Home Safety: How to Childproof Your Home HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Systems 

As a parent, absolutely nothing is more essential than protecting your baby’s safety. 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 properly babyproofed—which gives you one less thing to worry about!

Hands Off Your HVAC Vents and Registers

HVAC registers that fit over the air vents throughout your residence often prove to be irresistible exploration opportunities for small children. Here are tips to make sure they are safe:

• Screw down registers: If your floor or wall registers fit loosely, secure them in place to make sure children can’t pry them loose.
• Install some vent covers: These use a thin screen to keep small objects from falling inside without hindering airflow throughout your home.

Block Access to the Thermostat

Kids tend to zero right in on buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially fun and exciting plaything. Follow these tips to prevent little family members from creating temperature control problems in your home:

• Install the thermostat up high: The thermostat should be installed at adult eye level. Avoid placing chairs near it that could tempt kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock down the controls: Some thermostats feature child-lock functions to prevent anyone from fiddling with the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing a thermostat cover that stops curious kids from adjusting the temperature.

Block Access to HVAC and Mechanical Room Equipment

If your HVAC system is located in your home’s basement or utility closet, this is a critically important place for babyproofing. These are no places for [babies|children|infants or toddlers|any child}, so use these tips to make them safe:

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

Ways to Prevent Hot Surface Burns for Children

In many homes, the threat of burn injuries isn’t restricted to the utility room. Here’s how to shield 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 create a barrier between babies and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Avoid space heaters: A professionally adjusted and serviced heating system should comfortably heat every room in your home, and there should be no requirement to use a space heater to attract curious kids.

Tips for Babyproofing Your Home Electric System and Equipment

We all need electricity for modern living, but power also poses safety hazards for little ones. Here’s how to secure your home’s electrical system:

• Use outlet covers: Building code requires that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have older outlets, you can retrofit them with outlet covers. Choose locking covers instead of plug-in styles, because clever children can sometimes take off the plug-in styles.
• Cover cords: Exposed cords are a tangling risk. Use cord concealers or fasten them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also helpful for preventing kids from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel locked: If your electrical panel is somewhat low to the ground, make sure it’s properly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from touching it.

Increase Plumbing Safety

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

• Adjust the water temperature: Turn your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalding at the tap. Just don’t turn the temperature down any colder than that, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Use a faucet cover: Has your baby ever knocked his or her head on the bathtub faucet? Rubberized covers are a very simple way to avoid this type of injury.
• Try using toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A specialized lock keeps little ones from getting covered in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can result in pipe clogs.

Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing: Your Trusted Partner for the U.S. HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Services

With these childproofing tips, you can easily create a child-friendly environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re pleased to help parents protect their families with fast HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. We strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of every customer we serve—even the little ones! Contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing at 866-397-3787 today for superb workmanship and customer service.