December Home Maintenance and Safety Checklist

December is the perfect time to tackle small home tasks that prevent big winter problems. From frozen pipes to kitchen fires and porch pirates, this month brings unique hazards that can quickly disrupt your holiday season.

Using years of in-home testing and expert safety research, SafeWise created this December home maintenance checklist to help you stay safe, save money, and enjoy a stress-free winter.

Holiday cooking means your appliances work overtime — and now is peak season for kitchen fires, according to the NFPA. 

Protect your family from cooking fires by keeping your appliances in top shape. 

Check your oven and range:

• Inspect the oven seal for cracks or heat leaks.
• Look at the heating element for burn spots or inconsistencies.
• Clean or replace the range hood filter to prevent grease fires.
• Clean drip trays to prevent smoking or flare-ups.

Sharp knives are actually safer — they require less force, reducing slips and cuts.

• Run each blade through a sharpener 6–7 slow passes.
• Add blade covers and store knives safely afterward.
• Pro tip: A sharpener costs less than replacing dull knives — and reduces cooking strain.

NFPA recommends annual professional inspections of chimneys and fireplaces.

To extend time between sweeps:

• Remove fireplace ash after every burn.
• Keep flammables at least 3 feet away, even when not in use.
• Close the safety gate and keep kids/pets at a distance.

Read our fireplace safety guide for more tips.

Warm attics attract pests. Use caulk or expanding foam to:

• Seal gaps around vents and wiring
• Block entry points for mice, raccoons, or squirrels
• While you're up there, quickly check for roof leaks or soft spots.

Prevent slips from snow and melted ice:

• Add bristled doormats outside
• Add absorbent mats and boot trays inside
• Use non-slip tape to keep mats secure

It's not just driveways—pay attention to:

• Roof edges (use a roof rake)
• Gutters
• Overloaded tree branches
• Sidewalks (for guest safety)

Going out of town?

A snow-removal service helps keep your home from appearing vacant — making it less appealing to burglars.

Now that you're spending more time indoors, you'll want to breathe clean indoor air.  Check your air filter, swap it out every 90 days (at least), and do these extras to ensure healthy breathing:

• Run an air purifier
• Dust regularly
• Vacuum vents

Burglars avoid homes that appear occupied. Set interior lights on random schedules when you’re away or use smart plugs to light up your dark house. Burglars are less likely to enter an occupied house, so it’s smart to set up routines or program intermittent lighting to make it appear someone is home. 

A dry Christmas tree can ignite into a room-engulfing fire in under 60 seconds (NFPA).

• Keep water at least 1 inch above the cut at all times.
• Avoid placing the tree near heat vents or space heaters.

Holiday decorating injuries climb every December.

• Use a stable step stool for reachable items.
• For ladders, always have a second person steadying the base.
• Split heavy loads into smaller trips.

Holiday guests — even young ones — benefit from added stability.
Falls in the bathroom account for nearly 80% of home slip injuries among older adults.

To make the bathroom safer for all of your holiday guests:

• Add non-slip bathroom mats.
• Install grab bars in showers and near tubs or toilets.
• Make a shower stool available for guests.

Check out more bathroom safety devices that take seconds to install and can prevent serious injuries and falls. 

With all the hustle and bustle of December, make sure you’re prepared for accidents and injuries that may occur. Check your home first aid kit and make sure it has everything you need for cuts, burns, and other emergencies. 

Your kit should include:

• Burn gel
• Antiseptic wipes
• Adhesive bandages
• Gauze & tape
• Scissors
• Tweezers

A warm winter shower can be spoiled by the sight of mildew and black mold. Clean your shower curtains in your guest bathrooms with bleach or fungicide to reduce those unsightly spots. And reducing mold and mildew can improve the air quality in your home. 

Prevent mildew buildup by washing curtains and liners with:

• Bleach
• Vinegar
• Fungicides
• Cleaner bathrooms = better indoor air quality.

Heaters, candles, and holiday decorations increase fire risk. Test and refresh batteries in:

• Smoke detectors
• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Combination alarms

If you don’t have CO detectors, December is the best month to add them.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and learn how to protect your home, loved ones, and belongings.

Snowplows, delivery drivers, and guests will navigate more safely with markers guiding:

• Driveways
• Mailboxes
• Walkway edges

• How to Keep Your Home Safe During the Holidays
• November Home Maintenance and Safety Checklist
• January Home Maintenance and Safety Checklist
• Winter Home Safety Guide
• 23 Best Smart Tech Gifts Under $100