The warm and cozy heat from a wood burning stove on a cold winter day offers one of life’s little pleasures. However when there are little children around, the stove becomes more of a safety concern than a warmth inducing device. Just like us, children enjoy the cozy warmth of a fire, however they are unable to understand the dangers that a fireplace poses.
Therefore, precautionary measures should be taken to protect children from the potential hazards posed by fireplaces. By following these steps, you will be able to childproof your wood burning stove.
Install Glass Doors
If your stove does not have glass doors then having some installed is the first step in protecting your child. Glass doors stop hot embers and sparks from flying out of the fire and also prevent curious toddlers from poking their hands into the fire or accidentally falling into the fireplace. Installing glass doors helps provide continuous support even when the fireplace is not in use.
They prevent children from playing with the hearth and breathing in harmful substances.
Put Up A Barrier
Aside from having glass doors installed, you should also put up a barrier in front of the wood burning stove. While glass doors offer protection from live flames and prevent children from falling into the fireplace, they are not enough to completely childproof your heating stove. A child can still suffer from burns caused by touching the glass doors.
Putting up a baby gate, a fence, or any other physical barrier can prevent the child from reaching the stove. Place the barrier at a safe distance all around the stove and ensure that it is high enough to prevent your child from climbing over it .
Add Some Padding
Most fireplace hearths are hard and often raised creating potential harm to a child who falls down. Investing in a fire-resistant hearth padding can help cushion a fall and prevent injury. You have the option of choosing between padding that just covers the edges of the hearth or one covering the entire area.
Hearth padding continues to offer protection even when the stove is not in use, however you can also add blankets and pillows to provide extra protection during summertime.
Keep Danger Out Of Reach
The stove is not the only danger you have to worry about. Other tools such as pokers, lighters, shovels, and fire brushes can be dangerous to the baby as well. Place these items out of your child’s reach behind a baby gate, inside a closet, or outside the house if possible.
Maintain Supervision
Even if you have taken various measures to ensure that your woodstove is completely baby proof, it is still extremely important to supervise your child at all times. Never leave your child alone in the room where your stove is burning as anything can go wrong.
By following these steps, you will be able to prevent your child from suffering serious injuries. When you know that your little one is safe, you will be able to fully enjoy the warmth of your wood burning stove.
Skye Sinclair is the proud user of a wood burning stove. She loves writing articles on different topics of wood burning stove. Skye is currently writing for PG Fire Places, a company that has over 30years experience in supplying and installing wood and multi-fuel stoves. Skye encourages anyone looking for good quality stoves to buy from the company.