|
The following
is a list of the most frequently asked questions to our
professional childproofer. If you read these and still
do not find the answer to your question, please email and our childproofer will gladly respond directly to your
question.
Please check
back often for more questions and answers from our
professional childproofer.
Click
here to add "Ask the Childproofer" to your
Favorites.
"We have been
looking for a safety gate we can use at the top of our stairs
on our outside deck. We have been unsuccessful and were
hoping you could give us a name of a gate that is safe to use
on our deck."
There are several gates available for use in
outdoor stairway locations, depending on the size that you
need:
For a stairway opening 27" to 42 1/2" (add extension
to fit spaces up to 64") check out the Cardinal
Gates Stairway Special.
The Kidco
Safeway Gate will fit spaces 24 3/4" to 43 1/2"
and you can add extensions to fit spaces up to 66".
The Kidco
Configure Gate is also available for use outdoors,
includes 3 24" panels, and you can add extension panels
to fit any size and shape opening that you need.
All of these gates are approved for use outdoors. They
must be treated with a rust inhibiting product to prevent
rust, and should be removed in cold weather.
"I
need a child safety gate for the top of a staircase but one
side is wall and the other is a metal handrail (wrought iron).
I cannot use a pressure system because of the stair use and I
cannot use a hardware mount system because of the metal
railing side. What can I do?"
A wrought iron
railing is common in stairways of many older homes and
apartments. For mounting a gate to this type of railing,
try Kidco
Safety Gate Installation Kit K10 which can be used to create a
'frame' around the wrought iron railing. Hardware
mounted gates can then be mounted into this 'frame.'
"We have wood
sliding closet doors in our daughters room. How can we
prevent her from opening them?"
Bedroom closets, and other
doors can be secured with door locks to keep them from
opening, and to help prevent pinched fingers. For
sliding closet doors, try the Sliding
Door and Window Lock or Sliding
Door Latch. If your closet doors are bi-folding
doors, try the Bi-Fold
Door Lock.
Have doors with long handles
instead of knobs? Secure them with the Deluxe
Door Latch. It's great for almost any door, even
basement doors!
"What’s the
recommended maximum distance between banisters?"
As a general rule, banisters
that have vertical or horizontal openings wider than
4" can pose a safety risk for children. This
includes banisters inside and outside of the house.
Banister guards - clear plastic shields, can be attached to
banisters to close off the gaps and help prevent accidents
from falls through the railings and from becoming stuck in the
railings. Banister guards also help prevent children
from climbing up balusters. Banister guards can be
viewed by clicking here.
"This
all seems so overwhelming. Is there a professional
service that we can hire who can consult and then actually
childproof our home? How much would a service like that
typically cost? Do you make referrals? "
Totsafe offers Home
Babyproofing Services to most of SE Michigan. Check out
our Services page for more
information regarding this service, including our service
area, contact information, and what our services include!
If you do not live in our service area, check your local phone
book under "Child Safety" or ask local Mom's Groups
to help you locate babyproofing services available in your
area. Make sure you ask your babyproofer for
professional references - in many states there is no licensing
or certification necessary for these services.
"Should we use
something on the stairs to help keep our 3 year old from
slipping?"
Absolutely. Using a
non-slip stairway runner can help your little one climb up and
down the stairs without slipping. Stairway runners can
be purchased at most hardware stores. Please be sure to
continue to supervise your little climber closely when she's
climbing the stairs, even with a non-slip runner. This
is still only practice and she should not be allowed to climb
without supervision for quite some time.
"How can we baby
proof our kitchen without installing all of those cabinet
& drawer latches?"
Whenever possible, we
recommend blocking off the kitchen with a baby safety gate,
especially while you are cooking. Installing and
consistently using a baby safety gate in the doorway or
entryway of your kitchen would eliminate the need for cabinet
& drawer latches (and refrigerator & oven latches,
stove knob covers, etc). Be sure to read the
manufacturers instructions to ensure proper installation and
use of the gate, and discontinue use of the gate when the gate
is at or below your child's shoulder level.
"How
is your lazy susan latch installed? Is it screwed in or
is it an adhesive?"
The Lazy
Susan Latch is screwed in with two screws on the side of
the cabinet frame. The latch "clamps" around the
lazy susan door, keeping it from opening in both directions.
The lazy susan doors must be a part of the lazy susan, not the
type that first open, and the lazy susan is behind. This
latch does not work on cabinet frames with beveled edges.
"I need to buy
several of the sliding safety plate
outlet covers, but I want to be sure I'm getting the
right ones."
Totsafe carries 3 different types of
sliding safety plates for outlets: One type for standard
outlets with 2 prongs, one for standard outlets with 3 prongs,
and one for decorator outlets (2 screw) with 3 prongs.
Each item is designated which type of outlet it is for, and
the product pictures illustrate it further. Sliding
safety plates are under the category "Electrical
Safety."
Did you know that there is a
difference between standard and decorator outlets?
Standard outlets have one screw in the middle.
Decorator, or decora, outlets have two screws, one at the top
and one at the bottom. Most outlet safety products are
designed for standard outlet styles.
"We have a gas
fireplace and the light switch for it is rather low. Our
2 1/2 year old can easily reach it. Is there any sort of
light switch protector that you know of?"
Totsafe does not currently
carry any product designed specifically for this purpose,
however, at many hardware stores you can find this type of
protector. Check with a hardware store for a light switch lock
or light switch guard.
"I am looking for
something to go around my treadmill. Any
suggestions?"
The Kidco
Configure Gate G80 generally works well for childproofing
the space around a treadmill and other exercise equipment.
Unlike standard baby safety gates that only mount in a
straight line, the Kidco Configure Gate G80 can be customized
to fit almost any shape and size that you need. It's
good for around treadmills, to surround stairways, blocking
off entryways, even around Christmas trees.
We
have a dresser where our twin toddlers' clothes are kept. The
dresser has three drawers (each one above the other) that
slide out; however, there is no space (or piece of cabinetry)
between the drawers. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
The Kidco
Cabinet Latch includes a 'catch' that can be used for most
styles of cabinets and drawers, including frameless styles
like those in dressers. Also included is a template to
make installation a breeze! You may want to install the
latches on the side the the dresser drawers to make operating
the latches easier.
"I'm worried that my daughter
will get burned on the wall heater in her bedroom and on other
ones throughout the house. What can I do to help keep
her away from it?"
Wall heaters are a common concern for
parents. Many models can become hot to the touch, and
they may have sharp edges that children can become hurt on.
We often recommend that parents try to 'barricade' wall
heaters from children by placing furniture in front of the
heater - if you decide to do this, be sure to keep the
furniture away from the heater enough so that it doesn't pose
a fire hazard. A second option is to block off the
heater with a baby
safety gate. Be sure to mount the gate far enough
from the heater that baby can not reach in and touch the
heater.
"What does
childproofing consist of, and when should I do it?"
It is never to early to
start childproofing your home, we recommend that it be done
when your child is around 3-6 months of age, before he/she can
crawl. Don’t wait for your child to start opening
cabinets or trying to climb the stairs before you childproof
your home. Do it as soon as you can, and as thoroughly as
possible to help prevent the number one cause of injury to
children (unintentional injuries).
There are several items that
you may need in order to properly childproof your home. Here
are a few suggestions of the most commonly needed items. Your
home may need more or less of these items. Check out our
Home Childproofing Checklist for a
more detailed list.
1) Baby Safety
Gates: Safety gates are to help
prevent falls down stairs, and to block off rooms or areas
that may be unsafe for a child. For the top of the stairs, use
gates that install into the walls with mounting hardware
(screws). Pressure gates can be used to block off rooms, and
to block baby from climbing up the stairs. If you have
molding, banisters, hollow walls, or wrought iron where you
need to install a gate, you may need to purchase a gate
installation kit to create a ‘mountable’ surface for your
gate.
2) Locks and Latches:
Cabinets and drawers can house very hazardous materials that
could harm your child. Safety locks and latches help secure
cabinets and drawers that may have items that your child
should not have access to (such as cleaning products,
cosmetics, medicines, sharp objects like scissors or knives,
etc.).
3) Outlet Covers,
Outlet Plates, and Outlet Plugs: These
items can help prevent electrocution. Outlet covers are
generally for outlets where you consistently have an item
plugged in (like a lamp), but don’t need frequent access to
the outlet. Outlet Plates are generally used for outlets that
you frequently plug and unplug items into (i.e. where you
would plug in the vacuum). Outlet Plugs are great for filling
outlets that don’t get used often.
4) Window blind cord
wraps: Help shorten the excess
cord from window blinds that can be a strangulation hazard to
a child. Window blind cords should always be kept out of
children's reach. Be sure that cribs, beds, etc. are
kept away from windows.
5) Door Locks and Door
Knob Covers: Help prevent access
to areas or rooms that your child should not have access to
(such as garages, patios, etc.)
6) Toilet locks:
Children can drown in very small amounts
of water, including water in the toilet. Toilet locks install
onto the toilet to help keep the lid closed, and children out.
7) Table Edge Guards
and cushions: Applied to sharp
corners and table edges can help minimize the bumps and
bruises caused by falling onto tables and running into sharp
corners. Most can also be used on fireplace hearths!
8) Window Guards:
Installed into the windows of second
story (and above) rooms can help prevent falls from windows.
Window guards can be removed by an adult in the event of an
emergency.
9) Smoke detectors and
Carbon Monoxide Detectors: There
should be a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector
mounted on every floor of the home
Buying products isn't the
only thing that childproofing consists of. It also means
moving things, putting things out of reach, locking things
away, using safe, healthy practices, and supervising children.
Talk to other parents, find out what they did to safeguard
their children, ask your child's pediatrician for
childproofing tips that are appropriate for your child's age,
do everything you can do to become more educated on what it
takes to keep your child safe at home!
Please check
out Totsafe's Home Childproofing
Checklist for more information regarding childproofing at
home.
Looking for a baby
safety gate? Visit Totsafe's Guide
To Baby Safety Gates for help in selecting the right gate!
Return
to Totsafe
View
our full line of babyproofing products
Guide
To Baby Safety Gates - Childproofing
Checklist - Ask
the Babyproofer - Outlet
Safety In Your Home - Car
Seat Safety Information
|