When you have children within your home you need to think about keeping them safe in every way shape and form you possibly can. Kids are way too inquisitive to leave them to their own devices, and if you have an air conditioning system in your house, we recommend thinking of all the things that could possibly go wrong and trying to prevent these from happening.
Fence In Your Outdoor Unit
When you employ heating & air conditioning services to install a unit in your home there will usually be both an indoor and outdoor unit. When your kids are outside, you will want to ensure that they can’t get anywhere near the outside unit. This is where the heat dissipates and it also has plenty of components you wouldn’t want your children touching. Fence in the unit so they can’t get to it.
Secure Vents
Some vent covers are actually surprisingly dangerous, especially the metal ones. If your kids decide to put their fingers in there they could end up getting trapped or getting cut. It is a good idea to secure the vents, but you may also need quick access in order to properly clean them. Make sure the vent cover is properly attached. You may also wish to change any metal vent covers to plastic ones, which are less likely to cause injury.
Lock the Thermostat
Many modern thermostats have a feature or function allowing you to lock them. This means that kids can’t change the settings or cause damage, or change the temperature to something that you would really not want in your home.
Kids are inquisitive and the thermostat might well just look like an iPad or something for them to play with. After you’ve set it to the temperature you want, lock it to make sure you don’t find yourself getting incredibly hot (or cold).
Schedule Routine Furnace and AC Maintenance
Your furnace and AC have the potential to be dangerous, especially if they are not properly maintained. You should regularly get a heating and air conditioning services provider to check on your furnace and carry out routine servicing.
The sort of things that are covered in servicing can help to make sure your filters are in good condition, and that there is a lot less of a risk when it comes to breakdowns. AC maintenance can also help you to spot issues that could potentially cause hazards further down the line, especially as a system is getting older.
Maintain Comfortable Room Temperatures
Children are quite sensitive to temperatures. For young children, the ideal temperature for the room is around 61-68 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are getting too far outside of this range, either above or below, you could run the risk of some health complications.
A thermostat is an ideal way to control the temperature and it helps to keep it within a range that is comfortable for everybody in the house. You need to find the middle ground that keeps all of the people and pets in the house healthy and happy.
Replace Older Systems
Older systems come with a far higher risk. Over time they are more likely to develop issues with the filters as well as other problems that may be hazardous for kids and adults alike. It is best to replace your system from a health and safety point of view.
As well as keeping safe, replacing older systems helps to keep your air conditioning unit efficient. Over time, they lose a level of efficiency. On top of this, they’re more likely to break and cost you more money in repairs than it is worth. A bit like a car, at some point, it is more worthwhile to replace it than to keep throwing money at repairs.
Conclusion
Your HVAC system may be a crucial part of your home, especially if you live somewhere the temperature can be uncomfortable from time to time. If you have children then their safety will always be first priority, so keep them safe from vents and other aspects of the HVAC system that could hurt them, plus ensure that your HVAC is regularly serviced and kept in good working order.
