Home Safety Checklist For Pittsburgh

Being safe in your residence should be your topmost priority. But are you forgetting one or two useful safety components? Look over this home safety checklist for Pittsburgh and see where your house requires an update.

We give you a few whole-home safety items, and then we break it down room-by-room. Then, you can call (412) 230-3668 or fill out the form below for additional information.

General Home Safety Checklist for Pittsburgh

While you will want to take a room-by-room approach to home safety, there are some items that work for the whole-house approach. These devices can link to each other through a wireless hub, and oftentimes react to one another. You can also control each of your home safety devices with a mobile app, like ADT Control:

Monitored Security System: All your windows and doors should have a sensor that warns you and your family to intrusion. After your alarm triggers, your monitoring agent responds to the call and calls emergency personnel.

Smart Lights For Each Room: Of course, you can program your smart bulbs to make your house more efficient. But they can also help you keep safe during an emergency. Make your downstairs lights come on when a security alarm triggers to frighten off intruders or light a path to a safe location.

Smart Thermostat: Likewise, a smart thermostat in Pittsburgh could save you 10%-15% in gas and electric spending. Also, it can start the exhaust fan during a fire.

Monitored Fire Alarms: It’s code that you need to have a smoke detector on every level. You can increase your fire preparedness by installing a monitored fire alarm that detects unusual smoke and heat, and pings your round-the-clock monitoring agents when it thinks that there’s a fire.

Smart Lock For Every Door: Every door that needs a keyed lock can upgrade to a smart lock. Now you may assign numbered codes to each family member and receive notifications to your mobile device when your locks are unlocked. Your smart lock can even automatically turn off, helping you to quickly leave during an emergency.

Family Room Safety Checklist For Pittsburgh

You’ll spend most of your time in your family room, so it may be the perfect place to optimize your home safety. Highly sought after items, like a big screen or video game console, usually sit in your living room, making it a tempting area for robbers. Start with installing a motion sensor or indoor security camera in your room, then take a look at all these suggestions:

Motion Sensors: By putting in motion detectors, you’ll hear a shrieking siren whenever they detect unexpected movement within your living room. You’ll want motion detectors that aren’t set off by pets or you’ll have your sirens go off each time your cat passes through for a drink of water.
Security Camera: An indoor security camera offers a constant watch on your living room. Watch real-time feeds of your room so you can find out what’s downstairs from the mobile app. Or speak with your kids in the room by using the two-way talk feature.
Surge Protector/Outlet Maintenance: Safeguard those electronics and quit overloading your electric system with a surge protector. For extra comfort, install a smart plug with surge protection built-in.
Entertainment Center Bolted To The Wall: If you have babies or toddlers, you’ll want to attach your heavy furniture and entertainment center to the wall. This is extra important if your family room uses rugs or carpet that could make heavy objects extra wobbly.
Special Locks For Glass Doors: If your family room has a glass door that leads to a backyard, deck, or outside porch, you probably get that the door lock is pretty flimsy. Put in a custom lock, like a metal bar or small locks that bolt to the bottom and top of the frame.

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Pittsburgh

The kitchen has plenty of items that should bring comfort and safety to your home. Many of these items are also a snap to add and can be bought from the a retail store:

Fire Extinguisher: A fire can happen from an overfilled pot or an errant grease splatter. Always store a fire extinguisher in close reach for any cooking emergencies.
Circuit Interrupter Box On Every Outlet: A circuit interrupter outlet should be used anywhere there’s nearby running water to ward off electrocution. That means the outlets around your sink and kitchen counter. Since the late ‘80s, it’s been code to have one circuit interrupter outlet per circuit. But each one of your outlets will flip off if any outlet sees a surge, so you’ll want to use an unchained GFCI for every outlet.

Monitored Carbon Monoxide Detector: A CO detector is advised for spaces that have gas for the oven and range. If your gas lines malfunction, the CO detector will cause a loud sound and contact your monitoring center.
Disinfectant Wipes Or Spray: The most overlooked safety issue in the kitchen is the invisible bacteria and cross-contamination that comes with uncooked meat and dairy. Always store antiviral wipes or a bleach spray to clean your surfaces before and after preparing food.
Freezer and Refrigerator Alarm: The milk, meat, and perishables in your fridge need to stay at a chilly temperature to be healthy to eat. If you leave the freezer or refrigerator door open, then a constant beep will tell you to shut it securely. Some fridges come with this installed, others do not, and you’ll have to buy an external alarm from online.

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Pittsburgh

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

Flood Detectors: A leaking toilet or shower can lead to a whole lot of water damage. Get alerted early about pooling water with a flood detector before they generate hundreds of dollars in damage.
Non-slip Bathroom Mats: A fall in the bathroom can be a painful occurrence, causing bumps, sore joints, or trips to the hospital. Or steer clear from these problems with a non-slip bathroom mat for while you towel off.

No-slip Bathtub Strips: Another water hazard, a bathtub can be a slick surface to stand in. Make sure every tub has some textured stickers so your feet and toes have a textured patch to grip.

Medicine Door Latch: If you have young kids or a family member with memory complications, you have to take extra precautions regarding medicine. Secure your bottles by installing a medicine cabinet with a child-proof lock.

Circuit Interrupter Outlet: Just like the kitchen, you need to also use a safer GFCI outlet on each bathroom receptacle. This will shut off the electric current if water enters the outlet or they experience a harmful spike from a hair dryer or curling iron.

Child’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Pittsburgh

Your child’s bedroom should counterbalance safety with accessibility. If their window coverings or other things are safe but hard to use, then your children may try risky activities -- like shimmying up a bookshelf -- to open them. Try these simple, and safe, ideas:

Cord-Free Window Coverings: Safety agencies have identified window treatment cords an unsuspecting danger for children and animals. Use motorized blinds or shades that kids can easily open and close through a remote. Or better yet, connect your motorized treatments to your security system so they open automatically at dawn, and lower at bedtime for added darkness.

Indoor Security Camera: A camera sitting on your toddler’s desk can double as a high tech baby monitor that you can see from your phone. And if they want you, they can hit the 2-way talk button on the camera.

Outlet Plug Covers: While each outlet should have covers on them when you have small 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 by themselves without constant additional supervision.

Window Fire Ladder: If you have bedrooms on the second level, then you should put in a window safety ladder. These will let your children escape in case the hallway or downstairs are blocked off with fire. Just remember to practice how to unfurl the ladder at least twice a year.

Toy Box Or Low Bookshelves: It’s strange to think about a toy chest as a safety device, but you’ll see the light if you’ve ever stepped on a building block in your bare feet. A clean floor let your child have a quick way out during a safety or security event.

Main Bedroom Safety Checklist For Pittsburgh

The main bedroom should be a refuge, so let your safety items make you more responsive when you have an emergency event. After all, being jerked awake by a loud siren can be quite a shock.

Home Security Touchscreen: Having a touchscreen on your dresser lets you see what’s going on without jumping out of bed. You could alternatively turn on your ADT smartphone app but, the HD touchscreen is often easier to manage to use when you’re bleary-eyed and finding your bearings.

Device Charging Stand: We depend on our smartphones for so much now GPS, internet searches, games, and sometimes even phones. But, a depleted device in the middle of the night cuts us off from reaching help if during an emergency. So, a charging station or cord becomes an important part of your nightstand.

Smart Lights Or Nightlights: A tiny light helps ground you when you’re bolted awake from an alarm or unexpected noises. If you have trouble falling asleep with an outlet light, install smart bulbs in your fixtures. Then you can have light on-demand with a button push or voice command.
Fireproof Lockbox: Stash your important documents like social security cards, stock certificates, or a bankbook in a fireproof safe. This can be a big one that sits in a corner or a smaller handheld lockbox that you can grab as you escape during a fire or other emergency.

Temperature Sensor: The problem with most bedrooms is that they might be too warm or be chilly because they are across the house from the thermostat. A heat sensor can talk to your smart thermostat so you will have a comfortable, relaxing sleep at just the right temperature.

Garage/Basement Safety Checklist For Pittsburgh

Most safety needs in the basement or garage deal with your water or furnace. Finding hazards at the source can stop more devastating disasters later on. So, as you take a look around your storage areas, take note of these critical items:

Flood Detector Or Sump Pump Alarm: Installing a flood sensor in back of your water heater and sump pump can prevent you from finding a lake when you step into your basement or garage. It’s much better than sorting through a bunch of soggy storage boxes.

Carbon Monoxide Detector: It’s beneficial to have a carbon monoxide alarm in an area where a CO leak can spring up. If you use gas heating, you’ll want to hang an alarm in the same area as your unit.
WiFi Water Shutoff Valve: If your water sensor finds a hot water leak or a burst pipe, then you will have to cap the main water pipe at once. With a wireless shutoff valve, you can turn off your water flow from any mobile device. That’s perfect when you’re on vacation and see an emergency leak text on your mobile device.
Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage up causes all sorts of issues. You can lose a bunch of heat through that open door, and rodents or intruders can just saunder in. A remote sensor will text you about a neglected garage door and lets you lower it through the app.
Temperature Sensor: A temperature alarm in your basement or garage is essential if you worry about frozen pipes. The temperature in these rooms can be wildly different than your main rooms of the home, so you may need to keep a closer eye on the temperature through your security mobile app.

Outside Safety Checklist for Pittsburgh

Your landscaping, drive, and front porch are just as imperative to defend as the interior of your home. Use this checklist to defend your perimeter:

Doorbell Security Camera: See who’s at the the front step before you open it and welcome visitors. See packages and record video clips if they are taken.

Outdoor Security Camera: You can install outdoor security cameras to notify you about unusual activity in your back yard. These security cameras are nice in places where you might not have a view -- like around a cellar or by the garage.

Window Height Shrubbery: High shrubs can offer some solitude, but they also obscure your view of the yard and curb. Don’t offer potential intruders a dark shadow to hide. Plus, high bushes, shrubs or foliage around your structure can jam up gutters and bring in ants and termites.
ADT Signs And Decals: One of the most popular discouragements for a break-in is alerting would-be burglars that you have an updated home security system. An ADT yard stick by the front door and a window decal will show ne'er-do-wells that they should shove off to an less prepared house.

Motion Controlled Porch Light Fixtures: Light is the biggest deterrent to those who lurk in the unlit places. Motion-triggered lighting on your deck, porch, or garage can shoo possible intruders away. Lights also help you see the walk when you come to the house on those dark, winter nights.

Contact Secure24 Alarm Systems To Help You With Your Home Safety Checklist for Pittsburgh

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t install each household item on your Pittsburgh home safety checklist, we can install a state-of-the-art security system. With alarms, security cameras, and home automation, we can install the best system for your family’s needs. Simply contact (412) 230-3668 for more information or send in the form below. Or personalize your own system with our Security System Designer.