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

As a parent, nothing is more essential than keeping your baby safe. Once your little ones start crawling, it seems like your entire home is 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!

Block Access to Air Vents and Registers

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

  • Screw down registers: If your floor or wall registers easily pop out, screw them in place to make sure children can’t pry them loose.
  • Install childproof vent covers: These use a small grid to prevent small objects from falling inside without restricting airflow throughout your residence.

Move the Thermostat Up High

Kids are attracted to buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially inviting plaything. Follow these tips to help keep small children from creating temperature control issues in your home:

  • Install the thermostat up high: The thermostat should be installed at a height for adults. Avoid placing chairs near it that could encourage kids to climb up for a closer look.
  • Lock down the controls: Some thermostats feature child-lock functions to stop anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider adding a thermostat cover that stops curious kids from adjusting the temperature.

Make the Utility Closet Off Limits

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 keep them safe:

  • Put on doorknob covers: If your utility area is enclosed, you have an easy task. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to keep your kids from opening the door to get inside.
  • Use a safety gate: If your HVAC is in an open area, install a safety gate to block curious crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
  • Check the carbon monoxide detectors: Every home should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on each floor, especially if you have gas appliances. But, plug-in versions are simple for kids to reach. Consider placing 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 the utility room. Here are other ways to keep your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

  • Install 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.
  • Don’t use space heaters: A correctly adjusted and serviced heating system should comfortably heat every room in your home, and there should be no requirement to use a space heater to tempt curious kids.

Childproof Your Home’s Electrical System

We all need electricity for modern living, but electricity also poses safety hazards for kids. Here’s how to childproof your home’s electrical system:

  • Install outlet covers: Building code mandates that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have older outlets, you can increase safety by adding outlet covers. Choose locking covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes take off the plug-in styles.
  • Hide cords: Exposed cords are a tangling risk. Use cord concealers or fasten them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also useful 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 accessing it.

Use Good Plumbing Safety Practices

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

  • Control the water temperature: Turn your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalding at the tap. 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 hit her or his head on the bathtub faucet? Soft covers are a quick and easy way to avoid this type of injury.
  • Use toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A specialized lock stops little ones from playing in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can lead to 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 protected environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re honored to help parents protect their families with fast 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 top-notch workmanship and customer service.

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