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

As a parent, there is nothing more critical than protecting your baby’s safety. When your little ones start crawling, it seems like your entire home looks like 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 ensure your home’s essential systems are thoroughly babyproofed—which is one less thing to worry about!

Block Access to Air Vents and Registers

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

• Fasten registers: If your floor or wall registers fit loosely, secure them in place so they won’t come off.
• Install some vent covers: These use a small grid to stop small objects from falling inside without blocking airflow throughout your residence.

Block Access to the Thermostat

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

• Install the thermostat out of reach: The thermostat should be installed at a level high enough where kids can’t easily reach it. Avoid placing chairs near it that could invite kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock the controls: Some thermostats feature safety functions to prevent anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider adding a thermostat cover that stops curious kids from inadvertently changing the temperature.

Make Your Utility Room Safe

If your HVAC system is located in your home’s basement 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:

• Add doorknob covers: If your utility area is enclosed, you are in luck. Just put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the the door and accessing your HVAC system.
• Add a safety gate: If your heating and cooling equipment is in an open area, put up a safety gate to block intrepid crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Inspect the carbon monoxide detectors: Every home 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 reach. Consider mounting combination CO/smoke detectors on the ceiling for better safety.

Protect Your Baby from Burns

In many homes, the threat of burn injuries isn’t confined to the utility room. Here are other ways to shield your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Place heat guards: Use 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.
• Avoid space heaters: A properly adjusted and tuned heating system should keep you comfortable in every room, and there should be no requirement to use a space heater to tempt curious kids.

How to Childproof Your Electric System

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

• Use outlet covers: Building code requires that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old outlets, you can increase safety by adding outlet covers. Choose locking covers instead of plug-in styles, because clever children can sometimes yank out 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 small children from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel secured: 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.

Use Good Plumbing Safety Practices

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

• Control the water temperature: Turn your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalding injuries. However, be careful not to turn the temperature down any cooler than that, because this could risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Add a faucet cover: Has your baby ever hit her or his head on the bathtub faucet? Cushioned covers are a quick and easy way to stop this kind of injury.
• Install toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A special lock stops little ones from playing in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can result in pipe clogs.

Call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for HVAC, Plumbing or Electrical Services 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 pleased to help parents protect their families with quick 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 exceptional workmanship and customer service.