Child Safety Tips: Childproof Your Home HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Systems 

As a parent, absolutely nothing is more important in life than keeping your baby safe. When your little ones start crawling, it seems like the whole house looks like one big hazard! The HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems are very concerning. With this guide from the Experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, you can make sure your home’s essential systems are thoroughly babyproofed—which is one less thing to worry about!

Hands Off Your HVAC Vents and Registers

HVAC covers that fit over the air vents throughout your home often prove to be irresistible areas for small children. Here’s how to make sure they are safe:

• Secure registers: If your floor or wall registers easily pop out, fix them in place to make sure children can’t pry them loose.
• Install babyproof vent covers: These use a fine mesh to prevent small objects from falling inside without restricting airflow throughout your residence.

No Touching the Thermostat

Kids are fascinated by buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially tempting plaything. Follow these tips to prevent little family members from creating temperature control issues in your home:

• Install the thermostat out of reach: The thermostat should be installed at a height for adults. Avoid placing objects near it that could invite kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock down the controls: Some thermostats feature locking functions to keep anyone from messing around with the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider investing in a thermostat cover that stops curious kids from inadvertently changing the temperature.

Make the Utility Closet Off Limits

If your HVAC system is located in your home’s cellar or utility closet, this is an extremely important place for babyproofing. These are no places for [babies|children|infants or toddlers|any child}, so try these tips to ensure they are safe:

• Install doorknob covers: If a home’s utility area is enclosed, you are in luck. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to stop your kids from opening the the door and accessing your HVAC system.
• Add a safety gate: If your heating and cooling equipment is in an open area, install a safety gate to block intrepid crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Inspect the carbon monoxide detectors: Every residence should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on each floor, especially if you have gas appliances. Unfortunately, plug-in versions are within reach for kids to reach. Consider placing combination CO/smoke detectors on the ceiling for maximum safety.

Follow These Tips to Prevent Burn Injuries

In many homes, the threat of burn injuries isn’t confined to the utility room. Here are tips on how to protect your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Place heat guards: Use a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around heat-producing appliances or equipment, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to form a barrier between infants and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Don’t use space heaters: A professionally adjusted and tuned heating system should comfortably heat every room in your home, and there should be no reason for a space heater to tempt curious kids.

Childproof Your Home’s Electrical System

We all need electricity in our homes, but electricity also poses safety hazards for children. Here’s how to babyproof your home’s electric equipment and wiring:

• Install outlet covers: Building code mandates that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old outlets, you can update them by using outlet covers. Choose childproof covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes yank out the plug-in styles.
• Cover cords: Exposed cords are a hazardous risk. Use cord concealers or secure them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also useful for preventing kids from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel secured: If your electrical panel is somewhat low to the ground, make sure it’s firmly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from accessing it.

Make Sure Your Plumbing Is Safe

Babies love water play. That’s why it’s so vital to ensure they stay safe around home plumbing fixtures like basins, tubs and toilets. Try these babyproofing tips for plumbing systems:

• Control the water temperature: Set your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent children from being burned by hot water. Just don’t turn the temperature down any colder than this, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Add a faucet cover: Has your baby ever knocked his or her head on the bathtub faucet? Rubberized covers are a quick and easy way to stop this sort of injury.
• Use toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A special lock prevents little ones from getting covered in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can lead to pipe clogs.

Call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for HVAC, Plumbing or Electrical Services in the U.S.

With these childproofing tips, you can confidently create a protected environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re honored to help parents protect their little ones with efficient HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. We are proud to follow our motto of making a meaningful difference in the lives of every family member we serve—even the little ones! Contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing at 866-397-3787 today for exceptional workmanship and customer service.