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 the house looks 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 adequately babyproofed—which is one less thing to worry about!

Make HVAC Vents and Registers Off Limits

HVAC grills that fit over the air vents in your home often prove to be irresistible exploration opportunities for small children. Here are tips to keep them safe:

• Secure registers: If your floor or wall registers easily detach, secure them in place so they won’t come off.
• Install babyproof vent covers: These use a small grid to keep 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 fun and exciting plaything. Follow these tips to prevent small children from creating temperature control problems in your home:

• Install the thermostat out of reach: 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 stop anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider investing in a thermostat cover that keeps 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 follow these tips to keep them safe:

• Install doorknob covers: If your utility area is enclosed, you have it easy. Just put a childproof cover on the doorknob to keep your kids from opening the door to get inside.
• Use a safety gate: If your heating or air systems are in an open area, put up a safety gate to block intrepid crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Test the carbon monoxide detectors: Every home 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 mounting 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 confined to the utility room. Here are other ways to shield your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Use heat guards: Put a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around radiators, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to form a barrier between infants and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Stop using space heaters: A correctly adjusted and tuned heating system should heat your entire home, and there should be no reason for a space heater to attract curious kids.

How to Childproof Your Electric System

We all need electricity to run today’s appliances, but power also poses safety hazards for children. Here’s how to childproof your home’s electric equipment and wiring:

• 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 sliding covers instead of plug-in styles, because clever children can sometimes pull off the plug-in styles.
• Tape down cords: Exposed cords are a hazardous risk. Use cord concealers or secure them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also useful for preventing kids from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel closed: If your electrical panel is within reach, make sure it’s firmly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from accessing it.

Use Good Plumbing Safety Practices

Babies love 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:

• Set the water temperature: Set your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalding injuries. Just don’t 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? Soft covers are a very simple way to stop this kind of injury.
• Use toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A specialized lock keeps little ones from getting covered 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 home safety tips, you can easily create a secure environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re proud to help parents protect their little ones with quick 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 outstanding workmanship and customer service.