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. Once your little ones start crawling, it seems like the whole house looks 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 make sure your home’s essential systems are adequately babyproofed—giving 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:

• Fasten registers: If your floor or wall registers fit loosely, screw them in place so they won’t come off.
• Install some vent covers: These use a fine mesh to prevent small objects from falling inside without blocking airflow throughout your home.

No Touching the Thermostat

Kids are fascinated by buttons and screens, which makes the thermostat a potentially inviting plaything. Follow these tips to help keep little family members from creating temperature control issues in your home:

• Place the thermostat out of reach: The thermostat should be installed at adult eye level. Avoid placing chairs near it that could tempt kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock the controls: Some thermostats feature locking functions to keep anyone from messing around with the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing a thermostat cover that stops curious kids from inadvertently changing the temperature.

Make the Utility Closet Off Limits

If your HVAC system is located in your home’s cellar or utility closet, this is a critically important place for babyproofing. These are no places for [babies|children|infants or toddlers|any child}, so use these tips to keep them safe:

• Put on doorknob covers: If your utility area is enclosed, you have it easy. You can put a childproof cover on the doorknob to keep your kids from opening the door to get inside.
• Add a safety gate: If your heating or air systems are in an open area, put up a safety gate to stop adventurous crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Inspect the carbon monoxide detectors: Every home should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on every level, especially if you have gas appliances. However, plug-in versions are simple for kids to reach. Consider placing 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 limited to your home’s utility room. Here are other ways 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 form a barrier between infants and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Stop using space heaters: A professionally adjusted and maintained heating system should comfortably heat every room in your 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 to run today’s appliances, but power also poses safety hazards for little ones. Here’s how to secure your home’s electrical system:

• Add 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 secured covers instead of plug-in styles, because clever children can sometimes yank out the plug-in styles.
• Tape down cords: Exposed cords are a hazardous risk. Use cord concealers or secure them along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also helpful for preventing small children from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel closed: If your electrical panel is somewhat low to the ground, make sure it’s securely closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from tampering with it.

Increase Plumbing Safety

Babies love water play. 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 childproofing tips for plumbing systems:

• Adjust the water temperature: Set 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 that, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Use a faucet cover: Has your baby ever hit her or his head on the bathtub faucet? Rubberized covers are a very simple way to prevent this type of injury.
• Use toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A special lock keeps little ones from accessing unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can lead to 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 confidently create a safe environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re honored to help parents protect their families with efficient HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. We are dedicating to making a meaningful difference in the lives of every customer we serve—even the little ones! Contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing at 866-397-3787 today for top-notch workmanship and customer service.