Last Updated: October 15, 2026 — Reviewed by Brian Hayes

Homeowners can help protect their children by taking a proactive approach to child-proofing their property. While most parents understand the need to add a gate to their stair areas and to add a child-lock on medicine cabinets, few have the forethought to child-proof their home faucets. This can present a number of dangerous scenarios in the average Canadian home. Within this guide, we’ll examine several proven techniques for child-proofing home faucets that families across Oshawa and Durham Region rely on every day.

Why Child-Proofing Your Faucets Matters

The Public Health Agency of Canada warns that hot tap water can burn a young child in seconds, and that a child’s skin burns in a quarter of the time it takes an adult’s skin to burn. Taking the time to child-proof your faucets is a simple step that can prevent painful injuries and costly emergency room visits.

Reduce the Heat to the Faucet

Before considering ways to prevent children from accessing home faucet areas, it’s important to make sure that, even if they do gain access, they cannot burn their skin. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends keeping your water heater at 60°C (140°F) to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria such as Legionella, and installing anti-scald mixing valves on your faucets, showers and tubs, or on the water heater itself, set to allow a hot water temperature of 49°C (120°F). The mixing valves are what keep the water your children can reach at that lower temperature while the tank stays hot. If you’re unsure how your water heater and valves are set up, a licensed plumber can help you set them safely. Our team at Hayes Plumbing regularly assists homeowners in Whitby, Ajax, and Pickering with general plumbing adjustments like this.

Use Handle Locks

Handle locks are one of the leading methods of preventing a child from turning on a faucet. They can be placed around the faucet and locked into place to ensure children cannot turn the hot or cold water on when they’re using the bathroom. One of the great advantages of the latest handle locks is that they’re easy for adults to open. This means they offer a safety barrier to protect children but don’t make it more difficult for adults to enjoy that relaxing warm bath after work.

Top handle lock options for 2026:

  • Twist-style knob covers — fit over round faucet handles and require a squeeze-and-twist motion to operate
  • Lever-style guards — clamp onto single-handle levers and prevent children from pushing them up or sideways
  • Universal strap locks — adjustable straps that work with virtually any faucet design in kitchens and bathrooms

Hide the Faucet Handle

Another technique parents across Ontario are now using is to simply hide the faucet handle so that their young children don’t know how to turn the faucet on or off. There are a number of products on the market that can help obstruct the child’s view of the handle. For this solution to work effectively, it’s important that the product remains in place each time the bath or sink is used, to ensure there’s no chance of the child seeing the faucet and becoming curious.

Install Anti-Scald Valves

One of the most effective and permanent solutions for child-proofing your faucets is to install anti-scald valves (also called thermostatic mixing valves). These devices automatically regulate water temperature at the faucet, ensuring it never exceeds a safe preset level; the Public Health Agency of Canada recommends setting them to allow a hot water temperature of 49°C (120°F). Unlike handle locks or covers, anti-scald valves work silently in the background and require no action from the user. They’re especially valuable for families with toddlers, elderly residents, or anyone with reduced mobility. A licensed plumber can install these valves on individual faucets or at the water heater itself for whole-home protection. If you’re considering this upgrade, our team can help with professional appliance and fixture installation.

Additional Child-Proofing Tips for Bathrooms

Beyond faucets, there are several other bathroom safety measures every parent in Durham Region should consider:

  • Non-slip bath mats — place both inside the tub and on the floor to prevent slips and falls
  • Toilet lid locks — prevent curious toddlers from opening the toilet, which is a drowning hazard for small children
  • Faucet spout covers — soft rubber covers that protect little heads from bumping into hard metal spouts during bath time
  • Never leave children unattended — even with all precautions in place, adult supervision is the single most important safety measure
  • Check for leaks — dripping faucets can attract curious children; schedule a leak detection and repair service to fix any drips promptly

When to Call a Professional Plumber

If your faucets are outdated, difficult to operate, or lack modern safety features, it may be time for a professional upgrade. Older homes in Oshawa and Clarington may have plumbing fixtures that predate current safety standards. A licensed plumber can assess your home’s faucets, install anti-scald protection, and recommend child-safe fixture upgrades that meet Ontario building codes.

By taking a few simple precautions around the home, parents can minimize the chances of their children being scalded or injured by home faucets. Family-owned since 1961, Hayes Plumbing is here to help make your home safer for Durham Region families.

Need help child-proofing your home’s plumbing? Contact Hayes Plumbing at 905-576-3043 for expert service throughout Oshawa and Durham Region.

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature should my hot water be set to for child safety?

Have anti-scald mixing valves installed and set to allow a hot water temperature of 49°C (120°F), and keep the water heater itself at 60°C (140°F) to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria such as Legionella. That is the Public Health Agency of Canada’s advice. A child’s skin burns in a quarter of the time it takes an adult’s skin to burn.

What are the easiest ways to stop children from turning on a faucet?

Handle locks are a popular method, and the latest ones are easy for adults to open. Twist-style knob covers, lever-style guards and universal strap locks all work, and hiding the faucet handle from view can help too if the product stays in place.

How does an anti-scald valve protect my family?

An anti-scald valve, also called a thermostatic mixing valve, automatically regulates water temperature so it never exceeds a safe preset level. It needs no action from the user. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends setting mixing valves to allow a hot water temperature of 49°C (120°F). If you are considering this upgrade, our team at Hayes Plumbing can help with fixture installation.