Children get into all sorts of trouble all the time. Unfortunately, the vents and registers of your heating and air conditioning can look very attractive to curious kids. Protecting your HVAC system against precocious tots will not only keep them safe from any potential accidents, it can also prevent damage to your heating and cooling, which can be quite costly to repair.
Childproofing your home should always include steps in making your vents, registers, and even the actual units safe for children. Let our experienced HVAC professionals at M&M give you some tips on how to do so effectively.
Protecting the Registers
Installing grilles on the registers themselves is the best way to keep kids out of your heater and cooler. A mesh grille is best for this purpose as it can prevent children from getting inside the vents. Bar grilles can work but these are not as effective as keeping toys out as their mesh counterparts. If possible, consider redoing your duct network so the registers are placed higher up the walls. This can be a costly, albeit permanent, solution to this common problem.
Covering the Vents
Even with bars and grilles, your children might still find a way to get small toys or toys with small parts into the ducts. Use a plastic net on the “in” vents to catch anything that might damage the blower fans. Remember to check this net regularly, particularly if your kids have a habit of hiding away their toys in vents and registers.
Plastic Registers
The metalwork in the duct network connected to your heater and air cooler can have very sharp edges. While these are usually out of reach of children, you can never tell when they’ll somehow get into some mischief in them. As it is, it’s best to cover up any sharp edges or use plastic for your registers to prevent any accidents.
Get Help With HVAC Safety for Your Family
At M&M, you can count on our professionals to help keep your HVAC system and your family safe and sound. Give us a call at (209) 952-6580 or fill out our contact form to get a free estimate on new HVAC installations today.
