Home Safety: How to Childproof Your Home HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Systems 

As a parent, absolutely nothing is more critical than keeping your baby safe. 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 Winnipeg Supply Service Experts, you can ensure your home’s essential systems are adequately babyproofed—which gives you one less thing to worry about!

Block Access to Air Vents and Registers

HVAC registers that fit over the air vents in your residence often prove to be irresistible areas for small children. Here are ways to make sure they are 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 hindering airflow throughout your home.

Move the Thermostat Up High

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 problems in your home:

• Install the thermostat away from children: 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.
• Lock down the controls: Some thermostats feature locking 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.

Make the Utility Closet Off Limits

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 use these tips to keep them safe:

• Put on doorknob covers: If the utility area is enclosed, you are in luck. Simply put a childproof cover on the doorknob to keep your kids from opening the door to the room.
• Set up a safety gate: If your heating and cooling equipment is in an open area, install a safety gate to stop intrepid crawlers from getting too close to your furnace or water heater.
• Test your carbon monoxide detectors: Every home should have at least one carbon monoxide detector on each floor, especially if you have gas appliances. However, plug-in versions are easy for kids to reach. Consider placing 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 limited to the utility room. Here are tips on how to shield 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 your child and potentially dangerous hot surfaces.
• Don’t use space heaters: A professionally adjusted and maintained 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 in our homes, but power also poses safety hazards for little ones. Here’s how to childproof your home’s electric system:

• Use outlet covers: Building code requires that new receptacles be tamper resistant. If you have old outlets, you can retrofit them with outlet covers. Choose childproof covers instead of plug-in styles, because determined toddlers can sometimes yank out the plug-in styles.
• Conceal cords: Exposed cords are a pulling risk. Use cord concealers or tape them down along the baseboards. Power strip covers are also effective for preventing kids from reaching the sockets.
• Keep the electrical panel closed: If your electrical panel is somewhat low to the ground, make sure it’s properly closed and locked to stop inquisitive kids from touching it.

Make Sure Your Plumbing Is Safe

Babies love water play. That’s why it’s so important 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: 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, because this could risk microbial growth in the tank.
• Add a faucet cover: Has your baby ever bumped their head on the bathtub faucet? Rubberized covers are an easy way to avoid this kind of injury.
• Try using toilet locks: Babies are often fascinated by the toilet. A special lock prevents little ones from playing in unsanitary water or tossing toys inside, which can result in pipe clogs.

Count on Winnipeg Supply Service Experts for Reliable HVAC, Plumbing and Electric Service in Winnipeg

With these home safety tips, you can easily create a protected environment in your home. At Winnipeg Supply Service Experts, we’re proud to help parents protect their children with efficient HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in Winnipeg. We are proud to follow our motto of making a meaningful difference in the lives of every customer we serve—even the little ones! Contact Winnipeg Supply Service Experts at 204-800-0613 today for superb workmanship and customer service.