Ensuring your home stays safe matters more now than ever. Each year in the U.S., millions of people are injured in their homes due to preventable hazards—from falls to fires to poisoning. A proper home safety assessment checklist helps you catch risks early and take action.
In this article, you’ll learn what to check room-by-room, how to prioritise fixes, and simple upgrades that protect you and your family.
Why a Home Safety Assessment Matters
Making your home safer reduces injury risk, protects loved ones, and gives you peace of mind. For example, falls are a leading cause of injury for Americans age 65 and older. Proactively assessing your home lets you fix hazards before they strike. You’ll also boost overall comfort and maintain property value by staying ahead of wear and tear, damage, and risk.
How to Use the Checklist
Start by walking through every area of your home fresh—pretend you’re a guest and take notes. Use a printed or mental checklist. Mark items that need attention. For easy fixes, tackle them now. For larger ones, schedule them. Re-assess every six to twelve months or after a change like new family member, pets, remodeling or mobility shifts.
Exterior and Entryways
Check Lighting & Pathways
Make sure outdoor walkways, driveways and entry porches have functioning lights. Light switches should be near the door and work reliably. Uneven surfaces, overgrown shrubs or unmarked steps create trip risks.
Stairs and Handrails
If you have front or back stairs, ensure the steps are level, treads sound, and handrails secure on both sides. Doors should open smoothly and thresholds should be low enough to step over safely.
Door Locks and Visibility
Confirm exterior door locks work, windows operate easily, and your house number is visible from the street. Ensure any glass doors have decals at eye level so people don’t walk into them.
Interior Traffic Areas
Clutter-Free Paths
Clear hallways, living rooms and other traffic zones of rugs with curled edges, loose wires or stray objects. Trip buildup often hides in plain sight—cords along a wall may still snag a foot.
Floor and Lighting Conditions
Check that floors are even, nonslip (especially after cleaning), and rugs have non-skid backing. Light bulbs should work, switches should be at both ends of hallways or stairs, and visibility must be adequate for night travel.
Staircase Checks
For indoor stairs, verify treads and risers are uniform, handrails present and sturdy, lighting reachable at top and bottom, and any carpet or runner firmly secured. Remove items from steps and ensure contrasting edges if needed for visibility.
Kitchen
Safe Storage & Reach
Store frequently used items within easy reach (waist to chest level). Avoid accessing high shelves or climbing unstable stools.
Surface Conditions
Make sure floors are clean and dry, rugs are secure or removed, and kitchen traffic lanes remain free of clutter. Wipe spills promptly and avoid slip-prone flooring.
Appliance & Electrical Safety
Use appliances properly. Install ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) near water sources. Ensure cords are in good shape and not either hidden or stretched across pathways.
Review stove controls (front controls preferred), provide space for hot pans to rest, and keep flammable items away from heat sources.
Bathroom
Slip Prevention
Install non-slip mats or strips in tubs/showers. Ensure bath or shower edges are easy to step over or have grab bars installed.
Support & Accessibility
Place grab bars near the toilet and inside the tub or shower if needed. Ensure lighting is sufficient, threshold transitions are smooth and bath mats or rugs have secure backing.
Water Temperature & Electrical Safety
Set water heater to 120°F or lower to prevent scalds. Ensure hair dryers, electric razors and other devices are stored away when not in use. Outlets near water must be GFCI protected.
Bedroom
Clear Paths & Reachability
Keep a clear path from your bed to the bathroom. Ensure a bedside lamp or switch is within reach, a phone is nearby, and rugs are secure or removed.
Bed & Furniture
Make sure the bed height allows easy sitting and standing. Furniture should be stable and free of tripping hazards like raised cords or low placement. Drawers should open smoothly without the user needing to bend or stretch dangerously.
Night Movement Support
Use night-lights in the room, hallway and bathroom if you move around at night. This prevents reaching or stepping blindly while sleepy.
Living Room & Family Areas
Furniture Layout
Arrange seating and tables so people can move freely without bumping corners or tripping over cords. Use arm-rest chairs to support ease of getting in and out.
Rugs & Carpets
Remove or secure loose rugs. Carpets should lie flat and be free of worn spots. Floors should be firm and even.
Electronics & Furniture Anchoring
Mount heavy items like TVs on the wall or secure them to prevent tipping. Tie up loose cables and keep them along walls, not across pathways. Keep small choking hazards or button batteries out of reach if children visit.
Garage, Basement & Utility Areas
Clear Walkways
Clear debris, tools and extension cords to prevent trips. Ensure pathways remain unobstructed from vehicles to the house entry.
Storage Safety
Store chemicals, paints and sharp objects out of reach or in locked cabinets. Label items clearly and ensure ventilation takes care of fumes.
Appliance Maintenance
Check that gas appliances, water heaters and furnaces have regular inspections. The garage should not be used as a living space while vehicles or lawn equipment are running nearby. Extension cords should not serve as permanent wiring.
Fire, Carbon Monoxide and Emergency Preparedness
Alarm Installation & Testing
Install smoke detectors on every floor and outside each bedroom. Install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors outside sleeping areas on every level. Test monthly and change batteries at least twice a year.
Escape Plan
Develop a fire escape plan and practice it with everyone in your home. Know two exits per room when possible and identify a safe meeting place outside.
Emergency Contacts & Visibility
Post emergency numbers near every phone and program them into mobile devices. Ensure your house number is easy to see from the street at night for emergency responders. Keep a flashlight next to beds and consider a phone that won’t rely purely on cellular signal if power is lost.
Children & Pets Safety Add-On
Choking and Poison Prevention
Keep medications, cleaning supplies and small objects locked or high out of reach. Keep button-cell batteries and magnets secured. Ground heavy furniture and TVs to walls to prevent tipping. Use cordless window coverings or secure cords high.
Water Safety
Never leave children alone near water—even small buckets are hazards. Use toilet locks and keep ladders, tools or chemicals out of reach.
Pet Considerations
Watch for pet toys left in walkways, use non-slip mats when pets have access to floors, and keep pet food or feeders off high traffic zones.
Making It Work for You
Prioritize by Risk & Cost
Start by fixing items that carry the most risk (fires, falls, carbon monoxide) and are easiest to tackle.
Break the fixes into small jobs: clear one room each weekend or set a budget for monthly upgrades.
Record & Review
Keep a log of inspection dates and fixes made. Review the checklist every six months or after a life change like adding a child, aging in place or major renovation.
Budget-Friendly Upgrades
Not all upgrades cost a lot. A non-slip mat, additional lighting, smart outlet or secure furniture strap can make big differences. Declutter, remove old rugs and repair worn handrails first—often low cost, high impact.
Engage Your Household
Get every household member involved. Assign rooms, let kids check lights, encourage everyone to report loose rugs or cords. Safety becomes part of your home culture.
Check List Summary – Quick-Scan Version
- Walkways and entry-steps well lit, even and clear
- Handrails installed on all stairs, indoor and outdoor
- All rugs secure or removed
- Cords kept away from paths, outlets not overloaded
- Kitchen surfaces dry, spills cleaned, items within reach
- Bathrooms equipped with non-slip surfaces and grab bars
- Bedrooms have reachable lighting, clear paths, phone nearby
- Heavy furniture anchored, electronics safely arranged
- Smoke and CO alarms installed, tested regularly
- Emergency contacts posted, escape plan reviewed with everyone
- Chemicals, medications and small objects locked away if children or pets present
Conclusion
You have what it takes to make your home significantly safer today. With a systematic home safety assessment checklist you not only reduce risk to yourself and family but also build a habit of awareness and care.
Walk the house, mark the items that need improvement, take action, and revisit the list regularly. Doing so protects your health, your home and your peace of mind.