San Diego Baby Gates | Baby Proofing Products | Install Baby Gates

BABY GATES EXPLAINED

The Importance of Safety Baby Gates For Your San Diego Home

Of all the home safety products, perhaps the most known are baby gates. Baby gates are security gates that are typically placed at the top and bottom of all stairways to prevent a baby or young child from going up or down the stairs and injuring themselves. Baby Gates also prevent access to any room that you want to prevent a toddler from entering, such as a media room, workout room, laundry room, etc. They can be constructed of plastic, wood or metal and typically range from 2 to 20 feet wide and from 2 to 3 feet tall.

We often advise parents to install your San Diego child safety gate before your toddler can stand to safeguard against injury and allow them to get used to having the gates in the home.

Types of San Diego Baby Gates

The type of baby gate you will need to use depends on the area in which it will be installed. The most common areas for baby gates include at the top of stairs, at the bottom of stairs, around a fireplace, in the doorway to a laundry room, etc. Most standard gates are meant to be installed between two solid walls that provide appropriate strength to withstand normal toddler activity. For wide open spaces, there are larger, irregular shaped gates that can be used, although you or your baby proofing company will have to decide on how best to approach these "wide open" areas.

Pressure Mounted Baby Gates

Pressure mounted baby gates are not installed into the wall, but instead are installed against the wall via a pressure mechanism (thus the name pressure mounted gates). This type of baby gate expands to fit a desired opening and is secure with tension.The advantages to this type of safety baby gate is relatively fast installation and no damage to existing woodwork. However, if the installer applies too much pressure to the walls, they can eventually cause pressure damage to the walls. The non skid mounting pads are effective in reducing potential damage to walls. Often times, a pressure mounted gate opens in both directions, although any gate placed at the bottom of stairs cannot open into the stairs for obvious reasons.

Standard pressure mounted gates fit door openings from 2.5 - 5 feet wide. and are best suited for doorways separating two rooms that are on the same level. Always use a pressure baby gate that is specifically for toddlers and not thoes that are built for dogs. nd not puppies.Pressure mounted gates are often constructed with plastic or metal, with plastic being less expensive but also less strong and durable. We suggest metal pressure gates for longevity and the natural wear and tear of several years of use.

Most professionals do not recommend installing pressure mounted gates at the tops of stairs in case a baby or child crashes or falls into them and causes the gate to come loos; resulting in a child or baby falling down the stairs and possibly hurting themselves.

Wall Mounted Baby Gates

Wall mounted gates are more difficult to install but provide added safety for your baby or young children. Wall mounted gates are secured into the wall studs or using heavy duty molly bolts. These gates should always be placed at the tops of stairs as it would take quite a bit of force to knock these out of the wall -- more than any normal child could muster. Many wall mounted gates can open both ways, depending on the stair set up. These gates are rather difficult to install, as there are numerous adjustments that need to be made to account for the many different parts.

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, child safety 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 child safety 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 baby safety gates early–before your child is mobile.

DO take into consideration the total length of time (and number of children) for which child safety 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 safety 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 child safety 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.

All information on this page is meant for GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY and is not an endorsement of any service or product. The content on this page is the copyrighted material of Babyproofingpros.com and MAY NOT be used without express written consent of Babyproofingpros.com