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Home Safety Checklist For Ventura

Keeping safe and secure in your residence should be your number one priority. But are you overlooking one or two key safety items? Look over this home safety checklist for Ventura and see where your house needs some work.

This guide starts with some whole-house safety items, and then we break it down room-by-room. Then, contact (805) 292-2582 or send in the form below to talk to a security professional.

Whole Home Safety Checklist

Whole Home Safety Checklist for Ventura

While you will want to employ a room-to-room approach to home safety, there are a few things that are practical for each part of your home. These components can link to each other through a touchscreen hub, and often can respond to other things. You might also manage all your home safety components using a mobile app, like ADT Control:

  • Smart Bulbs For Most Rooms: Sure, you can schedule your smart lights to become more energy-efficient. But they can also help you stay safe throughout an emergency. Have your downstairs lights come on when an alarm trips to frighten off burglars or illuminate your way to a outside location.

  • Smart Thermostat: Like your smart lights, a smart thermostat in Ventura can save you up to 15% in gas and electric spending. It also can flip on the exhaust fan when your alarms senses a fire.

  • Monitored Smoke Detectors: At the very least, you have a fire detector on every level. You can increase your fire preparedness by utilizing a monitored fire detector that detects both heat and smoke, and pings your 24/7 monitoring team when it thinks that there’s a fire.

  • Smart Lock For Every Door: Every doorway that utilizes a keyed lock can use a smart door lock. Now you may program codes to family and friends and get alerts to your mobile device when they are used. Your smart lock can even automatically unlock, helping you to quickly flee the house during a fire or other emergency.

Family Room Safety Checklist

Living Room/Family Room Safety Checklist For Ventura

You’ll hang out most in your family room, so it can be the most reasonable place to kick off your home safety makeover. Popular items, like your TV or video games, usually reside in your family room, making it a tempting room for robbers. Start with placing a motion sensor or indoor security camera in there, then try the following suggestions:

  • Motion Sensors: By installing motion detectors, you’ll hear a loud noise if they sense unusual motion in your family room. You’ll want motion sensors that ignore pet movements or you’ll see your sirens go off each time your cat passes through for a midnight stroll.

  • Security Camera: An indoor security camera offers an eye on your family room. View real-time feeds of the area so you can see what’s downstairs from the mobile app. Or speak with your family in the room by using the two-way talk feature.

  • Surge Protector/Outlet Maintenance: Protect expensive electronics and quit overloading your circuits with a surge protector. For added comfort, install a smart plug with anti-surge functionality included.

  • Entertainment Center Bolted To The Wall: If you have curious kids, you’ll want to attach your heavy furniture and entertainment center to your wall. This is extra crucial if your family room has carpeting that can make heavy objects extra wobbly.

  • Enhanced Locks For Sliding Doors: If your living room has a glass door that slides out to a patio, deck, or outside porch, you probably know that the lock is fairly flimsy. Use a special lock, like a metal bar or locks that secures the door to the bottom and top of the opening.

Kitchen Safety Checklist

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Ventura

The kitchen has room for items that should provide comfort and safety to your house. Some of these items should be a snap to add and should be found in the Target or Walmart:

  • Fire Extinguisher: A fire can happen from an unwatched skillet or a towel that’s too close to a burner. Always have a fire extinguisher at the ready for any stove or oven mishaps.

  • GFCI Box On Each Outlet: A GFCI outlet should be used on outlets where there’s nearby running water to prevent an electric shock. That includes the outlets around your sink and kitchen counter. For 30 years, it’s been standard to have one circuit interrupter outlet per circuit. But for simplicity’s sake, you’re going to want to use a single GFCI for every outlet.

  • Monitored Carbon Monoxide Detector: A CO detector is advised for kitchens that use a gas stove and oven. If your gas lines spring a leak, the CO detector will emit a high-decibel sound and call your monitoring center.

  • Cleaning Wipes Or Spray: The largest safety problem in the kitchen is the viruses, bacteria, and contamination from uncooked meat and dairy. Always keep disinfectant wipes or a bleach spray to clean your counters before and after preparing food.

  • Refrigerator Alarm: The food items in the refrigerator have to remain at a cold temperature to be healthy to use. If you leave the freezer or refrigerator door ajar, then a constant beep will tell you to shut it securely. Some appliances already have a pre-installed alarm, older models do not, and you’ll have to get a refrigerator alarm from the hardware store.

Bathroom Safety Checklist

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Ventura

Just because you may not have a bunch of space in your bathroom, you will still have safety concerns. From water problems to medicine care, here are five safety ideas for your bathroom:

  • Flood Sensors: A leaking toilet or tub can lead to extensive destruction. Find a leak with a flood detector before they cause hundreds of dollars in damage.

  • Textured Shower Mats: A slip in the bathroom can be painful, causing cuts, sore joints, or broken bones. You can avoid these hazards with a textured bathroom mat for after your bath or shower.

  • No-slip Bathtub Stickies: Another water hazard, a tub can be a slippery area to be on. It’s a good idea that every has some no-slip stickies so your toes have a bumpy patch to grip.

  • Medicine Door Latch: If you have curious kids or anyone with memory complications, you need to take additional precautions regarding medicine. Hide away your bottles by installing a medicine cabinet with a locking latch.

  • GFCI Circuits: Similarly to the kitchen, you need to also install a safer GFCI outlet on every bathroom outlet. These will cut the electric current if water enters the outlet or there’s an unusual surge from a hair dryer or curling iron.

Child's Bedroom Safety Checklist

Child’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Ventura

Your child’s bedroom should pair safety with simplicity. If their window shades or other things are safe but difficult to operate, then your kids may perform risky methods -- like climb a dresser -- to use them. Here are 5 straightforward, and safe, ideas:

  • Cord-Free Window Coverings: Safety experts have long called corded window treatments an unsuspecting hazard for both children and pets. Install motorized treatments that kids can easily control with a remote control. Or go state-of-the-art and link your shades to your ADT smart hub so they can raise without anyone’s help when it’s time to get up, and lower in the evening for extra privacy.

  • Indoor Security Camera: An indoor security camera placed on your toddler’s desk can act like a baby monitor that you can view with a mobile device. And when they need you, they can hit the 2-way talk button on the camera.

  • Outlet Plug Covers: While each outlet should have protective covers on them when you have small children, this is doubly important in a child’s bedroom. It’s the one room in your home where your child will most likely hang out alone without constant adult supervision.

  • Window Escape Ladder: If you use bedrooms on the second level, then you will want to have a window fire ladder. These should let a young one escape when the stairway or lower levels are blocked off with fire. Make sure to practice how to use the ladder a few times a year.

  • Toy Chest Or Low Shelves: It’s weird to look at a toy chest as a safety item, but you’ll see the light if you’ve ever tramped on a Lego in your stocking feet. A uncluttered floor let your child have a quick retreat during an emergency.

Master Bedroom Safety Checklist

Main Bedroom Safety Checklist For Ventura

The main bedroom should be a refuge, so let your safety items make life easier if you experience an emergency event. After all, being wrenched awake by a high-decibel alarm can be quite a shock.

  • Home Security Touchscreen: Having a touchscreen on your nightstand lets you see what’s happening without leaving your bed. You could always log into your ADT smartphone app but, the touchscreen is often better to use when you’re bleary-eyed and finding your bearings.

  • Device Charging Area: We depend on our smartphones for so much now alarms, web browsers, game machines, and sometimes even phones. The only problem is that an uncharged device will cut us off from communications if during an emergency. To make sure your phone always works, a charging station or cord becomes should be used nightly.

  • Nightlights Or Voice Activated Smart Lights: A plug-in light can be a beacon when you’re jolted awake from a fire alarm or other loud sounds. If you won’t drift off to sleep with an outlet light, install smart lights in your fixtures. Then you can control light simply with a mobile device or voice command.

  • Fireproof Safe: Store your essential documents like birth certificates, stock certificates, or a spare checkbook in a fireproof lockbox. Your lockbox can be a big one that is located in your closet or a small handheld lockbox that you can grab as you escape during an emergency event.

  • Temperature Sensor: The issue with bedrooms is that they can feel too stuffy or be frigid since they sit far away from the thermostat. A heat sensor can communicate to your smart thermostat so you will have a pleasant, relaxing sleep at a wonderful climate.

Garage Safety Checklist

Basement/Garage Safety Checklist For Ventura

Most safety issues in the garage or basement deal with your water or HVAC system. Discovering problems early can prevent bigger emergencies in the future. So, as you take a look around your basement or garage, take note of these safety items:

  • Flood Detector Or Sump Pump Alarm: Placing a flood alarm by your water heater or sump pump drain can save you from discovering a mess when you go into your basement or garage. It’s much better than sorting through a heap of soiled storage boxes.

  • Carbon Monoxide Detector: It’s smart to hang a carbon monoxide detector in an area where a gas leak can spring up. If you have gas heat, you should put an alarm in the same area as your HVAC unit.

  • Remote Water Shutoff Valve: If your flood sensor finds a hot water heater leak or a busted pipe, then you need to shut off the primary water line quickly. With a remote shutoff valve, you can turn off your water flow from anywhere in the world. That’s perfect when you’re on vacation and receive a water leak notification on your mobile device.

  • Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage door open brings about all sorts of issues. You can lose a bunch of heat or air through that gaping hole, and rodents or thieves can just walk in. A remote sensor will alert you to an open garage door and lets you lower it with your phone.

  • Temperature Sensor: A heat sensor in your garage or basement is essential if you wonder about freezing pipes. The heat in these rooms can be surprisingly different than the rest of the home, so you may need to have a closer eye on the temperature with your security mobile app.

Outside perimeter checklist

Home Perimeter Safety Checklist for Ventura

Your front yard, driveway, and front porch are just as important to secure as the interior of your home. Use this checklist to defend your perimeter:

  • Outdoor Security Camera: You can hang outdoor security cameras to alert you to suspicious activity in your back yard. These cameras are nice in places where you might not have a view -- like a side yard or by the garage door.

  • Window Height Shrubs: Tall foliage can give you some serenity, but they also block you seeing into the outside. Don’t give potential intruders an area to hide. Plus, high bushes or greenery too close to your house can obstruct gutters and bring in pests.

  • ADT Signs And Decals: One of the largest deterrents for a break-in is alerting aspiring intruders that you own a state-of-the-art ADT security system. An ADT sign by the main walk and a window decal will show people that they might want to keep walking to an unprotected score.

  • Motion Activated Outside Light Fixtures: Light is the largest enemy to those who sneak around in the unlit places. Motion-controlled lights on your deck, patio, or garage can help scare possible intruders away. Flood lights also help you get inside when you get back home late after work.

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

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t deliver every item on your Ventura home safety checklist, we can install a customized security system. With alarms, security cameras, and home automation, we can install the best system for your house’s needs. Simply phone (805) 292-2582 to get started or complete the form below. Or personalize your own solution with our Security System Designer.