Safety hub

Home safety guides

Practical, government-sourced guidance on detectors, radon, fire escape planning, childproofing, and securing entry points.

Start with this safe checklist

  1. Test and date every smoke and CO alarm.
  2. Know your household’s fire escape plan and practice it.
  3. Address radon, entry-point, and childproofing gaps before they become incidents.

Use your model manuals and local requirements as the final authority. If a task involves fuel, energized equipment, refrigerant, concealed damage, a steep roof, or a permit, arrange qualified local help.

Guides in this collection

Hallway ceiling with a carbon monoxide alarm mounted near a bedroom door outside a sleeping area.safety

Carbon Monoxide Detector Placement: Where and How Many You Need

CPSC and NFPA guidance on where to install CO alarms: on every level, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms with fuel-burning appliances.

Aug 28, 20268 min read
Homeowner placing a small radon test kit canister on a shelf in a finished basement room.safety

Do You Need Radon Testing? (And How to Do It Yourself)

EPA guidance on who should test for radon, how DIY test kits work, and the step-by-step process for a reliable result in your home.

Aug 28, 20269 min read
Family practicing a fire escape drill, one adult helping a child down a collapsible escape ladder from a second-story window.safety

Fire Escape Plan for a Two-Story House: What to Actually Practice

USFA and Ready.gov guidance for building a two-story fire escape plan: two ways out per room, upstairs windows, and a twice-a-year drill.

Aug 28, 20269 min read
Parent kneeling beside a low cabinet in a kitchen, installing a safety latch while a toddler plays nearby.safety

How to Childproof Outlets, Cabinets, and Stairs by Age

A room-by-room childproofing plan for outlets, cabinets, and stairs, staged by age from crawling through preschool, with CPSC-sourced safety devices.

Aug 28, 202611 min read
Interior view of a sliding glass patio door with a metal security bar installed in the bottom track.safety

How to Secure Sliding Glass Doors From Break-Ins

How to secure sliding glass doors with a track bar, anti-lift blocks, and a pin lock, plus which fixes stop prying versus lifting the door off track.

Aug 28, 20269 min read
Close-up of a hand installing a smart lock keypad over an existing deadbolt on a front door.safety

Smart Locks vs. Traditional Deadbolts: Worth the Switch?

Smart locks vs. traditional deadbolts compared on security grade, 2026 pricing, and failure points, so you can decide which one belongs on your door.

Aug 28, 202610 min read
Close-up of a radon test result printout showing a pCi/L reading next to a lab report envelope.safety

What Radon Level Is Dangerous? (And What to Do About It)

EPA's 4 pCi/L action level explained, what levels between 2 and 4 mean, and the mitigation steps that follow a high radon test result.

Aug 28, 20268 min read