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 particularly 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 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 exploration opportunities for small children. Here are tips to keep them safe:

• Fasten registers: If your floor or wall registers easily detach, secure them in place so you can be sure they aren’t going anywhere.
• Install babyproof vent covers: These use a thin screen to keep small objects from falling inside without hindering airflow throughout your residence.

Block Access to the Thermostat

Kids are fascinated by 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:

• Place the thermostat away from children: The thermostat should be installed at adult eye level. Avoid placing furniture near it that could tempt kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock down the controls: Some thermostats feature safety 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 adjusting the temperature.

Block Access to HVAC and Mechanical Room Equipment

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 follow these tips to keep them safe:

• Install doorknob covers: If the utility area is enclosed, you have it easy. Just put a childproof cover on the doorknob to stop your kids from opening the door to get inside.
• Set up a safety gate: If your HVAC is in an open area, set up a safety gate to stop intrepid 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 within reach 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 are tips on how to protect your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Place heat guards: Place a simple baby gate or specially designed heat guard around heat-producing appliances or equipment, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to create a barrier between infants and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Stop using space heaters: A properly adjusted and maintained heating system should heat your entire home, and there should be no need to add a space heater to endanger curious kids.

Tips for Babyproofing Your Home Electric System and Equipment

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

• Use outlet covers: Building code mandates that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have older outlets, you can increase safety by adding outlet covers. Choose locking covers instead of plug-in styles, because clever children can sometimes remove the plug-in styles.
• Conceal cords: Exposed cords are a chewing risk. Use cord concealers or secure them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also useful for preventing little fingers from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel locked: If your electrical panel is within reach, make sure it’s firmly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from tampering with it.

Use Good Plumbing Safety Practices

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

• Adjust the water temperature: Turn your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalding injuries. However, be careful not to turn the temperature down any cooler than this, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Use a faucet cover: Has your baby ever knocked his or her head on the bathtub faucet? Soft covers are a quick and easy way to avoid this type of injury.
• Try using toilet locks: Babies are often very curious about the toilet. A specialized lock prevents little ones from getting covered 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 Canada

With these babyproofing tips, you can confidently create a child-friendly environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re honored to help parents protect their little ones with fast HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in Canada. We are proud to follow our motto of 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 outstanding workmanship and customer service.