Home Safety Checklist For Bloomington

Being safe in your home should be your topmost responsibility. But are you overlooking a few key safety items? Take this home safety checklist for Bloomington and find out where your living space can use an update.

This guide starts with a few whole-house safety techniques, and then we whittle it down room-by-room. Then, contact (812) 200-5695 or complete the form below to talk to a security agent.

General Home Safety Checklist for Bloomington

While you will want to employ a room-to-room approach to home safety in Bloomington, there are some methods that work for the whole-house approach. These components can sync together through a smart hub, and can even respond to other components. You might also control every one of your home safety components through a mobile app, such as ADT Control:

Monitored Home Security System: Each one of your doors and windows should employ a sensor that notifies you and your family to forced entry. As the alarm trips, your monitoring agent picks up the call and contacts a first responder.

Smart Lights For Most Rooms: Of course, you can schedule your smart lights so your home is more eco-conscience. But smart lights can also allow you to remain safe during an emergency. Make your smart bulbs flash on when an alarm goes off to shoo off intruders or light your way to a outside area.

Smart Thermostat: Likewise, a smart thermostat in Bloomington should save you between 10%-15% in gas and electric spending. It also can turn on the exhaust fan if you have a fire.

Monitored Smoke Detectors: It’s code that you will have a fire detector on every level of your house. You can increase your fire preparedness by hanging a monitored fire detector that senses unusual heat and smoke, and alerts your 24/7 monitoring experts when it thinks that there’s a fire.

Smart Door Locks: Every entryway that needs a deadbolt can use a smart lock. Now you can set numbered codes to each family member and get alerts to your mobile device when your locks are unlocked. Your smart lock can even automatically open, letting you quickly get out during an emergency.

Family Room/Living Room Safety Checklist For Bloomington

You’ll spend most of your time in your family room, so it’s the perfect area to kick off your home safety renovation. Popular items, like a big screen or video games, usually are located in your family room, making it a tempting room for robbers. Begin with hanging a motion detector or security camera by the doorway, then try the following suggestions:

Motion Detectors: By hanging motion sensors, you’ll have a high-decibel siren anytime they detect unusual movement in your living room. The best devices are motion sensors that ignore a dog or cat or you’ll have an alert each time your cat comes in for a bite of food.
Security Camera: An indoor security camera offers a visual on your family room. Get live streams of everything so you can see what’s happening without leaving your bed. Or talk with your family when they arrive back from school with the two-way talk feature.
Surge Protector/Outlet Maintenance: Make sure you protect those electronics and stop overburdening your outlets with a surge protector. For additional convenience, use a smart plug with anti-surge functionality in the unit.
Entertainment Center Attached To The Wall: If you have babies or toddlers, you’ll want to attach your entertainment center or other heavy furniture to your wall. This is especially important if your living room has carpet that might make heavy objects extra wobbly.
Special Locks For Sliding Glass Doors: If your living room uses a glass door that slides out to a deck, patio, or porch, you already know that the door lock is pretty worthless. Put in an enhanced lock, like a metal bar or small locks that are located on the top and bottom of the frame.

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Bloomington

Your kitchen has room for items that should add safety and security to your house. Most of these items should be simple to add and should be bought from the a retail store:

Fire Extinguisher: Fire can happen from a neglected skillet or a towel that’s too close to a burner. Always have a fire extinguisher in close reach for any kitchen mishaps.
Circuit Interrupter Box On Every Outlet: A circuit interrupter outlet should be standard on outlets where there’s nearby water to ward off electrocution. That includes the plug outlets close to your kitchen counter and sink. For 30 years, it’s been code to have one GFCI per circuit. But each one of your plugs will go dead if any outlet sees a surge, so try to have a single GFCI on each outlet.

Monitored CO Detector: A CO detector is handy in kitchens that employ gas for the stove and oven. If your gas lines leak, the carbon monoxide detector will play a high-decibel siren and call your monitoring agent.
Clorox Wipes Or Spray: The largest safety hazard in the kitchen is the viruses, bacteria, and protein that comes with blood from meat and other foods. Always store antiviral wipes or an antibacterial spray to clean your counters before and after preparing food.
Refrigerator Alarm: The milk, meat, and perishables in the refrigerator need to remain at a cold temperature to stay ready to use. If you leave the freezer or refrigerator door ajar, then a constant beep will tell you to close the door. Some appliances come with this installed, some don’t, and you’ll have to buy a refrigerator alarm from the store.

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Bloomington

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

Flood Sensors: A leaking sink or shower can create extensive damage. Discover pooling water early with a flood detector before they cause hundreds of dollars in ruined floors, walls, and fixtures.
Textured Bath Mats: A slip in the bathroom can be a painful occurrence, causing pulled muscles, gashed heads, or broken bones. Or steer clear from these problems with a non-slip bathroom mat for after your bath or shower.

Non-slip Bathtub Stickies: Another water hazard, a bathtub can be a slippery area to stand in. It’s a good idea that each tub has some no-slip stickers so your feet and toes have a bumpy patch to gain traction.

Medicine Door Latch: If you have young toddlers or anyone with memory difficulties, you have to take additional attention regarding medicine. Hide away your prescriptions by installing a medicine cabinet with a child-proof lock.

Circuit Interrupter Outlet: Similarly to the kitchen, you will have to also install a grounded circuit interrupter outlet on every bathroom receptacle. This will stop the flow of the electricity if water splashes on them or they experience a sudden jolt from a hair dryer or curling iron.

Child’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Bloomington

A child’s bedroom should balance safety with manageability. If their window coverings or other items are safe but difficult to manage, then your child may perform dangerous methods -- like climb a dresser -- to touch them. Here are 5 straightforward, yet safe, ideas:

Cord-Free Window Treatments: Safety agencies have identified window treatment cords a hidden hazard for children and animals. Put in motorized treatments that your child can easily control through a remote. Or better yet, link your shades to your security system so they open automatically when it’s time to get up, and lower at bedtime for an easier sleep.

Indoor Security Camera: An indoor security camera perched on your toddler’s dresser can behave as a baby monitor that you can view from your phone. And when they want you, they can hit the two-way talk button that comes with the camera.

Outlet Covers: While each outlet should use covers on them to protect your young children, this is doubly needed in their bedroom. It’s the one room in your house where your child will most likely play by themselves without adult supervision.

Window Safety Ladder: If you have bedrooms on above the first floor, then you should put in a window fire ladder. These can help a child get out of their room when the stairs or lower levels are blocked off with fire. Remember to go over how to employ them one or two times a year.

Toy Chest Or Low Bookshelves: It’s interesting to think about a toy box as a safety component, but you’ll see the light if you’ve ever stepped on a Lego in your bare feet. A clean floor means a quick escape when there’s an emergency.

Master Bedroom Safety Checklist For Bloomington

The master bedroom should be an oasis, so let your safety devices give you peace of mind when you experience an emergency. After all, being wrenched awake by a wailing buzzer can be quite a shock.

Security System Touchscreen: Having a touchscreen on your dresser helps you know what’s what that noise was without leaving your bed. You could also turn on your ADT phone app. However, the HD touchscreen may be easier to manage to use when you’re coming out of sleep and finding your bearings.

Personal Charging Station: We rely on our cell phones for so much now GPS, web browsers, game machines, and sometimes even phones. But, a dead cell in the middle of the night cuts us off from reaching help if there’s a problem. So, a an easy-to-use charging station becomes an essential.

Nightlight/Smart Lights: A plug-in light helps ground you when you’re jolted awake from a fire alarm or unexpected sounds. If you won’t drift off to sleep with a nightlight, put in smart lights in your bedroom and hall. Then you can control light anytime with a button push or voice command.
Fireproof Safe: Stash your essential paperwork like birth certificates, stock certificates, or a bankbook in a fireproof safe. Your safe can be a large one that camps out in your closet or a slender handheld safe that you can grab when you leave during a fire or other emergency.

Heat Sensor: The problem with bedrooms is that they tend to run too hot or be cold since they are far from the thermostat. A heat sensor can communicate to your smart thermostat so you can have a comfortable, restful sleep at the perfect temperature.

Garage/Basement Safety Checklist For Bloomington

Most safety problems in the garage or basement are with your water or furnace. Discovering issues early can prevent larger disasters later on. So, as you look around your basement or garage, pay attention to these safety items:

Water Sensor Or Sump Pump Alarm: Placing a flood sensor next to your water heater or sump pump can save you from discovering a lake when you step into your basement or garage. Do you really want to waste your night getting rid of standing water?

Carbon Monoxide Alarm: It’s smart to have a carbon monoxide alarm in a place where a CO leak can spring up. If you use gas heating, you’ll want to install a detector in the same room as your HVAC unit.
WiFi Water Shutoff Valve: If your water detector finds a hot water leak or a broken pipe, then you will have to shut off the primary water pipe at once. With a remote shutoff valve, you can block water flow from your phone. That’s helpful when you’re visiting relatives and see a water leak notification on your phone.
Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage door up brings about all types of issues. You can waste HVAC energy through that gaping hole, and critters or lurkers can just walk in. A sensor will text you about a neglected garage door and lets you lower it through the app.
Temperature Sensor: A heat alarm in your basement or garage is handy if you wonder about freezing pipes. The heat in these areas can be wildly different than your main rooms of the home, so you may want to have a close look on the temp with your mobile app.

Outside Perimeter Safety Checklist for Bloomington

Your foliage, drive, and front step are just as imperative to defend as the interior of your house. Try the items on this checklist to defend your perimeter:

Doorbell Camera: See who’s knocking on the the front step before you open it and welcome guests. See deliveries and review video clips if they vanish off the step.

Outdoor Security Camera: You can install outdoor security cameras to alert you to unusual lurkers in your back yard. These cameras are especially useful in places where you may not have a window -- like a side yard or by the driveway.

Window Height Bushes: Tall shrubs can give you some privacy, but they also obscure your view of the yard and curb. Don’t provide potential thieves a dark shadow to hide. Plus, tall bushes, shrubs or foliage around your house can clog gutters and summon pests.
ADT Yard Signs: One of the biggest discouragements for a break-in is advertising to aspiring burglars that you have a state-of-the-art home security system. An ADT sign by the main walk and a window cling will tell lurkers that they ought to keep walking to an less prepared score.

Motion Activated Flood Lighting: Light is the greatest deterrent to people who sneak around in the dark. Motion-triggered flood lights on your porch, garage, or deck can shoo possible intruders away. Lights also help you work the locks when you get to the house on those dark, winter nights.

Use Secure24 Alarm Systems To Help Complete Your Home Safety Checklist for Bloomington

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t install non-security devices on your Bloomington home safety checklist, we can install a powerful security system. With everything from alarms to thermostats, we can personalize the best system for your home’s needs. Simply phone (812) 200-5695 to get started or send in the form below. Or personalize your own system with our Security System Designer.