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. Once your little ones start crawling, it seems like the whole 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 make sure your home’s essential systems are properly babyproofed—giving you one less thing to worry about!

Make HVAC Vents and Registers Off Limits

HVAC registers that fit over the air vents throughout your home often prove to be irresistible targets for small children. Here’s how to keep them safe:

• Screw down 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 childproof vent covers: These use a fine mesh to keep 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 stop small children 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 furniture near it that could tempt kids to climb up for a closer look.
• Lock the controls: Some thermostats feature child-lock functions to prevent anyone from fiddling with the settings. If yours doesn’t have this feature, consider installing a thermostat cover that prevents curious kids from adjusting the temperature.

Make Your Utility Room Safe

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

• Install doorknob covers: If the utility area is enclosed, you have it easy. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the door to the room.
• Add a safety gate: If your HVAC is in an open area, set up a safety gate to block curious crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Check the carbon monoxide detectors: Every residence should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on each floor, especially if you have gas appliances. Unfortunately, plug-in versions are easy for kids to access. Consider installing 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 confined to the utility room. Here’s how to protect your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Install heat guards: Place a simple baby gate or specially designed heat guard around radiators, baseboard heaters or fireplaces to create a barrier between your child and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Avoid space heaters: A correctly adjusted and maintained heating system should keep you comfortable in every room, and there should be no need to add a space heater to attract curious kids.

Childproof Your Home’s Electrical System

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

• Use 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.
• Hide cords: Exposed cords are a chewing risk. Use cord concealers or tape them down 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.

Safeguard Your Plumbing

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

• Adjust the water temperature: Set your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalding at the tap. Just don’t turn the temperature down any cooler than this, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Add a faucet cover: Has your baby ever bumped their head on the bathtub faucet? Soft covers are an easy way to prevent this type of injury.
• Use toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A special lock prevents little ones from accessing 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 Canada

With these babyproofing tips, you can confidently create a safe environment in your home. At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we’re proud to help parents protect their little ones with fast HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in Canada. We strive to make 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 outstanding workmanship and customer service.