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 is 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 take steps to 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 grills that fit over the air vents throughout your home often prove to be irresistible exploration opportunities for small children. Here’s how to keep them safe:

• Secure registers: If your floor or wall registers easily detach, secure 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.

Move the Thermostat Up High

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

• Install the thermostat away from children: The thermostat should be installed at a height for adults. Avoid placing furniture near it that could tempt kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock down the controls: Some thermostats feature locking functions to keep anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing a thermostat cover that stops curious kids from adjusting the temperature.

Make Your Utility Room Safe

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 follow these tips to ensure they are safe:

• Install doorknob covers: If the utility area is enclosed, you have an easy task. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the door to the room.
• Install a safety gate: If your HVAC is in an open area, set up a safety gate to block curious 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 every level, especially if you have gas appliances. Unfortunately, plug-in versions are simple for kids to access. Consider installing 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 limited to your home’s utility room. Here are other ways to keep 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 build a barrier between young children and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Stop using space heaters: A properly adjusted and tuned heating system should heat your entire 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 to run today’s appliances, but it also poses safety hazards for little ones. Here’s how to babyproof your home’s electrical setup:

• Add outlet covers: Building code mandates that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have older outlets, you can retrofit them with outlet covers. Choose childproof covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes take off the plug-in styles.
• Cover cords: Exposed cords are a hazardous risk. Use cord concealers or fasten them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also effective for preventing small children 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 touching it.

Safeguard Your Plumbing

Babies love water. That’s why it’s so vital to ensure they stay safe around home plumbing fixtures like sinks, tubs and toilets. Try these safety 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. However, be careful not to turn the temperature down any cooler than this, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Install a faucet cover: Has your baby ever bumped their head on the bathtub faucet? Soft covers are a quick and easy way to avoid this sort of injury.
• Use toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A specialized lock prevents 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 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 quick 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 customer we serve—even the little ones! Contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing at 866-397-3787 today for exceptional workmanship and customer service.