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

As a parent, there is nothing more important in life than protecting your baby’s safety. As soon as your little ones start crawling, it seems like your entire home looks like one big hazard! The HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems are especially 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 gives you one less thing to worry about!

Hands Off Your HVAC Vents and Registers

HVAC grills that fit over the air vents throughout your home 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, fix them in place so they won’t come off.
• Install some vent covers: These use a small grid to prevent small objects from falling inside without hindering airflow throughout your home.

No Touching 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 help keep small children from creating temperature control issues in your home:

• Place the thermostat up high: The thermostat should be installed at adult eye level. Avoid placing furniture near it that could tempt kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock the controls: Some thermostats feature locking functions to stop anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing a thermostat cover that prevents 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 very important place for babyproofing. These are no places for [babies|children|infants or toddlers|any child}, so try these tips to keep them safe:

• Add doorknob covers: If your utility area is enclosed, you have it easy. You can put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the door to get inside.
• Set up a safety gate: If your heating or air systems are in an open area, install a safety gate to block intrepid 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. However, plug-in versions are simple for kids to reach. Consider placing combination CO/smoke detectors on the ceiling for maximum safety.

Protect Your Baby from Burns

In many homes, the threat of burn injuries isn’t restricted to your home’s utility room. Here’s how to keep your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Install heat guards: Put 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 serviced heating system should heat your entire home, and there should be no reason for a space heater to attract curious kids.

Childproof Your Home’s Electrical System

We all need electricity to run today’s appliances, but power also poses safety hazards for little ones. Here’s how to babyproof your home’s electrical setup:

• Install outlet covers: Building code requires that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old outlets, you can retrofit them with outlet covers. Choose secured covers instead of plug-in styles, because clever children can sometimes take off the plug-in styles.
• Tape down cords: Exposed cords are a chewing risk. Use cord concealers or tape them down along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also effective for preventing kids from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel secured: If your electrical panel is within reach, 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 important to ensure they stay safe around home plumbing fixtures like sinks, tubs and toilets. Try these babyproofing tips for plumbing systems:

• Set the water temperature: Set your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalding injuries. However, be careful not to turn the temperature down any cooler than that, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Use a faucet cover: Has your baby ever bumped their head on the bathtub faucet? Soft covers are an easy way to avoid this kind of injury.
• Install toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A special lock prevents little ones from accessing unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can lead to pipe clogs.

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

With these home safety tips, you can confidently create a safe environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re proud to help parents protect their little ones with reliable HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. We strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of all our customers—even the little ones! Contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing at 866-397-3787 today for exceptional workmanship and customer service.