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

As a parent, absolutely nothing is more critical than keeping your baby safe. When your little ones start crawling, it seems like the house feels 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 take steps to make sure your home’s essential systems are properly babyproofed—giving you one less thing to worry about!

Block Access to Air Vents and Registers

HVAC grills that fit over the air vents in your home often prove to be irresistible areas for small children. Here are tips to keep them safe:

• Fasten registers: If your floor or wall registers easily pop out, screw them in place so they won’t come off.
• Install childproof vent covers: These use a thin screen to stop small objects from falling inside without restricting airflow throughout your residence.

Block Access to the Thermostat

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

• Install the thermostat out of reach: The thermostat should be installed at adult eye level. Avoid placing objects near it that could encourage kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock down the controls: Some thermostats feature safety functions to prevent anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing 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 a critically 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 a home’s utility area is enclosed, you are in luck. You can put a childproof cover on the doorknob to stop your kids from opening the the door and accessing your HVAC system.
• Set up a safety gate: If your heating or air systems are in an open area, install a safety gate to block adventurous crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Test your carbon monoxide detectors: Every house, mobile home or apartment should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on each floor, especially if you have gas appliances. But, plug-in versions are within reach for kids to access. 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 confined to your home’s utility room. Here’s how to shield your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Place heat guards: Put a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around radiators, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to form a barrier between your child and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Don’t use space heaters: A correctly 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.

How to Childproof Your Electric System

We all need electricity for modern living, but it also poses safety hazards for children. Here’s how to childproof your home’s electric equipment and wiring:

• Install 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 childproof covers instead of plug-in styles, because clever children can sometimes yank out the plug-in styles.
• Conceal cords: Exposed cords are a pulling risk. Use cord concealers or secure them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also effective for preventing kids from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel closed: If your electrical panel is somewhat low to the ground, make sure it’s properly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from playing with it.

Increase Plumbing Safety

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

• Set the water temperature: Turn your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalding injuries. Just don’t turn the temperature down any lower than this, 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 a quick and easy way to prevent this sort of injury.
• Install toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A specialized lock stops little ones from getting covered in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can cause 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 easily 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 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 superb workmanship and customer service.