Sample output · default answers
Home Safety Checklist — full sample
This is the actual structure our generator produces from the default answers. When you buy, you fill in the form and your version reflects your household — rooms, timeline, province, and everything else.
Fire, gas & carbon monoxide
- Working smoke alarm on level 1 — test button pressed this month
- Working smoke alarm on level 2 — test button pressed this month
- Smoke alarm inside bedroom #1
- Smoke alarm inside bedroom #2
- Smoke alarm inside bedroom #3
- Working CO alarm near sleeping area on level 1
- Working CO alarm near sleeping area on level 2
- Alarms less than 10 years old (check the manufacture date on the back — alarms expire even if they still pass the test button)
- Consider interconnected alarms (wired or smart/wireless) so every alarm in the house sounds together, not just the one that triggered
- Fire extinguisher accessible in the kitchen, garage, and near any fuel-burning appliance
- Family fire-escape plan practiced twice this year, including a meeting point outside
- Two exits identified from every bedroom
- Gas-burning appliances (furnace, water heater, range) inspected annually; every adult knows the smell of a gas leak and your utility's emergency shutoff line
Radon
- Radon test kit run for at least 91 days (Health Canada's minimum for an accurate long-term reading), placed in the lowest lived-in level of the home
- Radon levels vary house to house even within Ontario, so a national or regional survey result doesn't tell you what's in your own basement — the only way to know is to test
- If the result is at or above 200 Bq/m³ (Health Canada's guideline), plan for a certified radon mitigation contractor
- Retest every 2 years, and any time after a major renovation or foundation repair
Clean air & mould prevention
- Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans vented outside (not just into the attic) and run during and after showers and cooking
- Indoor relative humidity kept between 30–50% — check with an inexpensive hygrometer; above 60% is a mould risk
- Basement or crawlspace checked for musty smell, visible mould, or condensation on windows and pipes
- Dehumidifier running in the basement during humid months, emptied or drained regularly
- Furnace filter and HRV/ERV filter changed on schedule; return air vents not blocked by furniture or rugs
- Portable air cleaner (HEPA) considered for bedrooms if anyone in the home has allergies, asthma, or lives somewhere with wildfire smoke seasons
Electrical safety
- Tamper-resistant (TR) receptacles installed anywhere accessible to kids — code-required in new builds and a straightforward retrofit in older homes
- GFCI protection in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, garage, and every outdoor outlet — tested with the test/reset buttons
- AFCI breakers protecting bedroom and living-space circuits
- Outdoor outlets have weatherproof "in-use" covers (the bubble-style kind), not just a flip-lid cover
- Consider a whole-home surge protector at the panel — a single power-bar surge protector doesn't cover the furnace, fridge, or anything hardwired
- Individual surge protectors on major electronics not covered by a whole-home unit
- No overloaded power bars or daisy-chained extension cords
- Dryer lint trap cleaned every load; dryer vent professionally cleared at least once a year
- Range hood filter cleaned quarterly
- No frayed cords, scorched outlets, or switch plates that feel warm to the touch
Flood & water damage prevention
- Sump pump tested by pouring a bucket of water into the pit and watching it cycle
- Battery backup sump pump installed and tested — a power outage during a storm is exactly when the primary pump is needed most
- Water-powered backup sump pump considered as a second layer if you're on municipal water pressure
- Consider a smart water shutoff valve (e.g. Moen Flo) at the main line — it auto-shuts off on a detected leak, which matters most when nobody's home
- Water leak sensors (smart or basic) near the water heater, washing machine, dishwasher, and sump pit
- Window wells cleared of debris and covered
- Backwater valve installed on the main sewer line if you're in an older or flood-prone neighbourhood — check with your municipality
- Downspouts extended at least 1.5 m from the foundation, and grading slopes away from the house
Chemical & hazardous materials storage
- Paint, solvents, and oil-based products stored in a sealed, ventilated cabinet — ideally in the garage or shed rather than inside living space
- Gasoline and other fuel stored in an approved container, away from any ignition source, the furnace, or the water heater
- Antifreeze and windshield washer fluid stored up and out of reach of kids and pets — antifreeze is sweet-tasting and a genuine poisoning risk
- Household cleaners and pesticides in a locked or high cabinet, kept in their original containers
- Pool or spa chemicals stored separately from each other and from other household chemicals — some combinations release toxic gas
- Working CO detector near the garage-to-house door if any fuel-burning equipment (mower, generator, vehicle) is ever run or stored in the garage
Garage & doors
- Garage door opener's auto-reverse safety sensors tested — place a roll of paper towels in the door's path and confirm it reverses on contact
- Garage door opener keypad code changed from the factory default; remotes not left in an unattended vehicle
- Self-closing, self-latching fire-rated door between the attached garage and the house — required by code in most of Canada and one of the most commonly skipped items
- Weatherstripping on the garage-to-house door in good condition to keep exhaust and cold air out
- Deadbolts on all exterior doors, in addition to the doorknob lock
- Peephole or video doorbell at the main entry
- Sliding patio or garage-adjacent doors have a secondary bar or pin lock, not just the factory latch
Falls, stairs & structure
- Handrails secure and continuous on every stairway, interior and exterior
- Stair treads free of loose carpet; rugs at the top and bottom of stairs secured or removed
- Exterior steps and walkways lit, and kept clear of ice in winter
- Water heater temperature set at or below 49°C (120°F) to prevent scald injuries
- Rooftop, eavestroughs, and downspouts clear
- Foundation grading slopes away from the home
Emergency preparedness
- 72-hour emergency kit stocked (food, water, meds, flashlight, radio)
- Documents backed up in the cloud and as a physical copy
- Out-of-area contact chosen; every family member knows the number
- Utility shutoffs (gas, water, electrical panel) labelled and known to every adult in the house
- Snow shovel, sand or salt, and spare fuel stocked before winter
- Vehicle emergency kit in every car
Digital / cyber safety
- Router firmware up to date; default admin password changed
- Guest Wi-Fi separate from the main network — especially if you have smart safety devices on it
- MFA turned on for email, banking, and cloud storage
- Password manager in use by all adults
- Kids' devices have screen time and content filters set