How fire-safe is your home?
Twelve quick questions. Free. Your answers stay on your phone.
Home fire safety score
Every question here comes from a step our home fire safety guides already give: smoke alarms, a family escape plan, kitchen habits, the LPG hose and regulator, and wiring. Answer honestly, because a tick that is not true protects nobody.
You get a score out of 100, a band, and the three fixes that matter most, each linked to the guide that explains how to do it. This is an awareness tool, not an inspection.
How the score worksThe 12 questions, their points and the four bands
How your score is worked out
Score = the sum of the points for every question you answer Yes. The 12 questions carry 100 points in all. No and Not sure earn no points, because a safety step you cannot confirm cannot be counted on. Two kinds of question can be left out. Question 2 (the monthly test button) is skipped if you did not answer Yes to question 1, because there is no alarm to test. Questions 8 and 9 (LPG) can be answered Does not apply to us. The score is then the points you earned out of the points that apply, scaled to 100. Four questions are critical: the smoke alarm (question 1), a second way out of every room (question 3), clear, unlocked exits (question 5) and a gas-leak plan (question 9). If any of them is not answered Yes, the band cannot be higher than Fair, whatever the score, and the result says which item is missing or not confirmed. Question 9 is left out if you answered Does not apply to us. The score itself is not changed. A home can earn 89 points and still be held at Fair if there is no smoke alarm.
| # | Question | Points for Yes | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is there a working smoke alarm in the passage outside the bedrooms? (Critical: if it is not Yes, the band cannot be above Fair.) | 10 | How to Use Smoke Detectors at Home: Fitting, Testing and Care |
| 2 | Do you press the test button on every smoke alarm once a month? (Asked only if you answer Yes to question 1.) | 6 | How to Use Smoke Detectors at Home: Fitting, Testing and Care |
| 3 | Does every room have a second way out, such as a window whose grille opens from inside? (Critical: if it is not Yes, the band cannot be above Fair.) (Flat wording: Do you know the stair route and is it clear?) | 10 | How to Make a Home Fire Escape Plan: 8 Steps for Indian Families |
| 4 | Has your family agreed a meeting point outside and practised getting out together? | 9 | How to Make a Home Fire Escape Plan: 8 Steps for Indian Families |
| 5 | Can everyone open your main door from inside at any time, with nothing blocking the passage and nothing padlocked from outside? (Critical: if it is not Yes, the band cannot be above Fair.) | 6 | How to Make a Home Fire Escape Plan: 8 Steps for Indian Families |
| 6 | Do you stay with your cooking, and keep towels, dupattas, curtains and packets away from the stove? | 8 | Seven kitchen fire rules for Indian homes |
| 7 | Is there a small ABC dry powder extinguisher where you can reach it on the way out, and have you read its label? | 8 | Fire Extinguisher Types in India: Which One Works on Which Fire |
| 8 | Is your LPG hose an ISI-marked Suraksha hose, free of cracks and within the expiry date printed on it? (You can answer Does not apply to us. The question is then left out of the score.) | 9 | Kitchen Gas Leak Accidents – Prevention Statistics (2019–2025) |
| 9 | Does everyone at home know what to do if they smell gas? (Critical: if it is not Yes, the band cannot be above Fair. Left out if you answer Does not apply to us.) | 8 | Kitchen Gas Leak Accidents – Prevention Statistics (2019–2025) |
| 10 | Are your sockets and extension boards free of overload, with heavy appliances such as the AC and geyser on their own proper sockets? | 9 | Electrical Safety at Home: Warning Signs, MCB vs RCCB and Shock First Aid |
| 11 | Does your main distribution board have both MCBs and an RCCB? | 9 | Electrical Safety at Home: Warning Signs, MCB vs RCCB and Shock First Aid |
| 12 | Has a licensed electrician checked the earthing of your home? | 8 | Electrical Safety at Home: Warning Signs, MCB vs RCCB and Shock First Aid |
| Total | 100 | ||
Bands
- Poor, 0 to 39. Several basics are missing. Start with the three fixes below, and do the first one tonight.
- Fair, 40 to 69. You have some protection in place, and a few gaps to close. Work through the fixes below.
- Good, 70 to 89. Most of the basics are in place. Close the last gaps below.
- Great, 90 to 100. Your home covers nearly all of these points. Keep practising your escape plan and retake this after any change at home.
The three fixes shown are the questions answered No or Not sure that carry the most points. If points are equal, a No comes before a Not sure, then the question order below.
This is an awareness tool built from the steps in our home fire safety guides. It is not an inspection and does not replace an electrician's check, a fire audit or advice from the fire department.
Read the guides behind this tool
- Home Fire Safety Tips for Indian Families: Five Habits That Save Lives
- How to Make a Home Fire Escape Plan: 8 Steps for Indian Families
- Home Fire Safety Checklist: Cooking, Smoke Alarms, Wiring and Escape
- Seven kitchen fire rules for Indian homes
- Kitchen Gas Leak Accidents – Prevention Statistics (2019–2025)
- Electrical Safety at Home: Warning Signs, MCB vs RCCB and Shock First Aid
- How to Use Smoke Detectors at Home: Fitting, Testing and Care
- Home fire safety mistakes Indian families make
Common questions
How is the score worked out?
Each question carries a number of points, and the 12 add up to 100. A Yes earns the full points. No and Not sure earn none, because a safety step you cannot confirm cannot be counted on. If you have no smoke alarm, question 2 about testing it is skipped. If you cook on piped gas or induction, you can answer Does not apply to us on the two LPG questions. Skipped questions are left out of the points that apply, and the score is worked out from the rest, scaled to 100. The table on this page shows every question and its points.
Is this a fire safety inspection?
No. It is an awareness tool built from the steps in our guides. It does not replace an electrician's check, a fire audit by your society or a visit from the fire department.
What do the bands mean?
Poor is 0 to 39, Fair is 40 to 69, Good is 70 to 89 and Great is 90 to 100. Even a Great score only means these 12 points are covered. Keep practising your escape plan.
Do you store or see my answers?
No. The score is worked out in your browser. Nothing you tap is sent to us or saved on the page. We do count visits to the site with Google Analytics, and the page translator is Google's.
When should I retake it?
Retake it whenever something changes at home, such as a new appliance, a renovation, a new baby or an elderly parent moving in. Our escape plan guide also says to practise again after any change.
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