A Room-by-Room Guide to Making Your Home Safer

How to prevent the leading causes of home injuries, from slips and falls to smoke and fires.

Outside

Slips, Trips, Falls
 

• Install motion sensors that will turn on lights when you approach the walkway.
• Shed light on a wide area with outdoor floodlights. (Choose halogen floodlights that can tolerate cold temperatures. Make sure porches are well lit.)
• Dead, loose tree limbs can pose a danger during windstorms. Keep trees trimmed to prevent damage to your house or yourself.

 Fire

• Store gasoline outside the home.
• When grilling, use only charcoal starter fluids designed for barbecue grills. Never add fluid once the coals have been lit.
• So firefighters can find your home easily in an emergency, make sure your house number is clearly posted at the road.

Shocks 

• Keep ladders at least 10 feet from power lines.
• When using extension cords outside, use only those specifically marked for outdoor use.

Childproofing 

• Install a five-foot-high fence on all four sides of a pool. Don't let water accumulate on top of a pool cover―it creates a drowning hazard.
• Designate the grilling area as a kid-free zone.