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

As a parent, there is nothing more important in life 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 very concerning. With this guide from the Experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, you can 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 covers that fit over the air vents throughout your residence often prove to be irresistible areas for small children. Here are ways to make sure they are safe:

• Fasten registers: If your floor or wall registers fit loosely, fix them in place so you can be sure they aren’t going anywhere.
• Install childproof vent covers: These use a thin screen to prevent small objects from falling inside without blocking airflow throughout your residence.

No Touching 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 problems in your home:

• Move the thermostat away from children: The thermostat should be installed at a level high enough where kids can’t easily reach it. Avoid placing objects near it that could encourage kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Secure the controls: Some thermostats feature locking 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.

Make the Utility Closet Off Limits

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 try these tips to keep them safe:

• Put on doorknob covers: If the utility area is enclosed, you have an easy task. You can put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the door to get inside.
• Use a safety gate: If your heating and cooling equipment is in an open area, install a safety gate to block adventurous crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Check your 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 within reach for kids to reach. Consider installing combination CO/smoke detectors on the ceiling for better safety.

Ways to Prevent Hot Surface Burns for Children

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

• Install heat guards: Use a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around radiators, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to build a barrier between toddlers and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Don’t use space heaters: A professionally adjusted and tuned heating system should heat your entire home, and there should be no need to add a space heater to endanger curious kids.

Tips for Babyproofing Your Home Electric System and Equipment

We all need electricity in our homes, but it also poses safety hazards for toddlers. Here’s how to protect your home’s electrical setup:

• 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 pull off the plug-in styles.
• Hide cords: Exposed cords are a pulling risk. Use cord concealers or fasten them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also effective for preventing little fingers from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel secured: If your electrical panel is within reach, make sure it’s securely closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from touching it.

Use Good Plumbing Safety Practices

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 childproofing tips for plumbing systems:

• Adjust the water temperature: Turn 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 lower 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 an easy way to avoid this sort of injury.
• Try using toilet locks: Babies are often intrigued by the toilet. A special lock prevents 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 pleased to help parents protect their children with quick HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. We are dedicating to 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 outstanding workmanship and customer service.