How to Child Proof the Outlets in Your Home

You might feel like your home is safe. You do not have to worry about bad weather, snow or rain. However, your home does have a hidden danger, your electrical outlets. For some reason, babies and small children cannot seem to leave electrical outlets alone. They find an outlet, and quickly jam in a pencil, keys or anything small enough to fit into the socket. This is why it’s important to child proof the outlets in your home.

In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association, 2,400 kids will suffer from severe burns from electrical outlets each year. They estimate that each year twelve to sixteen children will die. To keep your kids safe, we recommend investing in wall outlet covers to childproof your outlets. View our tips below to learn more about how to keep your kids safe from electrical hazards.

How to Make Your Outlets Safe for Children

Invest in Child Proof Outlets

If your home was built after 2008, you might already have childproof outlets installed. Take a close look, if there appears to be plastic behind the parallel outlet lines, your home is already safe. The plastic is spring loaded and can only be unlocked if you apply pressure to both plates at the same time. This happens whenever you insert a cord into the plug. A childproof outlet is perfect for stopping child tampering. Make certain that all of the outlets in your home have this safety feature. If the two gaps in the insertion area are dark, this is an indicator that you have outdated outlets in your home. If your outlets are older, you may want to consider upgrading them to keep your family safe.

Purchase Wall Outlet Covers

You can go to any local store and purchase baby proof plastic wall outlet covers. These two pronged plastic clips push right into your outlet. Once in, they are difficult to remove. Sometimes you will need a flathead screw to remove the outlet covers from the wall. This is an effective and low cost way to protect your children. If you do not like how these plug blockers look, there are other options.

Choose an Option That Fits Your Budget

The most expensive option is to replace the outlets in your home with the child proof outlets. You might need to hire a professional electrician for this option. That is where we can help. If you want new outlets that will look nice and be safe for your children, our team offers outlet installation services to homes in New Jersey. If you have any outlets that are no longer working, this is a great option because our electricians can diagnose problems and get all of your outlets working once again. If this doesn’t fit your current budget, the wall outlet covers work like a charm. No matter which option you go with, you will be able to protect your kids from the dangers of electricity.

Reliable Electrical Repair & Installation Services

From safety to new lighting, if you have an electrical concern in your home, Team Electric Plumbing & Air has the knowledge and experience to help. Our team also offers other electrical repair solutions such as home rewiring, ventilation fan installation, and appliance installation. We offer electrical services to homes in areas of New Jersey such as Trenton, Tom’s River, Brick, and Elizabeth.