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

As a parent, absolutely nothing is more essential than protecting your baby’s safety. Once 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 ensure your home’s essential systems are adequately babyproofed—which is one less thing to worry about!

Hands Off Your HVAC Vents and Registers

HVAC registers that fit over the air vents in your home often prove to be irresistible exploration opportunities for small children. Here’s how to make sure they are safe:

• Secure registers: If your floor or wall registers easily pop out, fix them in place to make sure children can’t pry them loose.
• 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 are attracted to buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially fun and exciting plaything. Follow these tips to prevent curious toddlers from creating temperature control issues in your home:

• Install the thermostat away from children: The thermostat should be installed at adult eye level. Avoid placing chairs near it that could invite kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Secure the controls: Some thermostats feature safety functions to prevent anyone from messing around with the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing a thermostat cover that prevents 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 an extremely important place for babyproofing. These are no places for [babies|children|infants or toddlers|any child}, so use these tips to make them safe:

• Add doorknob covers: If a home’s utility area is enclosed, you are in luck. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to keep your kids from opening the the door and accessing your HVAC system.
• Set up a safety gate: If your HVAC is in an open area, install a safety gate to block intrepid 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. But, plug-in versions are within reach for kids to reach. Consider installing 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 limited to your home’s utility room. Here are other ways to shield your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Place heat guards: Place a simple baby gate or specially designed heat guard around radiators, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to build a barrier between your child and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Avoid space heaters: A correctly adjusted and maintained heating system should keep you comfortable in every room, and there should be no requirement to use a space heater to endanger curious kids.

Childproof Your Home’s Electrical System

We all need electricity in our homes, but electricity also poses safety hazards for children. Here’s how to secure your home’s electric equipment and wiring:

• Install 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 sliding covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes take off the plug-in styles.
• Cover cords: Exposed cords are a tangling 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 closed: If your electrical panel is within reach, make sure it’s adequately closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from tampering with it.

Make Sure Your Plumbing Is Safe

Babies love playing in water. That’s why it’s so vital to make sure they stay safe around home plumbing fixtures like sinks, 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. Just don’t turn the temperature down any cooler than that, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Use a faucet cover: Has your baby ever knocked his or her head on the bathtub faucet? Cushioned covers are a quick and easy way to prevent this kind of injury.
• Try using toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A specialized lock prevents little ones from getting covered in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can cause pipe clogs.

Call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for HVAC, Plumbing or Electrical Services in the U.S.

With these babyproofing 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 are proud to follow our motto of 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 top-notch workmanship and customer service.