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A Parent’s Guide To Electrically Baby-Proof Your House



Parenting is no different than a full-time job. You need to take the responsibility of a newborn, a new life into your hands, and carry out tasks deftly. When it comes to baby-proofing (or child-proofing) your house, it’s a whole another level of responsibility. It can be an overwhelming process. There are cords and outlets all around the house with power cables, extensions, chargers, and computer cables lying here and there. Before you hire a licensed electrician in San Antonio for this task, here are a few things you need to know.

Electrical Baby- Proofing 101

  • Every US home uses “A” & “B” type outlets. “A” refers to two-pronged outlets while “B” refers to three-pronged electrical outlets. B- type, being most common, include GFCI (Ground- fault circuit interrupter) and AFCI (Arc fault circuit interrupter) outlets. GFCI outlets have a “reset” or “test” button that switches on and off the flow. AFCI outlets are there to prevent electrical arcs that cause shocks. It’s better to put them under a cover to prevent any unnecessary sparking.
  • Minimize the use of plastic outlet covers as they are highly unreliable and can be easily removed by the pull of a toddler. Rather, invest in tamper-resistant outlet covers for 2 reasons. Firstly, their spring-loaded shutters cut off the electrical supply right away without any delay. Secondly, their dual- lock system protects everything from a butter knife to tiny baby hands.
  • Instead of the generic ones, install electrical strips specially designed for this purpose. They come in two variants- one: featuring a box/ dome; second: featuring additional covers as strips to cover your outlets.
  • Even a wiser solution would be to install more safety outlets rather than depending on strips for electrical supply. Strips are always going to be more exposed than outlets. Also, professional electrical contractors across San Antonio can make the process easy for you by making the installation fast and safe.
  • Look out for regular electrical receptacles. Their vertical slots make them highly vulnerable to baby poking. Another thing to note is that since these were installed before 2008 across every home. So, if you haven’t performed any major renovation in your house, chances are you still have them.
  • Make sure you cover all unused electrical outlets with an outlet cap. Because, when a baby sees, a baby pokes.
  • Do not forget about baby-proofing the electrical cords of every appliance and device laying across your space. Either get a cord shortener/ cover, strap cords down, wrap the cords around or get a cord protector.
  • Power strips are another source of electrical hazard that can prove to be a cause of a high amount of surges/ shocks. It is very dangerous, thus, make sure you get a power strip cover. The slot on one side of the cover makes it possible for the cords to pass through them while covering the power button and electrical outlets.

In case you are looking for professional assistance to baby-proof your house, we can help you with the above-mentioned steps and provide personalized suggestions. Dial (210)- 765-2434 for any queries or business assistance.