Firefighter/Paramedic Approved
The 20-Minute
Home Safety
Checklist
Practical fixes and vetted gear to cut risk fast. No filler. Picked by someone who shows up after things go wrong.
20Minutes to complete
8Categories covered
10+Years on the job
Start Here
DO THESE 5 THINGS FIRST
- 01 Test smoke and CO alarms. Hold the button 5 to 10 seconds. Replace any that fail.
- 02 Check bedroom egress. Windows open fully and paths are clear.
- 03 Stove zone. Keep flammables 3 feet away. Keep a pan lid handy for grease fires. Never use water.
- 04 Kill the outlet octopus. Remove splitters. One quality power strip per area.
- 05 Make your address visible at night with reflective numbers. These are sold individually, so make sure you grab every digit you need before you order.
Category 01
DETECTION
If I could only do one thing today, I would make sure alarms are placed, working, and current.
10-Year Sealed Smoke Alarm
One of the biggest complaints I hear about smoke alarms is false alarms from cooking or steam. This photoelectric unit from Kidde is designed to dramatically cut down on nuisance trips while still catching real fires fast. Fewer false alarms means people stop ignoring them, and that matters more than people realize.
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Combination Smoke and CO Unit
For areas with fuel-burning appliances, attached garages, or near sleeping areas. The real advantage of an interconnected system is simple: when one alarm sounds, they all sound. You do not have to be in the same room to know there is a problem, and in a real emergency, that delay is everything.
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Smart App Alert System
Want to step it up even further? This Kidde system sends alerts directly to your phone so you know what is happening in your home even when you are not there. That is a level of awareness most people do not have until it is too late.
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Smart Leak Sensor
More homes have water damage than fire damage each year. Place these at the water heater, under kitchen and bath sinks, behind toilets, next to the washing machine, and near any sump pump or HVAC pan. One per risk spot, two on larger pans. Phone alerts mean you catch it before it becomes a gutted floor.
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Placement rule of thumb: Inside every bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on each level including the basement. Test monthly. Replace smoke alarms at 10 years and CO sensors at 5 to 7 years based on manufacturer recommendations.
Category 02
SUPPRESSION
The right extinguisher in the right place can stop a small fire before it becomes a call to 911.
Kitchen Extinguisher (ABC, ~2.5 to 3 lb)
Mounted chest-height near the kitchen exit. Most extinguishers ship with mounting brackets. Use them. Keep the path to it clear.
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Garage and Utility Extinguisher (ABC, ~5 lb)
Garages and utility rooms carry higher fire risk. The larger unit gives you more agent and more time. Same mounting rule applies.
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Quick-Use Fire Spray
A helpful backup for very small, early fires. Not a substitute for a UL-rated extinguisher. Think of it as the first five seconds while you get to the real one.
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PPull
AAim
SSqueeze
SSweep
Category 03
ESCAPE
Two exits per room. A meeting spot outside. Practiced twice a year. That is your escape plan.
Window Escape Ladder
For second-story bedrooms. Before you order, measure the distance from your window sill to the ground. For most homes, 30 feet is more than enough coverage, but know your number before you buy.
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High-Visibility Nightlights
Battery-operated hallway and stair lights. No wiring required. Light the path before you need it. In a smoke-filled hallway at 2am, you will be glad you did this.
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Category 04
ELECTRICAL AND HEAT SOURCES
No specific product recommendations here. Just the rules that reduce your risk.
Power Strips
Use UL-listed power strips. Avoid daisy-chains and cheap splitters. One quality strip per area.
Space Heaters
3-foot clearance on all sides. Stable surface. Built-in tip-over and overheat protection. No extension cords. Ever.
Dryer Vent
One of the most overlooked fire risks in the home. A lint-clogged vent can ignite without warning. Most people have no idea how long their vent run actually is. Measure yours first, then order the right kit. For most homes, 30 feet is more than enough.
View Dryer Vent Cleaning Kit on Amazon
Category 05
MONITORING AND RESPONSE
Gear helps. Professional monitoring means someone is watching even when you are not.
Professional Monitoring from ADT
24/7 professional response. When something trips, trained operators act, not just an app notification you might miss at 3am.
Get ADT Service
Category 06
IDENTITY AND CREDIT MONITORING
Disasters are not just flames. Identity theft and credit breaches burn time and money, and they hit hardest right after a major life event like buying a home.
Aura Identity Protection and Credit Monitoring
Catches issues before they become problems. Especially important if you are planning to apply for a mortgage or recently closed on a home, when your personal information is at its most exposed.
Learn More About Aura
Category 07
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
| Frequency | Task |
|---|---|
| Monthly | Test alarms. Check extinguisher gauges (green = good). |
| Every 6 Months | Replace batteries if not sealed. Clean dryer vent. Review escape plan with household. |
| Annually | Replace fridge water filters (leak risk). Scan attic and crawl space for chewed wiring. |
| Replace | Smoke alarms at 10 years. CO sensors at 5 to 7 years per manufacturer recommendations. |
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