Home Safety: How to Childproof Your Home HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Systems
As a parent, there is nothing more essential than keeping your baby safe. 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 take steps to make sure your home’s essential systems are properly babyproofed—giving you one less thing to worry about!
Block Access to Air Vents and Registers
HVAC covers that fit over the air vents in your home often prove to be irresistible targets for small children. Here’s how to keep them safe:
- Screw down registers: If your floor or wall registers easily pop out, fix them in place so they won’t come off.
- Install childproof vent covers: These use a fine mesh to prevent small objects from falling inside without blocking airflow throughout your residence.
Move the Thermostat Up High
Kids tend to zero right in on buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially inviting plaything. Follow these tips to help keep small children from creating temperature control issues in your home:
- Move the thermostat out of reach: The thermostat should be installed at adult eye level. Avoid placing chairs near it that could invite kids to climb up for a closer look.
- Lock down the controls: Some thermostats feature child-lock functions to stop anyone from messing around with the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing 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 basement or utility closet, this is an extremely important place for babyproofing. These are no places for [babies|children|infants or toddlers|any child}, so follow these tips to ensure they are safe:
- Install doorknob covers: If the utility area is enclosed, you have an easy task. Just put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the door to get inside.
- Install a safety gate: If your heating and cooling equipment is in an open area, set up a safety gate to stop intrepid 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 every level, especially if you have gas appliances. But, plug-in versions are simple for kids to access. Consider mounting combination CO/smoke detectors on the ceiling for better safety.
Protect Your Baby from Burns
In many homes, the threat of burn injuries isn’t confined to the utility room. Here are tips on how to protect 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 build a barrier between infants and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
- Don’t use space heaters: A correctly adjusted and tuned heating system should comfortably heat every room in your home, and there should be no reason for a space heater to tempt curious kids.
Tips for Babyproofing Your Home Electric System and Equipment
We all need electricity in our homes, but it also poses safety hazards for little ones. Here’s how to childproof your home’s electrical system:
- Install outlet covers: Building code requires 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 take off the plug-in styles.
- Tape down cords: Exposed cords are a hazardous risk. Use cord concealers or fasten them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also important for preventing small children from reaching the sockets.
- Keep the electrical panel closed: If your electrical panel is within reach, make sure it’s securely closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from playing with it.
Safeguard Your Plumbing
Babies love water. 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 babyproofing tips for plumbing systems:
- Set the water temperature: Turn your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent children from being burned by hot water. Just don’t turn the temperature down any colder than this, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
- Install a faucet cover: Has your baby ever bumped their head on the bathtub faucet? Rubberized covers are an easy way to prevent this kind of injury.
- Install toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A specialized lock prevents little ones from accessing 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 babyproofing tips, you can easily create a child-friendly environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re proud to help parents protect their little ones with fast HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. We are dedicating to 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 exceptional workmanship and customer service.