Fireplaces are a heat provider here, traditional and often the center of our homes and you have to know how baby proof fireplace. Fireplaces can make the house extra cozy, but they can also be a big hazard for small kids, if they are not properly secured. If you have children wandering about the home, you do not want to leave anything to chance with their safety concerning blow-torches, hot stuff, or pointy hearth stone edges.
Indeed, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) explains that each year nearly 22,000 children younger than age 5 are injured because of fireplaces, stoves, and other heated devices such as range ovens.
So, how to babyproof your fireplace effectively without breaking the bank. Let’s walk through the essentials.
Why Should You Childproof Your Fireplace?
So you may be thinking, Do I really need to childproof my fireplace?
The short answer is yes. Once babies can crawl, their curiosity seems boundless
Fireplaces with their inviting flames and sometimes even attractive tools. It can easily catch the attention of little ones.
Sadly, what is fun is the equivalent of getting into a major accident for a child.
Known for being a source of warmth as well as ambiance, the fireplace is also a danger zone, especially among young children where upwards of 20% of all burn injuries requiring intake in pediatric emergency departments are caused by open flames and hot embers.
This applies to gas, wood burning, and electric fireplaces. Be it hot surfaces, sharp corners, and more there are some hazards you need to watch out for.
How to Start With a Fireplace Screen
The easiest and most frequently recommended childproofing method is adding a Best childproof fireplace screen. It is a simple, inexpensive way to create a barrier between your child and the fireplace.
Why It’s Effective:
A screen blocks the sparks and embers that may come flying out, especially with a wood burning fireplace.
It prevents small hands from touching the hot glass or surfaces and thus reduces the risk of burns.
And with a screen we still found toddlers to be tenacious little things and if you have a budding adventurer all the fireplace screens in the world may still not be enough to help.
For additional safety, check out how to baby proof stairs to keep children out of the fireplace area altogether.
How To Step Up Protection with a Fireplace
A screen is a good beginning, but a fireplace gate provides more coverage. It covers everything the flame, the toda area as well.
This is particularly true if there are wider or harder surfaces surrounding your fireplace.
Here’s What a Gate Does:
It provides a physical barrier that keeps kids a safe distance from both the flames and the sharp corners of the hearth.
Many gates are designed to attach securely to the wall, preventing curious kids from toppling them over.
For instance, let’s say you have an older sibling Clowning near the fireplace.
A gate can also help block toys and other objects from flying into the fire area or worse, a child falling onto a hard hearth.
Pair this with baby proof cabinets to keep curious toddlers safe from sharp fireplace tools stored nearby.
How to Baby Proof Fireplace hearth for Baby Safety
.Now, about those edges the pointy ones.
A stone or brick hearth is a big problem for a child just learning to walk if it is their fireplace. Falling on such a hard surface can badly injure you when you trip on it.
Foam hearth cushions can help protect against this. Basically the corner cushions are used to baby-proof coffee tables, but for the fireplace.
Why It Works:
If your child falls, soft foam cushions the corners of your heart, lighting the load of injury.
They have a sticky strip which makes them quite easy to apply and they are made of colours so that they melt within your home décor easily.
Now, keep in mind that hearth padding
While it may not be a cure all against every injury, it is an easy step that you can take that will help to prevent serious injury.
A Parent’s Guide to How to Baby Proof a Gas Fireplace
If you own a gas fireplace, it is not only the flames that you should pay attention to. Those controls can also attract unwanted interest from probing children.
Most gas fireplaces come with a control panel or a remote, and it takes very little for a child to start the fireplace accidentally.
Solution:
Install childproof locks on the control panel to prevent kids from being able to operate the fireplace.
Keep your remotes for gas fireplaces out of reach or stored in a secure location.
Read childproof oven knobs for more tips on securing appliances with similar safety concerns.
Why You Need to Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector Today”
Speaking of gas fireplaces, do most people know that fireplaces can leak carbon monoxide into the inside of the house?
It is a colorless, odorless gas and can be fatal unless it is detected. This can be daunting, but by having a carbon monoxide detector close to your fireplace will ease your mind.
Why You Should Do It:
Improperly ventilated gas fireplaces can also release carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide detector means that you will be warned if there is any gas so you can react promptly.
This only adds layer of security which goes a long way in ensuring the welfare of your family.
Store Fireplace Tools Securely: A Guide to Childproofing
And certainly recalling the fireplace tools pokers, tongs, shovels.
To adults, they may seem innocuous, but for children, they are exciting new toys. These are tools to be kept out of reach;
A Few Tips:
Keep fireplace tools hung high on hooks or placed in a locked cabinet or in a high drawer when not in use.
Do not leave tools beside the fireplace within your child’s reach.
Simple Ways to Block Off the Chimney Access and Protect Your Child
Children are sometimes overly curious. To keep toddlers from going into the chimney. Where soot, debris can land Try a chimney balloon, or chimney cap.
Why It’s Useful:
Keeps your child from putting their hands or anything else in your chimney.
Chimney caps also prevent animals and debris from entering the flue.
Replace with an Electric Fireplace: A Smart Choice for Families
Electric fireplaces provide a safer option if you are really worried about safety.
No open flame and the glass is typically cooler to the touch.
Why It’s Safer:
Since there are no live flames or sparks to worry about, electric fireplaces are ideal for houses with kids.
They have a lower surface temperature in general, which decreases the risk of being burned.
Why Supervision is Key to Keeping Kids Safe at Home
While toddler-proofing goes a long way, nothing works as well as supervision.
Despite all the barriers, gates, and cushions you can put, a child should never be left alone in a room with a working fireplace.
What You Can Do:
Put toys and activities removed from the fireplace in a safe area.
If the flame is also kindled, then, keep an eye on them.
Maintaining Regular to Stay Safe
Finally, maintaining your chimney is very important.
Regular chimney cleaning and inspections are key to avoiding lethal soot accumulation or discovering a possible crack.
Learn more about ensuring child safety in other parts of your home with balcony safety netting
Maintaining Regular to Stay Safe
Finally, maintaining your chimney is very important.
Regular chimney cleaning and inspections are key to avoiding lethal soot accumulation or discovering a possible crack.
Routine Maintenance Includes:
A minimum of once every twelve months professional chimney sweep home soot from your chimney to clean and ensure proper airflow
Inspection– Look for any cracks in the chimney and make sure that all stones and bricks are tight.
Common Questions (FAQ)
How common are fireplace-related accidents in children?
Here in the U.S., more than 22,000 children are injured each year as a result of fireplaces and other heating devices, so taking the right measures for safety are of utmost importance.
Is a fireplace screen enough to protect my child?
Although a fireplace screen serves as an initial barrier against injuries, it is not infallible.
It can be supplemented with a gate and hearth cushions for increased protection.
Can carbon monoxide detectors really make a difference with gas fireplaces?
Yes! Placing a carbon monoxide detector close to your gas fireplace can save your life in the event of a gas leak, as it will alert you before levels hit toxic levels.
Are electric fireplaces truly safer for kids?
Since an electric fireplace does not use real flames, it is considered a safer option due to the lower average surface temperatures, which can reduce burns.
What should I do if my child touches the fireplace by accident?
If your child goes close to or touches a hot surface, move them away immediately and treat burns as required. Highlight its threat level and the need to stay away from it.
Conclusion
At first, it may sound like a lot of work, but for the safety of your kids, you should baby proof fireplace from the very beginning, to help prevent serious injuries from occurring.
Whether it is installing screens and gates or protecting gas controls and using carbon monoxide detectors, these steps make all the different.
Above all, supervision and maintenance are the best ways to keep your fireplace safe in your home.
Following these precautions means you can relax and safely use your fireplace without needing to worry about your little ones getting burned.