Make It Safe: Babyproofing Your Home HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Systems 

As a parent, there is nothing more essential than ensuring your child’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 especially 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 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 you can be sure they aren’t going anywhere.
• Install childproof vent covers: These use a fine mesh to keep small objects from falling inside without blocking airflow throughout your residence.

Move the Thermostat Up High

Kids are fascinated by buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially fun and exciting plaything. Follow these tips to stop small children from creating temperature control problems 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 encourage kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock the controls: Some thermostats feature child-lock functions to prevent anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider investing in a thermostat cover that prevents curious kids from adjusting the temperature.

Block Access to HVAC and Mechanical Room Equipment

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 try these tips to ensure they are safe:

• Install doorknob covers: If a home’s utility area is enclosed, you have it easy. You can put a childproof cover on the doorknob to stop your kids from opening the door to the room.
• Install a safety gate: If your HVAC is in an open area, set up a safety gate to block curious crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Test the carbon monoxide detectors: Every house, mobile home or apartment should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on every level, 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 maximum safety.

Follow These Tips to Prevent Burn Injuries

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

• Place heat guards: Put a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around heat-producing appliances or equipment, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to create a barrier between your child and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Stop using space heaters: A professionally 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.

Childproof Your Home’s Electrical System

We all need electricity to run today’s appliances, but it also poses safety hazards for toddlers. Here’s how to protect your home’s electric system:

• Add outlet covers: Building code mandates that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have older outlets, you can retrofit them with outlet covers. Choose sliding covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes remove the plug-in styles.
• Hide cords: Exposed cords are a hazardous risk. Use cord concealers or fasten them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also important for preventing kids from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel closed: If your electrical panel is within reach, make sure it’s properly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from touching it.

Safeguard Your Plumbing

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:

• Set 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, because this could risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Install a faucet cover: Has your baby ever hit her or his head on the bathtub faucet? Rubberized covers are an easy way to prevent this kind of injury.
• Install toilet locks: Babies are often intrigued by the toilet. A specialized lock keeps little ones from getting covered in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can result in pipe clogs.

Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing: Your Trusted Partner for the U.S. HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Services

With these babyproofing tips, you can easily create a protected environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re proud to help parents protect their families with efficient 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.