WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT . . .
SAFETY GATES
Safety
gates help prevent a fall down the stairs, as well as access to “off-limits”
rooms such as home offices or adult exercise areas. You can use them to
differentiate adult from toddler areas, offering a safe play space for your baby
while protecting your valuables, too. Safety gates range in size from widths of
approximately 25 inches to as wide as 30 feet, and average 30 inches in height.
It's wise to install safety gates before your child becomes mobile. This helps prevent injuries and
will also give you time to become accustomed to using them regularly.
TYPES AND STYLES OF SAFETY GATES
Carefully
examine the areas for which you need safety gates to select the safest and most
appropriate type for each location. The gate you need may be determined by its
location rather than how you want it to operate or look.
All
safety gates are designed to be mounted between two solid wood surfaces such as
a wood framed doorway. (See our Gate Mounting Kit, #2610 which helps solve
mounting issues in other areas.) Once gates are installed they should always
remain closed since an open gate is a safety hazard for both toddlers and
adults. Consider installing gates in areas such as front foyers or hallways
rather than on staircases as they may be easier to install and may be more
visually appealing, too.
Pressure-Mounted
Gates
Pressure-mounted gates are easier to
install than those that attach with hardware since they don't require tools and
carpentry skills. They expand to fit a desired opening and secure with tension.
Pressure gates tend to be inconvenient, since most must be removed and replaced
each time you enter and leave rooms. Also, since many parents climb over
pressure gates, there’s the chance of injury to adults as well as to tots who
try to copy them. Pressure gates are available to fit openings from about 28-60
inches, and are best suited for doorways separating two rooms that are on the
same level.
Basic
guidelines for the use of pressure gates: Never us them at the top of stairs, as
there is always the danger of your child's weight pushing them over. If you do
use them between rooms, mount them with the locking bar facing away from your
child, and make sure they fit snugly within openings to resist the strength of
your child. Select a gate that has been designed for use with children and not
puppies. Beware of gates with square openings as they may be easy for some
children to climb.
Example:
Hardware-Mounted
Gates
Hardware-mounted gates attach with
screws to walls and banisters. These gates usually open and close much like a
door. This makes them more convenient for areas you'll be walking through
regularly. They can be mounted between two walls, two banisters or a banister
and a wall.
As with all safety equipment, gates should be checked frequently for secure fittings,
mounts, latching devices and effective operation. Available in wood or metal,
hardware-mounted gates differ with respect to size, shape and overall design and
fit openings from approximately 25 to 67 inches. Most have vertical slats to
make them difficult for toddlers to climb. Although the latching mechanisms
vary, most are designed for easy adult operation.
Example:
Hardware-mounted
gates are designed to be installed into a solid wood surface. If your doorway or
opening is already framed in wood you can install the gate without any
preparation. If this is not the case, you’ll have to first install a Gate
Mounting Kit (with screws or wall anchors if no stud is available) on each side
of the opening. If you are attaching the gate to a stairway post that is not
square from top to bottom you may also need to install a Gate Mounting Kit.
Some examples:
Hardware-Mounted Walk-Through Gates
Hardware-mounted walk-through gates attach with screws to walls and
banisters in the same fashion as hardware-mounted gates. With a walk-through
gate, however, only a portion of the gate or “door” swings open and closed
instead of the entire gate. This style of gate is ideal for small areas and even
wide areas where an extra-long gate is needed and swinging the entire gate would
be inconvenient or impossible. Walk-through gates come in many shapes and may
even extend up to 20 feet or more. Some must be mounted in a straight line while
others may be configured around corners or irregular shapes to fit almost any
space you need. Favored for their flexibility and design, most walk-through
gates feature one-hand latching for adult convenience. Since all walk-through
gates have a bottom threshold, it’s especially important that they be closed
after entering or exiting and that they not be installed on staircases whenever
possible.
Some
Examples:
Pressure-Mounted Walk-Through Gates
Pressure-mounted
walk-through gates operate the same way as hardware-mounted walk-through gates.
Since they secure with tension, pressure-mounted walk-through gates should not
be used on stairways but are a good choice for doorways separating rooms that
are on the same level in your home. They are available to fit openings from 28
to 45 inches wide.
Example:
DOS AND DON'TS
THE PROPER USE OF SAFETY GATES
-
DO
select a safety gate which is JPMA or
ASTM approved. Read the manufacturer’s instructions for mounting the gate, and
be sure the gate is secure when installed.
-
DO
test the locking mechanism to make
sure it works properly every time you use it.
-
DO
get in the habit of closing gates all
the time, even if your baby is sleeping safely in his crib. This will help
prevent you from forgetting to close the gate when your baby is nearby.
-
DO
use a mounting kit, unless you are
mounting the gate to a wooden door frame or other flat wood surface.
-
DO
install safety gates early–before
your child is mobile.
-
DO
take into consideration the total
length of time (and number of children) for which gates will be needed. Select a
gate which will best withstand time and constant use.
-
DO
follow manufacturer's instructions
concerning when to remove safety gates. (Most recommend that gates be removed at
age 2 to 2 1/2 or when a child is tall enough to climb over them.)
-
DO
be careful and remember to always
close all gates, especially walk-through gates as the threshold could be tripped
over.
-
DON'T
use a pressure-mounted gate at the
top of the stairs.
-
DON'T
use older style, hand-me-down safety
gates.
-
DON'T
climb over gates. This provides
children with behavior to imitate.
-
DON'T
use pet gates which usually have a
square mesh openings that are easy for tots to climb.
-
DON'T leave your child unattended, or rely
on safety gates to keep your child safe.
The information given and the products
referred to can reduce the likeliness of injury and are intended to help you
provide a safer environment for your child. The effectiveness of suggested
products depends on proper installation and use. There is no replacement for
adult supervision.
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