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

As a parent, nothing is more essential than protecting your baby’s safety. As soon as your little ones start crawling, it seems like the whole house looks like 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 ensure your home’s essential systems are thoroughly 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 home often prove to be irresistible exploration opportunities for small children. Here are tips to keep them safe:

• Fasten registers: If your floor or wall registers fit loosely, screw them in place so they won’t come off.
• Install babyproof vent covers: These use a thin screen to keep small objects from falling inside without hindering 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 furniture near it that could encourage kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock the controls: Some thermostats feature locking functions to prevent 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.

Block Access to HVAC and Mechanical Room Equipment

If your HVAC system is located in your home’s cellar or utility closet, this is an extremely 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:

• Put on doorknob covers: If a home’s 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 the room.
• Use a safety gate: If your heating or air systems are in an open area, put up a safety gate to block adventurous crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Check your carbon monoxide detectors: Every house, mobile home or apartment 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 mounting combination CO/smoke detectors on the ceiling for better safety.

Follow These Tips to Prevent Burn Injuries

In many homes, the threat of burn injuries isn’t confined to the utility room. Here are tips on how to keep your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Use heat guards: Place a simple baby gate or specially designed heat guard around heat-producing appliances or equipment, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to form a barrier between toddlers and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Avoid space heaters: A professionally adjusted and tuned heating system should keep you comfortable in every room, and there should be no need to add a space heater to attract curious kids.

How to Childproof Your Electric System

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

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

Increase Plumbing Safety

Babies love 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. Just don’t turn the temperature down any colder than this, because this could risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Add a faucet cover: Has your baby ever hit her or his head on the bathtub faucet? Cushioned covers are a quick and easy way to stop this kind of injury.
• Try using toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A special lock prevents little ones from playing in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can cause pipe clogs.

Call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for HVAC, Plumbing or Electrical Services in the U.S.

With these childproofing tips, you can confidently create a child-friendly environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re proud to help parents protect their children with efficient HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. We strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of all our customers—even the little ones! Contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing at 866-397-3787 today for superb workmanship and customer service.