This checklist runs through the most common hazards, in the order that matters.
01Fire and Heat
Range hood and filters
Grease accumulates in range hood filters faster than most people realize. A filter clogged with grease is a fire accelerant directly above your burners. Remove and wash in hot soapy water or the dishwasher monthly. Replace if they're past cleaning.
Stovetop and oven
Grease buildup on burner grates, drip pans, and inside the oven is the source of most kitchen fires. Clean the stovetop after any significant spatter. Run a self-clean cycle on the oven every 3–6 months, or clean manually if the unit doesn't have self-clean.
Cabinet clearance above the range
The underside of any cabinet directly above the range should have a minimum 30-inch clearance to the cooking surface, or be equipped with a proper range hood. If you're storing flammable items in cabinets close to the range, move them.
Toaster and small appliance placement
Toasters should not be stored under cabinets or near curtains. Any small appliance with a heating element needs clearance on all sides and should be unplugged when not in use.
02Electrical
GFCI outlets
All outlets within 6 feet of a sink are required to be GFCI-protected under current code. Press the test button on each GFCI outlet — it should cut power. Press reset and confirm power returns. If a GFCI outlet fails the test or won't reset, replace it.
Outlet and appliance loads
Refrigerators, dishwashers, and microwaves should each be on dedicated circuits. If your microwave or refrigerator trips a breaker regularly, that circuit is overloaded and needs evaluation by an electrician.
Cord condition
Check the power cords on every countertop appliance. Fraying, cracking, or heat damage on a cord is a replacement-level problem, not a tape-and-ignore one.
03Water and Gas
Under-sink supply lines
Pull out everything stored under the sink and look at the supply lines to the faucet. Braided stainless lines are the current standard. Old plastic or chrome lines that show any sign of corrosion, stiffness, or mineral buildup should be replaced before they fail. A supply line failure under a sink runs undetected and causes significant water damage.
Dishwasher supply and drain connections
Visually inspect where the dishwasher supply line and drain hose connect. Any sign of moisture — water stains, soft cabinet floor, rust on the supply line — warrants immediate attention.
Gas connections
If you have a gas range, visually inspect the flexible connector from the wall stub-out to the range. No bends, no kinks, no signs of corrosion. If in doubt, a licensed plumber or gas tech can pressure-test the line for $75–$150.
04General
Fire extinguisher
A kitchen-rated fire extinguisher (Class K or ABC) should be mounted within reach of the range, not inside a cabinet. Check the pressure gauge annually. Replace or recharge if the needle is in the red.
Smoke detector proximity
The nearest smoke detector should be within 10 feet of the kitchen entrance, not inside the kitchen itself — cooking steam and smoke triggers false alarms. If yours is inside the kitchen, relocate it.
Monthly for the range hood filter and stovetop. Every 6 months for the full list. Immediately after any appliance repair or plumbing work under the sink.
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.