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

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

Hands Off Your HVAC Vents and Registers

HVAC covers that fit over the air vents in 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 fit loosely, screw them in place to make sure children can’t pry them loose.
  • Install babyproof vent covers: These use a fine mesh to keep small objects from falling inside without hindering airflow throughout your home.

Block Access to the Thermostat

Kids are attracted to buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially inviting plaything. Follow these tips to help keep little family members from creating temperature control problems in your home:

  • Install the thermostat up high: The thermostat should be installed at a level high enough where kids can’t easily reach it. Avoid placing objects near it that could invite kids to climb up for a closer look.
  • Secure the controls: Some thermostats feature safety functions to stop anyone from fiddling with the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider adding a thermostat cover that keeps curious kids from inadvertently changing 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 an extremely important place for babyproofing. These are no places for [babies|children|infants or toddlers|any child}, so use these tips to make them safe:

  • Put on doorknob covers: If your utility area is enclosed, you have it easy. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to keep your kids from opening the door to get inside.
  • Use a safety gate: If your heating or air systems are in an open area, install a safety gate to block curious crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
  • Test the carbon monoxide detectors: Every residence should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on every level, especially if you have gas appliances. But, 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 limited to your home’s utility room. Here’s how to shield your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

  • Install heat guards: Use a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around radiators, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to create a barrier between infants and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
  • Don’t use space heaters: A correctly adjusted and serviced heating system should heat your entire home, and there should be no requirement to use a space heater to attract 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 protect your home’s electrical system:

  • Use outlet covers: Building code requires that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have older outlets, you can update them by using outlet covers. Choose sliding covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes take off the plug-in styles.
  • Tape down cords: Exposed cords are a chewing risk. Use cord concealers or secure them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also important for preventing little fingers from reaching the sockets.
  • Keep the electrical panel closed: If your electrical panel is within reach, make sure it’s firmly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from touching it.

Safeguard Your Plumbing

Babies love water play. That’s why it’s so crucial to ensure they stay safe around home plumbing fixtures like sinks, 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 this, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
  • Install a faucet cover: Has your baby ever knocked his or her head on the bathtub faucet? Rubberized covers are an easy way to stop this kind of injury.
  • Install toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A special lock keeps little ones from getting covered in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can cause pipe clogs.

Count on Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for Reliable HVAC, Plumbing and Electric Service in the U.S.

With these childproofing tips, you can confidently create a secure environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re honored to help parents protect their children with efficient 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 outstanding workmanship and customer service.

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