Safety
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Clean out dryer filters and hoses regularly.
It is a major fire hazard if you don't.
2 people, independently
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed during a power outage to preserve cold air.
Opening the door lets cold air escape; keeping it shut keeps food cool for hours or days.
4 people, independently
Do not store valuables in the dishwasher to protect them from floods.
Dishwashers are not waterproof due to steam vents, and slight seals may not hold against several feet of water.
one person who lived it
Do not walk with hands in pockets on stairs to allow for balance recovery if tripping.
Hands in pockets prevent grabbing railings or breaking falls, leading to injuries like split heads, broken hands, or lost teeth.
2 people, independently
Place carbon monoxide detectors on walls or ceilings, as CO is lighter than air and mixes with it.
CO regularly kills
one person who lived it
fire, avoid, prevent, house37
Check digital clocks on appliances like stoves, microwaves, or alarms for blinking lights or incorrect times to detect power loss.
Do not store items within 18 inches below a fire sprinkler head.
It is against code.
one person who lived it
Purchase fire extinguishers for your new home, ideally placing at least one in the kitchen and one in the bedroom.
Having two ensures you can access one even if the other is blocked by fire.
one person who lived it
Locate the external gas shutoff valve outside your house.
You will need to know where it is if your house catches fire.
one person who lived it
Keep Christmas trees well-watered to prevent them from becoming dry and flammable fire hazards.
A dry tree is dead and flammable.
one person who lived it
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Clean out dryer lint traps regularly to prevent house fires.
Lint buildup is cited as a common cause of house fires, with one account noting a cousin's house burned down from it.
2 people, independently
Keep bedroom doors closed to improve fire safety.
Closed doors and working smoke detectors save lives by limiting fire spread.
one person who lived it
If you live in a house, turn off the main water supply before leaving to prevent flooding from burst pipes or hoses.
One person's washing machine hose broke while they were away, flooding their house and causing a high water bill.
one person who lived it
Ensure GFCI outlets are installed in bathrooms for electric bidets to meet code requirements and protect insurance coverage.
It is a code requirement, and lack of compliance may lead to homeowners insurance denying coverage.
- Landlords should pay for required GFCI installations in rental units.
one person who lived it
Attach fire blankets directly to the wall near the kitchen.
You can't lose it, and it is quick to deploy.
one person who lived it
Clear obstructions from your pathway to bed.
It prevents navigating like an obstacle course in the dark.
one person who lived it
Ensure jars used for homemade candles are made of tempered glass to prevent explosion.
To avoid the risk of an exploding candle.
one person who lived it
Inspect wood furniture carefully for bed bugs before buying secondhand; avoid used couches and mattresses.
Bed bugs can be another major issue.
- Depending on where you are
one person who lived it
Consider installing solar lights along your walkway to illuminate dark paths at night.
The path may be too dark even with a porch light.
one person who lived it
Ensure lighting works in areas where water heaters are located so shut-off valves are accessible during emergencies.
Lack of light can prevent you from finding the intake shut-off valve quickly.
one person who lived it
Spread book-hollowing projects over multiple evenings rather than rushing them in one night.
Rushing can cause hand cramps and increase the risk of accidental self-injury.
one person who lived it
Clear grass clippings from bike lanes and car/motorcycle lanes in front of your property to prevent danger to cyclists and other drivers.
Clippings are dangerous to cyclists and can blow into traffic lanes.
one person who lived it
Store homemade fire starters in a safe location until use.
They are a potential fire hazard if stored improperly.
one person who lived it
Use UL electronic devices instead of CE ones to avoid fire hazards.
CE devices are cited as a fire hazard compared to UL ones.
one person who lived it
Check digital clocks on appliances like stoves, microwaves, or alarms for blinking lights or incorrect times to detect power loss.
Appliances without battery backup will reset or flash after a power interruption.
7 people, independently
Replace smoke detector batteries immediately when they start chirping.
Replacing the battery could save your life.
one person who lived it
Avoid walking around the house at night using only nightlights for guidance.
Poor lighting combined with a messy environment creates a high risk of tripping over objects.
one person who lived it
Avoid drinking directly from garden hoses due to potential illness risks.
You may get ill from contaminants or organisms inside.
- One commenter disputed this, arguing it is unlikely anyone has never gotten sick from something else.
one person who lived it
Call the local poison control center for questions about hazardous materials, even if it is not an emergency.
They can provide details about ingredients beyond what is on the label.
one person who lived it
Avoid removing batteries from smoke detectors for other uses, such as guitar pedals.
One person's smoke alarm failed to go off because a friend had removed the battery for a guitar pedal.
one person who lived it
Install multiple carbon monoxide detector units.
This provides coverage if one unit fails or is distant from the source.
one person who lived it
Install interconnected smoke alarms so that if one triggers, all alarms in the house sound.
2 people, independently
Unplug computers during storms to prevent surge damage.
Many computer damages could be saved by this action.
one person who lived it
Report disconnected dryer vents to apartment management.
The vent is probably full of lint.
one person who lived it
Do not ignore chirping alarms; address them immediately because they are annoying for a reason.
they're annoying for a reason
one person who lived it
Replace built-in smoke detectors every 5-10 years.
The radioactive component decays over time, causing the detector to potentially miss particles.
one person who lived it
Install large, easily readable house numbers visible from the street.
To be extra helpful to visitors and services.
one person who lived it
Check your furnace owner's manual for the required flow rate before installing tight allergen filters to avoid damaging the unit.
Tightly woven filter material can restrict airflow and damage the furnace.
one person who lived it
Observe parking lot occupancy on weekdays; full lots may indicate residents who loiter or work from home rather than commute.
A good complex typically has fewer cars on workdays as residents are at work.
one person who lived it
Be aware that some apartment buildings lack resident-accessible sprinkler shutoff valves.
Only firefighters may have access to these valves.
one person who lived it
Place a water leak detector inside the under-sink plastic container to alert you immediately to problems.
It provides immediate notification of clogs or backups.
one person who lived it
Keep a fire blanket in your home to instantly extinguish stove fires by dropping it over the flames.
one person who lived it
Hire professionals for tasks involving high liability or safety risks, such as tree trimming near power lines.
To avoid liability associated with trees overhanging buildings and lines.
one person who lived it
freezer, food, power, frozen14
Keep sandwich bags filled with water in the freezer to act as thermal mass during outages; they keep the freezer colder longer and provide drinking water if needed.
Do not let the thermostat drop below 55°F if outdoor temperatures freeze at night.
It prevents frozen pipes.
one person who lived it
Consider buying a manual defrost freezer to save on electricity costs compared to frost-free models.
Manual defrost freezers cost less per day to run than frost-free models.
one person who lived it
Keep glass jars filled with loose change out of direct sunlight.
Heat expansion can cause the jar to spontaneously shatter.
one person who lived it
Put handle covers on cast iron pans because the handles get hot.
The handles get hot.
one person who lived it
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Install childproof locks or latches on freezers to ensure they are fully closed.
They serve as a reminder to close the doors completely.
one person who lived it
Load knives handle-up in the silverware basket.
This prevents cutting yourself when unloading.
one person who lived it
Place a wooden chopstick in the microwave while heating water to provide a surface for bubbles to form.
This prevents superheated water from exploding when you remove it.
one person who lived it
Fill a clear plastic container halfway with water, freeze it, and turn it upside down before leaving; if it is empty upon return, the food is unsafe.
An empty cup indicates the freezer thawed completely.
one person who lived it
Do not turn off electrical breakers for the refrigerator when traveling.
Turning off the power saves little money but results in spoiled food requiring replacement and unpleasant stench.
one person who lived it
Ensure you have reliable electricity and a backup plan if storing large amounts of frozen meat, as power loss can lead to spoilage before it is detected.
One person's family did not know the electricity was shut off until weeks later, resulting in spoiled meat after a death in the home.
one person who lived it
Place large, thick frozen items like roasts or whole chickens around softer items like ice cream to help insulate them, as thicker items stay frozen longer.
Thicker, heavier items retain cold better than softer items.
one person who lived it
install higher-quality, larger anti-slip stickers (like Safepore) or suction-cup rails in bathtubs for better stability
provides better stability than standard mats; stickers last years and look great; rails stick well to tiles to grab onto
one person who lived it
Keep sandwich bags filled with water in the freezer to act as thermal mass during outages; they keep the freezer colder longer and provide drinking water if needed.
4 people, independently
Eat through existing groceries before traveling instead of shopping right before departure.
This minimizes loss from food spoiling due to age or potential power outages while you are away.
one person who lived it