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Your gutters are clean, your dryer vent is snaked, your smoke alarms are new. You’re on top of your home safety. But even the most well-maintained spaces can have hidden (and costly!) problems lurking.
“Some of the biggest home safety risks are the ones we don’t always see,” says Angie Hicks, the co-founder of the leading digital home services marketplace Angi. Excess water, poor air quality, and aging systems can all develop under the surface. For example, clogged gutters in the fall may not seem like that big of a deal until they cause an interior water leak that in turn leads to warping floors and moldy walls.
Most of the time, home safety risks only get addressed once they become an urgent problem. Not only does this typically lead to a more extensive issue, but chances are the fix will cost you a lot more money, too. “I always tell homeowners that prevention starts with paying attention to the systems and areas of the home that are easy to ignore,” says Hicks.
Common Home Safety Risks You May Not Notice
Here, Hicks and Dan DiClerico, who runs the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab, share three commonly missed safety risks. Plus, you’ll learn how to stay on top of them to avoid potential hazards and pricey repairs in your home.
Excess Water
“Water is your home’s worst enemy,” says Hicks. Leaks, clogged gutters, or cracks may seem minor, but if they’re left unaddressed, they can quickly lead to more extensive and costly damage. Excess water can cause foundation issues, create an electrical hazard, invite unwanted pests, affect your home’s air quality, and lead to mold growth.
“These issues can easily go unnoticed because they often happen gradually rather than creating an immediate, obvious problem,” warns Hicks.
What to do: Monitor for excess water in areas that are commonly prone to high humidity and where leaks can easily occur—such as bathrooms, basements, kitchens, and around windows. “We also recommend placing smart leak detectors near water sources in the home, like the washing machine or water heater,” says DiClerico. “That way, you’ll be alerted to leaks before the situation becomes catastrophic.”
Bad Air Quality
“Poor indoor air quality, caused by things like allergens, dust, and mold, is another common concern and can impact the overall comfort and health of your household,” says Hicks. This particular home safety risk is one that is often overlooked simply because it is not visible. While sometimes you can detect a foul odor, such as smoke or a gas leak, and take care of it before it causes more harm, much of the time, the culprit is odorless and invisible.
What to do: Regular maintenance is essential. “For indoor air quality, that means regularly replacing HVAC filters, cleaning air vents, and addressing common sources of dust and allergens like carpets, upholstery, bedding, and areas where pet dander can collect,” says Hicks.
Don’t overlook ventilation either. “Good ventilation is key,” says DiClerico. “If there’s an exhaust fan in the bathroom, remember to run it after showering. The same goes for the vent hood in the kitchen anytime you create cooking fumes.”
Aging Systems
If you only pay attention to fixtures like your water heater or HVAC system when there’s a problem, you may be too late. At that point, the issue likely needs to be addressed by a professional, which generally means either a costly repair or, worse, a full replacement. In addition to the hassle and the unexpected cost, aging home systems can pose a potential safety risk, says Hicks.
What to do: “Homeowners should make time for routine checks of critical safety systems, including testing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, inspecting electrical outlets and cords, and scheduling HVAC and appliance maintenance to help identify potential issues before they become emergencies,” she says.
More Home Safety Tips
Create a checklist of all your home maintenance tasks to make sure you don’t overlook anything. Include every task you can think of, from those you can tackle yourself—such as switching out air filters and testing smoke detectors—to jobs that require the help of a skilled and licensed professional.
Break the tasks down by monthly and seasonal maintenance, add them to your calendar, and set reminders to ensure they are not forgotten. “Routine home maintenance is often overlooked, but staying on top of simple tasks like changing filters, checking your systems, and ensuring safety devices are working properly can go a long way in keeping your home safe and healthy,” says notes.
Maria Sabella is a lifestyle writer with a passion for home and interiors — from paint colors and holiday decor to the latest design trends. Her work has appeared in outlets including Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, BuzzFeed and Bustle.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
