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

As a parent, nothing is more critical than ensuring your child’s safety. Once your little ones start crawling, it seems like your entire home 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 take steps to make sure your home’s essential systems are adequately babyproofed—giving you one less thing to worry about!

Make HVAC Vents and Registers Off Limits

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

• Secure registers: If your floor or wall registers fit loosely, screw them in place so you can be sure they aren’t going anywhere.
• Install childproof vent covers: These use a small grid to keep small objects from falling inside without blocking 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 inviting plaything. Follow these tips to help keep little family members from creating temperature control issues 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 chairs near it that could encourage kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Secure the controls: Some thermostats feature child-lock functions to keep anyone from messing around with the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing a thermostat cover that stops 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 lower level 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 make them safe:

• Install doorknob covers: If your 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.
• Use a safety gate: If your heating and cooling equipment is in an open area, set up a safety gate to block intrepid crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Check 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. However, plug-in versions are simple for kids to access. 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 limited to the utility room. Here’s how to protect 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 toddlers and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Avoid space heaters: A professionally adjusted and maintained heating system should heat your entire 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 children. Here’s how to babyproof your home’s electrical system:

• Add outlet covers: Building code mandates that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old outlets, you can update them by using outlet covers. Choose secured covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes remove the plug-in styles.
• Cover cords: Exposed cords are a pulling risk. Use cord concealers or tape them down 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 adequately closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from accessing it.

Use Good Plumbing Safety Practices

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

• Set the water temperature: Set your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent children from being burned by hot water. Just don’t turn the temperature down any colder than that, because this could risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Use a faucet cover: Has your baby ever bumped their head on the bathtub faucet? Cushioned covers are a quick and easy way to avoid this kind of injury.
• Install toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A specialized lock keeps little ones from accessing unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can result in pipe clogs.

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

With these home safety tips, you can confidently create a secure environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re proud to help parents protect their little ones with quick HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. We are dedicating to making a meaningful difference in the lives of every family member we serve—even the little ones! Contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing at 866-397-3787 today for exceptional workmanship and customer service.