Summer is a season filled with cookouts, pool parties, vacations, and plenty of time outdoors. But while everyone is focused on making memories, it's also important to make sure your home is as safe as possible. Here are a few easy summer safety tips to help you enjoy the season with a little extra peace of mind.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), gas grills were involved in an average of 9,235 home fires per year from 2020 to 2024. Data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that during the same period, an average of 21,682 people per year were treated in emergency rooms for grill-related injuries.

To help ensure a safe experience, always place your grill on a flat surface and keep it far away from your home, deck railings, fences, and any overhanging branches. A good rule of thumb is to maintain at least 10 feet of clearance from structures whenever possible. Never leave a hot grill unattended and keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the cooking area. It's also smart to inspect propane hoses for cracks or leaks before your first cookout of the season.

One of the most important tips is to keep your grill clean. In the stats provided by the NFPA, the grill had not been cleaned in approximately 20% of reported fires. 

And speaking of outdoor BBQs, summer gatherings often mean a lot of activity in the home—guests coming and going, meals being prepared, and multiple heat sources in use at once, from the oven to the grill. Later in the evening, you might light a citronella candle on the patio or gather around a fire pit for s’mores with the kids. With so much happening, it’s easy for things to get missed, so it’s important to check that your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working as they should. 

On both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, take a moment to press the test button to make sure they’re functioning properly, replacing batteries if needed.

Smoke alarms should be installed at every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. Keep in mind, if your smoke detectors are more than 10 years old, the NFPA recommends replacing them entirely.

As far as carbon monoxide detectors, the NFPA says these “should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards.”

For families with pools, safety should always come before fun. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), drowning is actually the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14.

Because of that risk, it’s important to put a few key safety measures in place. Be sure you have a secure and well-maintained fence around the pool area, ideally with a self-closing and self-latching gate. Also, if you have young children, keep exterior doors locked and consider installing a door alarm for extra protection. 

Remember, even with these precautions in place, active adult supervision is critical whenever children are swimming. The CDC recommends that everyone using the pool has basic swimming and water safety skills, and that adults know how to respond in an emergency, including how to perform CPR.

Summer storms can develop quickly, bringing strong winds, lightning, heavy rain, and power outages. Taking care of a few things now can help protect both your family and your property when severe weather strikes.

Start by inspecting trees around your home. Look for dead branches, cracked limbs, or trees that appear unhealthy. These weak spots are more likely to fail during high winds and can cause significant damage to roofs, vehicles, fences, and power lines.

It's also a good idea to secure outdoor furniture, umbrellas, and other loose items that could be blown away during strong winds. Clean gutters and downspouts to help direct water away from your home's foundation and make sure drainage areas are clear of debris.

Because summer storms can lead to unexpected power outages, every household should also have a basic emergency kit readily available. Keep flashlights, extra batteries, portable phone chargers, bottled water, and a well-stocked first-aid kit in an easily accessible location. 

It’s not uncommon for homeowners to open their windows in the summer and let in the fresh air. However, if you have young children at home, it's important to remember that window screens are not designed to prevent falls. According to the CPSC, an estimated 5,600 children aged 12 and under were treated in emergency departments in 2024 after falling from windows, and about one-third of those cases required hospitalization.

If you plan to keep your windows open this summer, the CPSC recommends installing window guards and keeping furniture away from windows to discourage children from climbing nearby. A simple moment of curiosity can lead to a serious incident, so window safety is definitely an important summer conversation for every family. 

Remember, home safety doesn’t have to be complicated. Often, it’s the small, routine tasks that make the biggest difference. So, as summer gets underway, consider setting aside a weekend to tackle a few of these safety checks so you can relax and fully enjoy the wonderful season ahead!