are especially useful in areas where you may not have a window -- like a side yard or by the garage door.

Low Bushes: Overgrown shrubs can create some serenity, but they also obscure you seeing into the yard. Don’t offer potential thieves an area to hide. Plus, high bushes, shrubs or trees too close to your structure can obstruct gutters and invite bugs.
ADT Signage: One of the most popular disincentives for a thief is telling potential rogues that you have a state-of-the-art home security system. An ADT yard sign by the stoop and a window decal will tell people that they should move on to an less prepared target.

Motion Activated Flood Lighting: Light is the biggest deterrent to those who lurk in the unlit places. Motion-activated flood lights on your deck, porch, or garage can help scare possible intruders away. Lights also help you get inside when you arrive home on those dark, winter nights.

Contact Secure24 Alarm Systems To Help You Finish Your Home Safety Checklist for Plano

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t install every item on your Plano home safety checklist, we can bring you a customized security system. With alarms, security cameras, and home automation, we can customize the best system for your home’s needs. Just contact (972) 357-1049 to get started or fill out the form below. Or personalize your own ADT system with our Security System Designer.