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

As a parent, nothing is more important in life than keeping your baby safe. As soon as your little ones start crawling, it seems like your entire home looks like 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 properly babyproofed—which is 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 targets for small children. Here are tips to keep them safe:

• Secure registers: If your floor or wall registers easily pop out, secure 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 hindering 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 tempting plaything. Follow these tips to help keep little family members from creating temperature control issues in your home:

• Place 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 keep anyone from changing the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider adding a thermostat cover that stops curious kids from inadvertently changing the temperature.

Block Access to HVAC and Mechanical Room Equipment

If your HVAC system is located in your home’s cellar 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 keep them safe:

• Add doorknob covers: If your utility area is enclosed, you are in luck. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the door to get inside.
• Use a safety gate: If your heating and cooling equipment is in an open area, set up a safety gate to stop adventurous crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Test 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. Unfortunately, plug-in versions are within reach for kids to reach. Consider mounting combination CO/smoke detectors on the ceiling for maximum safety.

Protect Your Baby from Burns

In many homes, the threat of burn injuries isn’t restricted to your home’s utility room. Here are tips on how to shield your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Place heat guards: Use a baby gate or specially designed heat guard around heat-producing appliances or equipment, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to form a barrier between toddlers and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Stop using space heaters: A properly 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.

Childproof Your Home’s Electrical System

We all need electricity in our homes, but electricity also poses safety hazards for toddlers. Here’s how to babyproof your home’s electric system:

• Install outlet covers: Building code mandates that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old outlets, you can retrofit them with outlet covers. Choose locking covers instead of plug-in styles, because clever children can sometimes pull 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 helpful for preventing kids from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel locked: If your electrical panel is somewhat low to the ground, make sure it’s securely closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from playing with it.

Safeguard Your Plumbing

Babies love water play. That’s why it’s so important 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 scalding at the tap. However, be careful not to turn the temperature down any colder than that, because this could risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Add 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 prevent this kind of injury.
• Use toilet locks: Babies are often intrigued by the toilet. A specialized lock keeps little ones from playing in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can lead to 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 protected environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re pleased to help parents protect their little ones with fast HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in the U.S.. 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 top-notch workmanship and customer service.