Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning focuses on kids during National Preparedness Month

Brooklyn’s leading HVAC and plumbing company offers tips to keep children, pets and vulnerable family members safe at home.

NEW YORK – Sept. 9, 2020 – Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, a family-owned home services company in Brooklyn, is observing National Preparedness Month in September by encouraging families with small children to develop good safety habits in the home.   

National Preparedness Month encourages families to be prepared for potentially difficult situations such as chemical spills and fires. The experts at Petri have compiled a list of plumbing and HVAC safety topics based on their experience so homeowners and parents can take preventive action to protect their families and help prevent emergencies.

“As a business, we are both family-oriented and safety-oriented in all we do,” said Michael Petri, owner of Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning. “We’ve listed six simple home modifications to help homeowners integrate improved safety habits into their family’s daily lives.”  

1. Hot water and faucet safety: Tap water injuries account for up to 17% of childhood burns that require hospitalization. Encourage young children to ask for help before turning on hot water. For very young children, consider purchasing child-safe knob and spout covers, which can help prevent accidental burns from a hot faucet. 
2. Bathroom safety: Kids love to play in the tub, so make sure they know it’s not a solo activity—an adult should always be on hand! Toilet seats and flushers are not toys even if they seem like they are to children, so consider installing a safety lock on both. Petri also suggests investing in high-quality non-slip tub mats and bath rugs, so little ones won’t slip and fall on wet surfaces.  
3. HVAC safety: Combustible appliances are tempting for children to investigate. Keep doors locked around hot water heaters and furnaces so kids won’t tamper with knobs or wires. Consider installing fencing around any outdoor HVAC equipment, which could have potentially sharp edges or small access points to fan blades.  
4. Small appliance safety: Talk to children about smaller but still potentially dangerous appliances in the home, such as the garbage disposal and the dishwasher. Never leave small children alone in a room with a space heater, as it presents a fire hazard and could potentially cause a trip to ER.  
5. Plumbing safety: Teach older children to identify the scent of both natural gas and sewer gas and to call an adult when they detect either. Keep young kids away from backyard septic tanks or other small pipes they might be tempted to investigate. 
6. Pet safety: In addition to child safety, Petri encourages home owners to secure potentially unsafe areas that curious pets might explore, such as open dryers, exhaust pipes and dishwashers. Closing basement doors and installing a pet-proof fence help keep small animals safe as well. Teach small children that animals aren’t toys and that they should let an adult know if a pet is somewhere it doesn’t belong.

As a final safety tip, Petri recommends having your hot water heater inspected by a professional who can make sure the temperature isn’t too high. Not only will kids avoid injuries from scalding water, it will help save money, too.   

“Our home service technicians are always happy to walk customers through best practices for HVAC and plumbing safety,” Petri said. “When families tell us their installation concerns, we listen. Our trained professionals can take special care to make sure thermostat dials and other appliances are as safe and out-of-reach as possible.”  

As an essential business, Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning is committed to keeping customers and employees safe while providing exceptional service. The company is practicing social distancing and ensuring technicians sanitize their equipment and work spaces as well as wearing personal protective equipment. Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning also offers Zero Contact Service to reduce the risk of disease.  

For more information about Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, or to schedule a service call, visit https://www.petriplumbing.com/ or call (718) 748-1254. 

About Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, Inc.  
Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, Inc. is a family owned and operated business serving Brooklyn and the New York City area. Founded in 1906, the company offers a 100 percent guarantee on all services, upfront pricing, and friendly and knowledgeable Service Experts for all kinds of home and business plumbing, heating, cooling and drain cleaning needs. From boilers to furnaces, leaks to floods, and everything in between, our Service Experts are equipped for all repairs, installations, and upgrades, to get the job done right every time. Petri is also licensed and certified by Green Plumbers USA, the first in New York City to receive this designation. For more information, please visit www.petriplumbing.com or call 718-748-1254.