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

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

Block Access to Air Vents and Registers

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

• Fasten registers: If your floor or wall registers easily pop out, secure them in place so you can be sure they aren’t going anywhere.
• Install some vent covers: These use a small grid to keep small objects from falling inside without blocking airflow throughout your home.

No Touching the Thermostat

Kids tend to zero right in on buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially tempting plaything. Follow these tips to stop small children from creating temperature control problems in your home:

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

Make the Utility Closet Off Limits

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 use these tips to ensure they are safe:

• Add doorknob covers: If the utility area is enclosed, you have an easy task. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to stop your kids from opening the door to get inside.
• Install a safety gate: If your HVAC is in an open area, put up a safety gate to block intrepid crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Check the 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 simple for kids to access. Consider installing combination CO/smoke detectors on the ceiling for maximum safety.

Ways to Prevent Hot Surface Burns for Children

In many homes, the threat of burn injuries isn’t restricted to the utility room. Here are tips on how to shield 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 babies and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Avoid space heaters: A correctly adjusted and serviced heating system should heat your entire home, and there should be no need to add a space heater to tempt curious kids.

Childproof Your Home’s Electrical 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:

• Install outlet covers: Building code mandates that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old outlets, you can retrofit them with 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 tangling risk. Use cord concealers or secure them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also effective for preventing kids from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel locked: If your electrical panel is within reach, make sure it’s firmly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from playing with it.

Safeguard Your Plumbing

Babies love playing in 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 childproofing tips for plumbing systems:

• Adjust 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 lower than that, 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? Cushioned covers are an easy way to stop this sort of injury.
• Use toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A specialized lock prevents little ones from accessing 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 home safety tips, you can easily create a child-friendly environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re pleased to help parents protect their little ones with fast HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. We strive to make 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 superb workmanship and customer service.