From The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Promote Healthy Homes
A
Healthy Home Checklist
Everyone can have a healthy home. This checklist and accompanying illustration show some key action steps to take in each room and area of the home.
Bedrooms, Living Rooms, and Family Rooms
Basement, Crawl Space, Utility and Laundry Areas
[ ] Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms [ ] Do not smoke or allow anyone else to smoke in the home. [ ] If your home was built before 1978: [ ] Test your home for lead paint. [ ] Fix peeling or chipping paint using lead-safe work practices. [ ] Use safe work practices when painting, remodeling, and renovating to prevent spreading lead dust. [ ] Keep floors clear of electrical cords and clutter.
[ ] Set hot water heater at 120°F to prevent burns. [ ] Change furnace/AC filter regularly. [ ] Have gas appliances and furnaces checked yearly to make sure they don’t release extra carbon monoxide. [ ] Make sure the clothes dryer vents outside. [ ] Test for radon. If there’s a high level, hire a specialist to eliminate the hazard.
Kitchens [ ] Never use the stove or oven to heat the house. [ ] Use a range hood fan or other kitchen exhaust fan that vents outside. [ ] Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. [ ] Use safe cleaning and pest control products. [ ] Stop cockroaches, ants, and mice without pesticides: [ ] Keep them out – seal openings to the outside and between rooms. [ ] Starve them – put away food, clean up, cover the trash and garbage. [ ] Deny them water – fix leaks and wipe up spilled water. [ ] When necessary, use closed baits, traps, and gels. [ ] Never use bug bombs.
Outer Parts of House and Yard [ ] Keep pests away: [ ] Fix holes, cracks, and leaks on exterior of the house. [ ] Eliminate standing water and food sources. [ ] Keep trash can covered with a lid. [ ] Remove shoes before entering the house to keep dirt containing lead and other toxins outside. [ ] Maintain gutters, downspouts, and roof to prevent moisture from entering the home. [ ] Use safe work practices when painting, remodeling, or renovating a home built before 1978. [ ] If you have a septic tank or private well, properly maintain it to prevent illness. [ ] Be ready in case of disaster: have a kit for shelter in place and plan fire escape routes.
Bathrooms [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Install grab bars next to the bathtub and shower. Use mats with nonslip rubber backs on bathroom floors. Clean up moisture and mold safely. Use a bathroom exhaust fan that vents outside.
Attics [ ] Check for water leaks from the roof. [ ] Ensure proper ventilation to prevent moisture that can promote mold growth. [ ] Seal gaps around roofing and attic openings to keep rodents and insects out. [ ] Clean up clutter to deny rodents and insects places to nest.
Stairways and Halls [ ] Fix loose or uneven steps and rails. [ ] Attach stairway carpet firmly to every step–or remove carpet and attach nonslip rubber stair treads. [ ] Keep stairs free of clutter. [ ] Install handrails on both sides of the stairs. [ ] Keep a working light bulb in overhead lights in the hall and the stairs.
Special steps to protect children: [ ] Make sure cribs, playpens, and play equipment are safe. [ ] Keep cribs free of soft objects or loose bedding. [ ] Use cordless blinds and shades, or tie the cords out of reach of children. [ ] Place infants on their back to sleep. [ ] Place safety covers on electrical outlets. [ ] Lock prescription and over-the-counter medications away from children and use childproof caps. [ ] Use stair gates at the top and bottom of stairs. [ ] Lock up products used for cleaning, car maintenance, gardening, and pest control. [ ] If you have a swimming pool, make sure you have proper fencing and gates around the pool. [ ] Complete a playground safety checklist if you have playground equipment in your yard. [ ] If a firearm is kept in the home, it should be stored unloaded and locked in a secure container— inaccessible to children.