Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [child-safety]

47 questions
17
votes
5 answers

What precautions should I take before moving my family into a pre-1978 (lead-paint-era) house?

I am about to sign a lease and move with my family, including a 3 mo old and 2 yr old, into a home that was built in 1944. The house is in good condition and has been repainted at least once in the last decade. The lessors are required to inform me…
David LeBauer
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13
votes
9 answers

How safe is it to mount a TV tight to the wall with steel studs?

I have a 55" TV that weighs about 37 lbs and I want to hang it on the wall. But I discovered that instead of wood studs, I have metal studs and can't drill into them. Is it safe to mount the TV to the drywall alone, using 1/4" toggle bolts…
KingsInnerSoul
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11
votes
3 answers

How can I protect my kids' toes from this evil grating in the floor?

The cold air return in this house is in the floor, in the most-trafficked part of the house. It has a heavy grating over it. My kids' toes are small enough to fit in the gaps, which is very painful when it happens. In the summer I cover the grating…
Jay Bazuzi
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10
votes
2 answers

Outdoor kids playset - type of lumber use/look for

I'm looking at getting a wooden playset (one of those with a rock wall, swings, slide, and small clubhouse up top) and I was wondering what type of lumber I should be looking for. Not so much the type of tree it came from but the treatment of the…
Curtis
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9
votes
13 answers

How do you remove the stick-on child safety locks from appliances?

I have a few stick-on child safety locks, such as this one found on Amazon. When it comes time to remove them, what should I do to avoid destroying the finish on the appliances? They are stuck on really well and won't budge by hand.
spoulson
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8
votes
3 answers

Protecting child from wall heater

I moved into an apartment that has a wall-mounted heater that gets rather hot when turned on (see below). I have an inquisitive 1-year-old who already likes to climb up on the unit (luckily not while it's been on). I am wary about putting…
magicker72
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6
votes
2 answers

What is a durable, child-safe finish for a child's cot?

I recently purchased a flat packed cot for my soon to arrive baby. The wood is plain without any paint or varnish. How best should I finish off the wood on the cot in a way that is both durable and safe for the baby?
Rincewind42
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6
votes
1 answer

How can I open a kitchen cabinet door where the child lock is keeping it closed?

We have recently moved into a new house and our kitchen cabinet doors appear to have child locks fitted. One of the cabinets has suddenly locked shut, and we cannot get it open. The following links show what the child locks in one of the doors which…
Grant
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5
votes
2 answers

How can I childproof this 1957 cooktop?

Our cooktop was not designed with kids in mind. (Were kids better behaved in the 50s?) Anyways the push buttons are in the front, about 3 feet off the ground. We try to keep the kids out of the kitchen and items off of the burners, but toddlers find…
tmdesigned
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5
votes
2 answers

Should I install tamper resistant receptacles

When changing out receptacles should I be installing tamper resistant receptacles? It seems that the 2008 NEC requires these devices to be installed for any new install, should I be installing them when I change out old or damaged receptacles as…
Tester101
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4
votes
1 answer

Are spindles strong enough on a balcony to keep a toddler safe?

How do I reinforce (or cover) the spindles on my balcony stairs) to prevent a toddler from pushing against them and possibly having them collapse? I also want to discourage swinging from top rail. Would sheets of plexiglass work?
Sorcha
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4
votes
12 answers

How to get rid of fleas in an apartment with carpeted floors?

Long story short...we came home after 5 days away with our 1.5 year old and noticed that the wherever the cat slept or lounged there was cat hair and little particles that looked like black pepper. A quick internet search pointed to fleas. My wife…
milesmeow
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3 answers

Are tamper resistant receptacles really safer?

Tamper-resistant receptacles (marked with TR, sometimes know as TRR) are designed to be safer than regular outlets by making it more difficult to insert foreign objects. That said, there are lots of examples of things that were supposed to be safer…
james turner
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4
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3 answers

Is an electrical lockout a good way to protect children in a workshop?

I have a small work shop in my basement with the usual power tools: table saw, miter saw, etc. I also have a kid that is more and more curious about what is in that room every day. While she (generally) does a great job listening to me, it still…
vcsjones
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4
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1 answer

Securing furniture to prevent tipping due to earthquakes and babies

I'm a new resident in the Bay Area, and with small children in the house, I'm looking at our furniture with some unease. What's the best and easiest way to secure and fasten tall bookshelves in case of natural disasters or baby-related mischief, in…
bshor
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