Stove guards

[Rick G]

I'm curious what people with little tikes around use for stove guards. I'm not one to be over-protective but we have one on the way and I'm sure that for the first few years the wife is going to insist we put something up rather than go the character building, life experience route.

What is working for you?

 

[ecfinn]

Kidco Hearth Gate. Period.

Purchased mine from here. Best price I could find. You can see some pics of it installed in the filmloop in my signature.

http://baby-safety-products.babycatalog.com/safety-gates-and-rails-banisters/hearth-gate-07070

HTH,
Eric

 

[babalu87]

I have the screen and my daughter (1 year this past Wednesday) gets into EVERYTHING and leaves no stone unturned but she is really only interested in the stove when I am loading/tending to it
My 3 yo son is onld enough to know hot

We keep a screen up when they are awake just in case of, the screen allows for enough of a margin of safety
I made up a piece for the top so it can sit against the stove and wont slide further back

I feel the gate would have become a curiosity factor and it is not tall enough to deter them, they would drag a toy box over and climb it, the gate system is VERY short

(broken link removed to http://www.americanchimneysweeps.com/childuard_woodstove_screen.htm)
I bought mine at a local retailer (display model, got it for $75)

Still going strong.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

your screen looks like it has long sides for better stability, most tri folds have short side and tip easy, expecially if the little one is hanging on to it, in wich case can ge dangerous if the screen is heavy and hot. Kidco screens bolt to the wall for added saftey.

 

[Rick G]

MSG - Thanks for that little detail...good to know.

 

[CountryGal]

I just have the tri-fold for use when my grandkids are here---but if I had a full time child I would go with the one linked above.

Our tri-fold works because I can wedge it around my hearth between a table, etc but I still have to watch my youngest granddaughter like a hawk! Also, with my corner stove I can usually block access to that part of the room as well. Can't be too careful with children.

 

[Gooserider]

It may seem callous of me, but are kids THAT DUMB? Would seem to me like they'd only want to touch it ONCE to find out why when mommy and daddy say "Don't touch - it's HOT!" they mean it.... I sometimes wonder if we keep them from learning when we over-protect them....

Gooserider (No kids yet, but the GF and I are trying....)

 

[babalu87]

Goose, it would only take once too have a child disfigured for life.
There is a reason they call them ACCIDENTS

 

[colsmith]

My best friend has two very small children, they visit fairly often, but I don't need any stove guards. My raised hearth is a built in toddler trouble preventer. It is 28" tall (just measured it) and of course 16" (front) and 14" (side) from the edge of the hearth to the stove legs. So they couldn't reach up and over that until they are quite old enough to understand not to. It also helps that it is mostly soapstone and not so burning hot. Her oldest is only 19 months old, but very smart. We only have to really watch her around the kitchen gas stove. Last time she was over I was cooking something and she kept coming over, wanting to turn knobs because I was. I told her NO and she said, "Hot!" so she already connects hot with stoves, from her own house and warnings there. Here's a photo of the little darling, I would steal her if I could, will have to settle for babysitting a lot.

 

[struggle]

It may seem callous of me, but are kids THAT DUMB? Would seem to me like they'd only want to touch it ONCE to find out why when mommy and daddy say "Don't touch - it's HOT!" they mean it.... I sometimes wonder if we keep them from learning when we over-protect them....

Gooserider (No kids yet, but the GF and I are trying....)

We have some friends that just put two pellet stoves in thier house and thier smallest child is drawn to them like a new toy. She is facinated by the light from it. That being said they are borrowing our kid gate like the one linked above.

The gate will cost less then a one trip to the emergency room. Well worth the purchase price and if you have people over after your kids are big enough to know better then you can have peace of mind that you can keep little ones away from it.

Buy one you will not regret it.

One hand on a 600 degree stove surface will learn them fast but the gate also helps keep rolling toys away from the stove as well.

 

[bacsales]

I grew up with wood stoves and never burned myself until I was recruited to load them.

 

[HalJason]

I grew up with wood stoves and never burned myself until I was recruited to load them.

Funny thing about that. I was smart enough to keep my flesh intact as a kid, but I just can't seem to manage anymore. Can't tell you how many times I've bumped my arm on the stove, _just_ above where the welding gloves end. Oh well.

I'll second the kidco hearth gate. When I was looking, it was the only real option, and it has a LOT going for it:

* it fastens to the wall, but with a good quick-release for cleaning, for summer storage etc...
* it's modular - You can take out, or add (they sell the pieces seperately) pieces to make it
the size you need
* it's bendable - You can bend it (45 degree increments, I think) at each joint (between modules), so it will
do anything from fully surround a freestanding, to fully surrounding an insert
* It has a gate - There's a hinged (and child resistant) gate that you can swing open for reloading etc...
* It's metal and heavy - It does get warm, but never too hot to touch, and it's not going to melt.

With kids running around, I wouldn't use anything else.

-Hal

 

[HalJason]

It may seem callous of me, but are kids THAT DUMB? Would seem to me like they'd only want to touch it ONCE to find out why when mommy and daddy say "Don't touch - it's HOT!" they mean it.... I sometimes wonder if we keep them from learning when we over-protect them....

Gooserider (No kids yet, but the GF and I are trying....)

I don't think kids are that dumb. I'm less concerned about "I wonder what happens if I touch the stove", that'll probably cause a little hand blister and a valuable lesson. My real concern is a 2 year old at full sprint tripping over a toy and flying like superman at the stove. 2 year olds DO run, and if you have 2 year olds there ARE toys on the floor. It's only a matter of time, if the stove is in a high traffic area.

-Hal

 

[babalu87]

LOL
Two year olds dont walk, they run