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

As a parent, nothing is more important in life than keeping your baby safe. As soon as your little ones start crawling, it seems like the whole house is 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 take steps to make sure 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 grills that fit over the air vents throughout your residence often prove to be irresistible exploration opportunities for small children. Here are tips to keep them safe:

• Screw down registers: If your floor or wall registers fit loosely, fix them in place to make sure children can’t pry them loose.
• Install some vent covers: These use a fine mesh to stop small objects from falling inside without blocking airflow throughout your residence.

Block Access to the Thermostat

Kids are attracted to buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially fun and exciting plaything. Follow these tips to stop little family members from creating temperature control problems in your home:

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

Make Your Utility Room Safe

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 try these tips to ensure they are safe:

• Put on doorknob covers: If the utility area is enclosed, you have it easy. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the the door and accessing your HVAC system.
• Use a safety gate: If your HVAC is in an open area, set up a safety gate to stop curious crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Inspect your 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. However, plug-in versions are simple for kids to access. Consider placing 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 limited to your home’s utility room. Here’s how to keep your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Install heat guards: Place a simple baby gate or specially designed heat guard around heat-producing appliances or equipment, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to build a barrier between babies and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Stop using space heaters: A professionally adjusted and serviced heating system should heat your entire home, and there should be no reason for a space heater to endanger curious kids.

Tips for Babyproofing Your Home Electric System and Equipment

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

• Use outlet covers: Building code requires that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have older outlets, you can retrofit them with outlet covers. Choose secured covers instead of plug-in styles, because clever children can sometimes yank out the plug-in styles.
• Tape down cords: Exposed cords are a pulling risk. Use cord concealers or fasten them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also effective for preventing small children 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.

Make Sure Your Plumbing Is Safe

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:

• 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 this, 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? Cushioned covers are a quick and easy way to avoid this kind of injury.
• Use toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A specialized lock stops 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 home safety tips, you can confidently create a child-friendly environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re pleased to help parents protect their families 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 top-notch workmanship and customer service.