Both slip-and-fall and electrical categories are covered here — most preventable, all worth checking on a regular schedule.
01Slip and Fall
Bath and shower surfaces
A standard tub or shower surface has a coefficient of friction that drops significantly when wet and soapy. A non-slip mat inside the tub or shower is not optional if anyone in the household is over 60 or has any mobility consideration. Suction-cup mats work. Adhesive non-slip strips on the floor of the shower also work and are less obtrusive.
Bath mat outside the tub
A bath mat without a non-slip backing is a rug on a wet floor. Either use a mat with a rubber backing or secure it with carpet tape. This is one of the most common causes of bathroom falls and one of the easiest to address.
Grab bars
If anyone in the household is 65 or older, or has balance or mobility considerations, grab bars inside the shower and next to the toilet should be installed. They mount into studs and tile and hold several hundred pounds. The cost is $30–$80 per bar plus an hour of installation.
02Electrical
GFCI protection
Every outlet in a bathroom is required to be GFCI-protected. Test each one: press the test button, confirm power cuts, press reset. A failed GFCI outlet in a bathroom is a replacement-level issue, not a wait-and-see one.
Appliance placement near water
Hair dryers, electric shavers, and any other plugged-in appliance should never be left near the sink or tub when not in use. A plugged-in appliance falling into standing water is a potentially fatal electrical hazard. The GFCI outlet is a backup, not a permission slip.
Exhaust fan
A bathroom without a functioning exhaust fan builds moisture that leads to mold in the wall and ceiling cavities — not visible from the surface until the damage is significant. Turn on the exhaust fan during every shower and leave it running for 15 minutes after. If the fan is loud but moves no air, the duct is likely disconnected in the attic. Replace it — a basic exhaust fan is $30–$80.
03Plumbing
Under-sink supply lines
Same as the kitchen: inspect the supply lines to the sink faucet. Braided stainless is the correct material. Old chrome or plastic lines showing corrosion or stiffness should be replaced before they fail.
Toilet base
Get down and check the base of the toilet where it meets the floor. Any soft flooring, any discoloration, any give when you press on the floor near the base indicates a wax seal failure that has been leaking into the subfloor. This is a repair that needs to happen soon — subfloor rot is significantly more expensive than a wax ring replacement.
Water heater temperature
If the water heater serving the bathroom is set above 120°F, scalding becomes a real risk, especially for children and elderly household members. 120°F is the correct setting — it's also the temperature that prevents Legionella growth.
04General
Medicine cabinet
Any medications should be stored in a locked container if there are children in the household, or if medications include controlled substances. The medicine cabinet above the sink is not a secure storage location.
Ventilation check
If the bathroom window fogs and never fully clears, or if you notice soft spots in the ceiling drywall, the exhaust fan is not doing its job. Address this before the moisture damage progresses.
Every 6 months. Immediately after any plumbing repair. After any extended period of high-humidity use — house guests, illness recovery, construction — where the bathroom got heavier use than normal.
Ray Torres is a home safety writer based in Phoenix, Arizona. He writes about the slow, quiet hazards in residential buildings — the ones that have been sitting slightly wrong for long enough that nobody notices them anymore.