Children and HVAC, How to Make Them Work Together

Keeping your house safe is always a priority, but even more so when you have children. It’s a priority to make sure that your children and HVAC live in harmony. Making sure your HVAC system doesn’t cause harm to curious kids takes just a few simple steps. Discover how to secure your HVAC system and gain the peace of mind of knowing your home – and children – are safe.

Invest in Vent Covers

Placing proper covers over any supply and return vent is an easy precaution. A simple vent can help avoid any injuries. Remember, to a child, the vent area looks like a great place to stick fingers, or even your car keys. The goal is to properly cover the vent by screwing it into place to keep children out.

While most vents are ok for children, some standard vents have large gaping holes. If your vent covers allow easy access for fingers and other objects, it’s time to invest in some new coverings.

To do this, place the back of the vent on the wall and cover the open duct. Place your vent cover over the hole and drive the screws in. Now that the vent is covered and secure, the opening is no longer accessible to children. Double check these covers regularly to make sure they haven’t loosened over time.

Install a Gate Around the Condenser

The condenser is the large outdoor unit of your air conditioner. Without proper protection, children can do some expensive damage to the condenser.

At Bell Brothers, we recommend putting a gate, shrubbery, or some other barrier between your child and the condenser.

Two points to remember are to always leave two to three feet of space on each side of the gate. Also, if something will be going over the top of the condenser, ensure it is a minimum of five feet from the top.

Keep the Thermostat Out of Reach

There’s something about the thermostat that is alluring to children. All those buttons are just begging to be touched! And since kids just can’t seem to help themselves, you’ll want to keep the thermostat out of reach from children.

Placing a lock on the thermostat ensures the curious little hands stay away from the temperature controls. Possible damage to your HVAC system can occur if there are constant adjustments to the temperature settings.

Another thing you can do is make sure the thermostat is high enough on the wall that kids can’t get to it.

Regularly Check and Change the Air Filter

Indoor air quality matters, especially when you have children who suffer from asthma or allergies. Regularly checking and changing air filters should be a regular part of home maintenance.

Air filters are made to get dirty and be replaced. You just need to stay on top of checking it and changing the filter when it becomes too full.

Your air filter needs to be replaced because it catches dust, dander, allergens, and other indoor air contaminates. When a filter is overfull, it is unable to trap harmful particles, and in turn, those particles are inhaled by your family.

Cover Any Exposed Radiators

Radiators can look like a fun place to climb in a child’s eyes, but they pump out heat that could end up burning children. Try placing a child gate around the radiator to keep your little ones out and away from it.

Since radiators can be an eyesore anyway, we also recommend a radiator cover. These stylish covers can hide an unsightly radiator and keep kids away. The simple measure will go a long way in keeping children safe near the radiator.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

Regular furnace tune-ups keep your system in top condition and working efficiently, but they also keep your home safe. Poorly maintained furnaces can cause fires and toxic gas leaks that can impact the whole family.

At Bell Brothers we recommend two HVAC tune-ups per year. Once in the spring before the start of AC season and once in the fall before it’s time to turn on the heater.

A Safe Home is a Happy Home

These simple steps and precautions not only protect your HVAC system but keep your home safe and comfortable for you and your children. Proper HVAC maintenance and awareness of possible safety hazards will go a long way in keeping peace of mind for your family’s safety.

For a furnace tune-up, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at Bell Brothers.