Child Safety Tips: Childproof Your Home HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Systems 

As a parent, there is nothing more critical 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 very concerning. With this guide from the Experts at A1 Chesney Service Experts, you can take steps to make sure your home’s essential systems are adequately babyproofed—which gives you one less thing to worry about!

Hands Off Your HVAC Vents and Registers

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

• Fasten registers: If your floor or wall registers fit loosely, secure them in place so they won’t come off.
• Install childproof vent covers: These use a thin screen to prevent small objects from falling inside without blocking 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 help keep small children from creating temperature control issues in your home:

• Place the thermostat up high: The thermostat should be installed at a level high enough where kids can’t easily reach it. Avoid placing chairs near it that could invite 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 installing 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 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 try these tips to keep them safe:

• Install doorknob covers: If your utility area is enclosed, you are in luck. Just put a childproof cover on the doorknob to stop your kids from opening the door to get inside.
• Add a safety gate: If your heating or air systems are in an open area, install a safety gate to block curious crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Test the carbon monoxide detectors: Every house, mobile home or apartment 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 reach. Consider installing 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 restricted to your home’s utility room. Here are other ways to protect your child from the dangers of hot surfaces:

• Place heat guards: Put 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 professionally adjusted and serviced heating system should keep you comfortable in every room, and there should be no need to add a space heater to tempt curious kids.

Tips for Babyproofing Your Home Electric System and Equipment

We all need electricity to run today’s appliances, but it also poses safety hazards for kids. Here’s how to babyproof your home’s electrical system:

• Add outlet covers: Building code requires that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old 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.
• Cover cords: Exposed cords are a chewing risk. Use cord concealers or tape them down along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also helpful for preventing little fingers 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 touching it.

Use Good Plumbing Safety Practices

Babies love water. That’s why it’s so crucial to ensure they stay safe around home plumbing fixtures like basins, tubs and toilets. Try these safety tips for plumbing systems:

• Set the water temperature: Turn your water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent children from being burned by hot water. Just don’t turn the temperature down any colder than this, or you risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Add a faucet cover: Has your baby ever hit her or his head on the bathtub faucet? Rubberized covers are a very simple way to stop this kind of injury.
• Install toilet locks: Babies are often intrigued by the toilet. A special lock keeps little ones from getting covered in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can cause pipe clogs.

Call A1 Chesney Service Experts for HVAC, Plumbing or Electrical Services in Calgary

With these home safety tips, you can easily create a secure environment in your home. At A1 Chesney Service Experts, we’re honored to help parents protect their children with efficient HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in Calgary. We are dedicating to making a meaningful difference in the lives of every family member we serve—even the little ones! Contact A1 Chesney Service Experts at 587-315-5271 today for outstanding workmanship and customer service.