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

As a parent, absolutely nothing is more critical than protecting your baby’s safety. When your little ones start crawling, it seems like the whole house is 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—which gives you one less thing to worry about!

Make HVAC Vents and Registers Off Limits

HVAC grills that fit over the air vents in your residence often prove to be irresistible targets for small children. Here are ways to make sure they are safe:

• Secure registers: If your floor or wall registers easily pop out, screw them in place so you can be sure they aren’t going anywhere.
• Install some vent covers: These use a thin screen to stop 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 stop little family members from creating temperature control problems in your home:

• Install the thermostat up high: 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.
• Secure the controls: Some thermostats feature safety functions to prevent anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing a thermostat cover that keeps curious kids from adjusting 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 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:

• Add doorknob covers: If your 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 heating or air systems are in an open area, set up a safety gate to block curious crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Inspect your carbon monoxide detectors: Every residence 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 access. Consider installing 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 restricted to the utility room. Here’s how to keep your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Place heat guards: Put a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around radiators, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to build a barrier between young children and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Stop using space heaters: A correctly adjusted and tuned heating system should keep you comfortable in every room, and there should be no need to add a space heater to endanger curious kids.

How to Childproof Your Electric System

We all need electricity in our homes, but it also poses safety hazards for little ones. Here’s how to protect your home’s electric equipment and wiring:

• Add outlet covers: Building code requires that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have older outlets, you can retrofit them with outlet covers. Choose sliding covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes remove the plug-in styles.
• Tape down cords: Exposed cords are a chewing risk. Use cord concealers or secure them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also effective for preventing small children from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel locked: If your electrical panel is somewhat low to the ground, make sure it’s properly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from tampering with it.

Use Good Plumbing Safety Practices

Babies love water. That’s why it’s so important to make sure they stay safe around home plumbing fixtures like sinks, tubs and toilets. Try these childproofing tips for plumbing systems:

• Set the water temperature: Set your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent children from being burned by hot water. Just don’t turn the temperature down any lower than this, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Install a faucet cover: Has your baby ever hit her or his head on the bathtub faucet? Soft covers are an easy way to stop this sort of injury.
• Try using toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A special lock stops little ones from accessing 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 babyproofing tips, you can easily create a secure environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re pleased to help parents protect their children with efficient 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 top-notch workmanship and customer service.