Keep Baby Safe: Babyproofing Tips for Home HVAC, Electrical and Plumbing

For any guardian, absolutely nothing is more essential than keeping your baby’s safety.

Once your infants start crawling, the entire house can seem like one massive hazard!The HVAC, plumbing and electrical equipment can be particularly stressful for parents to think about.

By following this guide, you can ensure your home’s important systems are properly babyproofed for your complete reassurance.

Secure HVAC Vents and Registers

Air vent covers that protect the air vents throughout your home are often targets for tiny fingers and toes. Here are ways to ensure your child’s safety:

• Fasten down your registers: If your ground or vertical registers are prone to coming loose, screw them in place to ensure they’re not going anywhere.
• Add childproof vent covers: These employ a protective screen to prevent tiny items from entering without impeding airflow.

Keep Small Hands Away from the Thermostat

Children are captivated by buttons and screens, so the thermostat is a tempting plaything. Follow these tips to stop unauthorized temperature fluctuations in your home:

• Place the thermostat out of reach: Your thermostat should be installed at adult eye level. Refrain from placing furniture near it that could entice kids to climb up to try to access it.
• Use child-lock functions in the controls: Some thermostats include child-lock functions to stop anyone from fiddling with the settings. If yours lacks this feature, consider installing a thermostat cover that stops curious kids from changing the temperature.

Lock Down Your Utility Room

If your HVAC system units are situated in the basement or utility closet, this is a prime place for babyproofing. Toddlers shouldn’t be in these areas, so implement these tips to keep them safe:

• Put on doorknob covers: If the utility area is in a closed-off area or separate room, you have it easy. All you have to do is put a childproof cover on the doorknob to prevent your kids from opening the furnace room door.
• Install a safety gate: If your HVAC equipment is in an open area, set up a safety gate to prevent curious crawlers from getting near your heating equipment or water heater.
• Inspect the carbon monoxide detectors: Every home should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on each level, particularly if you have gas appliances. Unfortunately, electrical versions are accessible for kids to reach. An alternative is installing combination CO/smoke detectors or alarms on the ceiling for maximum safety.

Prevent Hot Surface Burns

In many homes, burn threats aren’t limited to the utility room. Here’s how to safeguard your child from hot surfaces:

• Install heat guards: Position a basic baby gate or specially designed heat guard around heating units to form a barrier between your child and hot surfaces.
• Avoid using space heaters: A properly tuned heating system should keep you comfortable in every room and there should be no need to add a space heater to entice curious kids.

Prioritize Babyproofing Your Home’s Electrical System

Electricity is essential for modern life but creates safety hazards for kids. Here are ways to childproof your home’s electrical setup:

• Implement outlet covers: Building code stipulates new receptacles to be tamper resistant. If you have older outlets, you can upgrade them with outlet covers. It’s a good idea to go for sliding covers instead of the plug-in style, which toddlers can sometimes remove.
• Tuck away or tape down cords: Exposed cords are a pulling and chewing hazard. Use cord concealers or tape them down next to the baseboards. Power strip covers are also useful for stopping little fingers from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel locked: If your electrical panel is within reach, it’s a good idea to be sure it’s firmly sealed and locked to deter inquisitive kids from playing with it.

Follow These Plumbing Safety Tips

Infants adore water play. Make sure they remain protected around your sinks, tubs and toilets with these babyproof tips for home plumbing and plumbing fixtures:

• Lower the water temperature: Dial down your water heater to 120 degrees F to avoid scalding at the tap. Just don’t go any cooler than this, or you could encourage microbial growth in the tank.
• Add a faucet cover: Has your baby ever knocked their head on the bathtub faucet? Soft, rubberized covers are an straightforward way to prevent this type of injury.
• Use toilet locks: Babies are often captivated with the toilet. A special lock prevents little ones from reaching unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can cause pipe clogs.

Trust McLoughlin Plumbing Heating & Cooling for HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Service in Springfield

With these babyproofing tips, you can confidently create a secure environment for the whole family. At McLoughlin Plumbing Heating & Cooling, we’re pleased to help parents safeguard their little ones with prompt, reliable HVAC, plumbing and electrical service in Springfield. We are dedicated to making a big difference in the lives of every customer we serve.

Call 610-735-2185 today to get in touch with our team. We’ll make certain your home continues to be comfortable and secure for everyone.