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

As a parent, there is nothing more essential than protecting your baby’s safety. Once your little ones start crawling, it seems like the house looks like 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 properly babyproofed—giving you one less thing to worry about!

Hands Off Your HVAC Vents and Registers

HVAC registers that fit over the air vents throughout your home often prove to be irresistible areas for small children. Here are ways to make sure they are safe:

• Secure registers: If your floor or wall registers easily detach, secure them in place so they won’t come off.
• Install babyproof vent covers: These use a small grid to keep small objects from falling inside without hindering airflow throughout your home.

Block Access to the Thermostat

Kids are fascinated by buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially fun and exciting plaything. Follow these tips to prevent small children from creating temperature control issues in your home:

• Move the thermostat up high: The thermostat should be installed at a height for adults. 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 prevent anyone from fiddling with the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider adding a thermostat cover that keeps 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 very 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 a home’s utility area is enclosed, you have an easy task. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the the door and accessing your HVAC system.
• Install a safety gate: If your HVAC is in an open area, put up a safety gate to stop curious crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Test the carbon monoxide detectors: Every home 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 placing 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 limited to the utility room. Here’s how to keep your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Use heat guards: Put a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around heat-producing appliances or equipment, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to create a barrier between young children and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Don’t use space heaters: A professionally adjusted and maintained heating system should heat your entire home, and there should be no need to add a space heater to attract 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 childproof your home’s electrical setup:

• Use outlet covers: Building code mandates that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old outlets, you can increase safety by adding outlet covers. Choose locking covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes yank out 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 closed: If your electrical panel is within reach, 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 vital to make sure they stay safe around home plumbing fixtures like basins, tubs and toilets. Try these babyproofing 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 cooler than that, 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 quick and easy way to stop this kind of injury.
• Try using toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A special lock prevents little ones from playing in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can result in pipe clogs.

Call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for HVAC, Plumbing or Electrical Services in the U.S.

With these childproofing tips, you can easily create a child-friendly environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re pleased to help parents protect their children with reliable 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 outstanding workmanship and customer service.