Home Safety: How to Childproof 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 the 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 make sure your home’s essential systems are properly babyproofed—which is one less thing to worry about!

Make HVAC Vents and Registers Off Limits

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

• Fasten registers: If your floor or wall registers easily pop out, fix them in place to make sure children can’t pry them loose.
• Install babyproof vent covers: These use a fine mesh to keep small objects from falling inside without hindering airflow throughout your home.

Block Access to the Thermostat

Kids tend to zero right in on 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 away from children: The thermostat should be installed at a height for adults. Avoid placing chairs near it that could encourage kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock down the controls: Some thermostats feature locking functions to stop anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider investing in a thermostat cover that prevents curious kids from inadvertently changing the temperature.

Block Access to HVAC and Mechanical Room Equipment

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 follow these tips to keep them safe:

• Install doorknob covers: If a home’s utility area is enclosed, you have an easy task. You can put a childproof cover on the doorknob to stop your kids from opening the the door and accessing your HVAC system.
• Install a safety gate: If your heating or air systems are in an open area, install a safety gate to block curious crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Check the 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 within reach for kids to access. Consider installing 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 restricted to the utility room. Here are other ways to protect your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Install heat guards: Put a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around heat-producing appliances or equipment, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to form a barrier between babies and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Don’t use space heaters: A properly 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 in our homes, but power also poses safety hazards for children. Here’s how to protect your home’s electric system:

• Use outlet covers: Building code requires that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old outlets, you can update them by using outlet covers. Choose childproof covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes remove the plug-in styles.
• Conceal cords: Exposed cords are a tangling risk. Use cord concealers or tape them down 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 firmly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from tampering with it.

Safeguard Your Plumbing

Babies love water play. That’s why it’s so vital to take preventive measures to make sure they stay safe around home plumbing fixtures like basins, tubs and toilets. Try these safety tips for plumbing systems:

• Control 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 this, because this could risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Install a faucet cover: Has your baby ever knocked his or her head on the bathtub faucet? Rubberized covers are a very simple way to avoid this kind of injury.
• Try using toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A specialized lock prevents little ones from playing in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can cause pipe clogs.

Count on Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for Reliable HVAC, Plumbing and Electric Service in the U.S.

With these home safety tips, you can confidently create a safe 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 dedicating to making 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 exceptional workmanship and customer service.