A fireplace brings warmth and comfort. As a newly married couple, you might spend many hours of most evenings by the fireplace.
When kids and pets come into the picture, the fireplace could also become a hazard or dangerous for them. The sharp edges, the heat, and the fireplace carbon monoxide all become dangerous. Have you considered taking the time to baby-proof the fireplace?
You can still enjoy your electric fireplaces and keep the family safe. By learning to baby-proof the fireplace, everyone can feel confident and relaxed. There may be a few purchases along the way to help ensure safety.
In This Post You Will Learn:
Different ways to baby-proof a fireplace include:
- Gated Fireplace
- Glass Fireplace Cover
- Chalkboard Fireplace Cover
- Fireplace Screen
- Magnetic Fireplace Cover
- Other Fireplace Barriers
- Protecting Children From the Hearth
- Keeping Fireplace Tools our of Children’s Reach
- Teaching Children the Dangers of Fire
- Switching to Electric Fireplace
- Carbon Monoxide Detector
Gated fireplace
A fireplace gate is simple to install and efficient when you need a fast solution. It creates a distance between the baby and the fireplace. The gate protects them from the fireplace’s heat, carbon monoxide, and sharp edges.
The gate acts like a shield against the heat. When shopping for gates, pick one that not only protects your baby but also adds beauty to your home. Most gates are either metallic or wooden. Metal gates are more durable than other materials. They are also so heavy that the baby cannot push them around. Wooden gates add to the beauty of your space, but they might be relatively expensive.
Consider a versatile baby gate. Most gates act as a barrier to bar the baby from getting into the fireplace. However, try using them to form a play yard or superyard. Some come with removable panels. Whichever gate you choose, ensure the height is enough to keep a toddler off the fireplace and includes easy installation.
Gates that secure to the fireplace are safer than movable options. They are also less versatile. Others come with a small lockable door to prevent unwanted access to the fireplace.
After the baby gate is purchased — how do you install it? Most of the gates come with instructions and specific dimensions. However, measuring the area you need to install the gate before shopping is important. Choose a gate that will fit your baby’s barrier needs.
Top Picks When it Comes to Fireplace Safety Gates for Babies
Toddleroo by North States 3-in-1 Metal Superyard
This is an attractive beige gate that includes an easy access walk through the door. North States understands how hard it is to keep track of young children. Kids are experts at getting into places they shouldn’t, and they move so fast that they disappear in a flash. This gate will keep children at a safe distance from your fireplace so you can relax.
The sturdy design features a mounting kit that works well with angular walls as well as straight walls. This makes it a wonderful and versatile option. At a height of 30 inches, it is strong enough to hold the baby safely back from flames. Child locks are included.
When extended to its full length, it measures 144 inches, but it can be shortened by removing extra panels. When not used as a fireplace gate, it can be used to create a play space with enough square feet to function as a large playpen. Extra panels are available for purchase from sites like Amazon if you need additional length.
One of the only drawbacks is the weight of the gate. It is a little on the heavy side. This makes it hard to move from one place to another.
Toddleroo by North States 3-in-1 Wood Superyard
This lovely gate is offered in a beautiful stained wood finish that proves baby proof devices do not have to look ugly or out of place. This gate has a very natural style that looks wonderful in your home, and it adds a touch of warmth rather than creating a sterile environment.
At a height of 30 inches, this gate can be safely used on any type of flooring without causing damage. This includes tile, carpet, and hardwood. It includes double locks for added security and peace of mind. This gate serves double duty as a free-standing play yard when not being used around the fireplace.
Toddleroo by North States 3-in-1 Arched Decor Metal Superyard
This superyard features an attractive bronze finish, and it is extra tall so that curious toddlers can’t climb over it. It provides convenience for adults with a door panel wide enough to allow grown-ups through easily. It also provides all of the safety features this company is known for.
While this is a beautiful option when protecting your baby from the dangers of the fireplace, it only spans 72 inches. Be sure to measure your own fireplace, as this may not be long enough for bigger ones.
Regalo 192-Inch Super Wide Adjustable Baby Gate and Play Yard
The Regalo adjustable gate is ideal for babies between six months and 24 months old. It is hardware mounted with just the use of a screwdriver for additional security and has a sturdy steel frame construction. Best of all, even with its durable construction, it still looks attractive in any home.
A versatile gate, you will find that you can use this gate in many ways. When not in use for fireplace safety, it can be used as a freestanding child’s play space or to block dangerous stairs. This gate can extend to a length of 192 inches and allows easy access for adults with a gate height of 28 inches.
Kidco Auto-Close Baby Gate
Kidco understands the importance of convenience when it comes to having babies or toddlers in the home. While you want to keep them safe, you need to be able to move freely about your home. The handy auto-close feature eliminates the worry over forgetting to close the door behind you.
This adaptable fireplace gate for babies can be used around the fireplace as well as to block other off-limit areas where children can get hurt. It easily surrounds hearths up to six feet wide, and the black finish mimics the look of wrought iron. The five interlocking panels are each 24 inches wide by 29 inches high. A movable door can be placed wherever it works best for you. The strong tubular aluminum construction is heat resistant, and it comes with all necessary mounting hardware for walls.
Dreambaby Royale Converta 3 in 1 Fireplace Gate
Six panels are used to create this 151-inch wide fireplace gate with clean lines that make it an attractive piece. If this isn’t wide enough, additional panels are sold separately on Amazon so that you can create a larger area for play.
This gate can be used as a free-standing play area or used as a fireplace gate with the included hardware mounting kit. A stay-open door is ideal for when children are napping so that you can move about the house freely.
The durable metal construction is sturdy enough to keep children safe, and when not in use, it easily folds up. This makes it the perfect gate to take along with you when traveling.
Dreambaby Mayfair Hearth Baby Gate
When babyproofing your home, this extra wide baby gate is a stylish play yard that is well suited as a fireplace barrier, but it can be used in other areas of the home too.
The long-lasting, configurable metal construction is very sturdy, and it withstands high temperatures. There will be no worries about parts melting or the gate getting too hot. It spans 147.5 inches, and it has a height of 29.5 inches.
It includes six panels. One of these panels serves as a walk-through door. The gate can be freestanding, but it does come with hardware for mounting it to the wall.
Baby Dan Flex Best Fireplace Baby Gate
Baby Dan is considered one of the best baby gate manufacturers in Europe. This particular gate is extra wide, and it looks attractive with its black matte finish.
When it comes to child safety, this gate creates a perfect space around the fireplace or woodstove. It includes an easy accessible 28.4-inch wide entry door with a double latching mechanism for additional safety.
Your purchase includes two small panels and two wider panels for flexibility in design and layout. The hardware for mounting it to the wall comes with it. This gate also serves double duty as a room divider when not needed around the fireplace.
Best Choice Products Baby Safety Hearth Fence
The Best Choice products baby safety fence hearth gate bbq fire gate is advertised for use both indoors and outdoors when it comes to keeping children from reaching open flames. This configurable hearth barrier includes adjustable mounts to ensure the security of the tubular steel frame construction.
This baby gate extends to 122 inches. You can use it straight across a room, around a fireplace, or to create a barrier around a firepit. The gate has a quick-release handle for easy accessibility.
The only negative characteristic of this gate is that the hinges are plastic. Keep your eye on these to make sure they don’t give way or crack.
Glass fireplace cover
Glass insulation is a nice option to increase the safety of babies, toddlers, and pets in your home. The glass door provides insulation to keep the heat off after using the fireplace. However, a high-quality glass door may be needed to withstand the pressure inside the fireplace.
The glass door comes in handy for the combustion fireplace. Unlike a gas or electric fireplace, where you can just switch off the gas after using the fireplace, the wood fireplace takes time to burn out. When closing the glass door, less oxygen goes into the fireplace, and the logs will go off.
Some glass surfaces are cool to the touch. However, you might come across hot glass that is unsafe for your child. In other instances, the glass might have openings that let out the heat from the fireplace, causing harm to a child who is playing nearby. To prevent this, install foam insulation around the fireplace with your glass door. The insulation keeps off heat that may escape from the sides of the glass door and ensures baby safety. This way, a child can play as close to the fireplace as they want.
Chalkboard fireplace cover
Covers are great when the fireplace is not in use. The chalkboard cover is a clever way to keep the fireplace out of reach for babies, toddlers, kids, and pets instead of engaging them in creative activities. This wooden cover fits on the fireplace’s opening, blocking out the heat and the CO and ensuring the child doesn’t hurt themselves on the edges and corners of the fireplace.
Most parents pay attention to their kids when the fireplace is in use. When the fireplace is not in use, the parents may let down their guard — so a fireplace cover adds to peace of mind.
Magnetic fireplace cover
If you are wondering how you will baby-proof your fireplace without using large gates, perhaps you should consider insulated covers. This cover serves the same function as the chalkboard cover above but without the added benefit of fun kids’ activities. Keep in mind that kids can still stick shapes and drawings on the cover.
The magnetic cover gives you a childproof fireplace. It doesn’t need space in your living room such as gates do. The covers act the same as fireplace doors, but you insert them into the fireplace’s opening.
Fireplace screen
Another method of babyproofing a fireplace is by the use of a screen. While the gate bars toddlers from getting to the fireplace, a screen prevents the toddlers from seeing the fireplace altogether. There are some transparent screens on the market, but a non-transparent screen is the best.
Toddlers are curious; once they see the fireplace, they will want to get closer and touch or play with it. With a non-transparent screen, you shift the baby’s attention away from the fireplace. Like gates, screens come in different designs to complement your home’s interior décor. Consider a plain design that doesn’t attract the baby’s attention — purchasing a sturdy design.
You can use a magnetic vent cover and a magnetic draft stopper to make the fireplace safer and more secure.
Other Fireplace Barriers
Try DIY barriers instead of store-bought covers and gates. These options are ideal when you need to baby-proof your fireplace but you are running on a tight budget. Here, you only need to create a barrier around the entire fireplace using something that a baby cannot push.
If you need an inexpensive way to make a baby-proof fireplace, try wood blocks to create a barrier. Supplies include a pile of firewood on the opening of the fireplace. This method only applies when you are not using the fireplace, but it keeps kids a little more restricted with this barrier. It also frees up space in the cabinet you’d have used to store your firewood.
You can also use an elevated freestanding bench in front of the fireplace. The bench needs to be heavy so that the child doesn’t push it out of the way, and it also needs childproofing. If you need the bench to look stylish, you can add a cover and pillows to it. It ensures the fireplace hearth is out of reach for the baby.
Baby-proofing your fireplace can also be as simple as using a pile of books. Here, you can use empty plastic boxes filled with books.
Place the boxes strategically so that they create a barrier between the fireplace and the baby. Books are heavy and the baby will not be able to push them around. Plus, the boxes make the place tidy.
Protecting children from the hearth
Even when you do not plan on lighting a fire in your fireplace, you still need to keep it childproof. Unlike built-in units or electric units that are installed flush to the wall, the wood fireplace has edges and corners that can injure a child.
If the child falls in the hearth, they might end up with severe injuries. This is where you need a hearth cushion. You need to install the padding on top of the hearth and the sides.
The Roving Cove is one of the most popular padded cushion options. It comes with 15-foot hearth pads that you can use for the edges of the hearth. This cushion will protect your child and also blend with your interior décor. Pads are made of foam, making them soft and sturdy. The material is also safe as the pad contains non-chemical ingredients.
With hearth pads, you do not need a professional as you can just peel them and stick them where you need them.
You can also pick the Bow-Tiger Bumpers. These have the same effects as the Roving Cove pads which sport a thick construction, are long-lasting, and feature eight corner cushions.
Each set covers 17 feet and they stick with ease, thanks to their double-sided tape. It is also eco-friendly and safe for the child. Each set comes in different colors to blend into different décor.
Keeping fireplace tools out of children’s reach
It is common for homeowners to leave a poker and other tools in the hearth. It feels like a safe place for the tools, but when you have a baby in the room, you need to find a safer place. The poker, for instance, is sharp and can injure a baby. This poker is covered in soot, ashes, and sometimes even rust. It is a tool you do not want your kid to put in their mouth.
If you have a cabinet near the hearth, you can keep the tools there for easy access. Otherwise, you can have them in the mantle. If you have a hearth door with a hearth fireplace door lock, you can leave them in the hearth without any worry. Or you can place them behind the fireplace screen.
Teaching children the dangers of fire
Even if you use the best cushion strip from Kidkusion, you still need to teach your kiddo about the dangers of fire. You can sit down with children and tell them what happens when they touch fire. You can use analogies and examples they understand. The idea is not to scare them away, but to inform them, and this can help prevent injuries at home.
You also need to keep an eye on them even when you have all the measures to protect them. They do not understand that the hearth might be hot or might cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Kids are curious and the flames might pique their interest, so always ensure you monitor them.
Kids need to learn what to do in case there is a fire and you are not around. The easiest way for them to learn not to play with fire is for them to not play with fire when they are around. This way, they will leave the fire for adults to handle.
Carbon monoxide detector
If you have a wood-burning or gas fireplace in your home, a smoke and carbon monoxide detector is a must. These two devices need to be at every level of your home to keep a family safe.
All the smoke should ideally go through the chimney. However, if the chimney has not been cleaned for a while, the smoke might come back into the house. Carbon monoxide negatively affects the delivery of oxygen in the body. In turn, it is a challenge for the little ones’ health.
Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. Unfortunately, recognizing it is in your home until it is too late is a common threat.
By investing in a detector that sounds an alarm, there is an opportunity to prevent a difficult situation for friends and family members.
Consider a double-duty battery-powered device that detects smoke and carbon monoxide. Such a device will sound the alarm when it detects either smoke or carbon monoxide. Most of these units are easy to install.
Whichever system you choose, be sure to test it monthly. The detector will help you not only detect CO from the fireplace, but also from the wood stove, car, BBQ grill, and portable generator among others.
Switching to an electric fireplace
Increasing child and pet safety can be simple. Consider switching to an electric fireplace.
This option gives a realistic flame experience complete with burning coal. It heats the room more efficiently than wood or gas fireplaces and thermostat control assists the ideal temperature. Due to the control reducing your monthly utility bills becomes more realistic. Try our utility cost calculator tool to understand more about the impact on your bill. It simply plugs into a wall, making it a better alternative to a traditional wood fireplace.
The electric fireplaces inserts don’t have actual flames. This means that the fireplace doesn’t produce smoke and venting is not necessary. The fireplace also doesn’t emit any fumes such as carbon monoxide that comes with combustion fireplaces. This way, you do not need a smoke detector, a vent, or a chimney.
Some high-end electric fireplaces, such as MagikFlame electric fireplaces, use LED lights to simulate real flames. These fireplaces fall into either mechanical or steam-based fireplaces. The mechanical units use a rotating shaft, mirrors, and an electric motor. The mirrors reflect the LED lights to create a flame effect. Water and steam-based fireplaces can produce a single flame effect, but due to the maintenance and additional costs involved, there are better options on the market.
How safe are electric fireplaces?
The glass surface of electric fireplaces is cool to the touch. In most cases, the fireplace will be installed flush with the wall and no sharp corners or edges are left. This way, the baby can play near the fireplace as long as they do not break the glass to access the heating element.
Instead of gates and other methods of babyproofing a fireplace, one can install an electric fireplace where the combustion unit is.
Electric fireplaces for the bedroom are easy to control. This is unlike the combustion system that might require you to chop wood and then spend your evening trying to get the wood to light. You can control the fireplace using the buttons on the front of the console, or you can use a remote control. Modern fireplaces come standard with remote control.
More advanced units come with a backlit touchscreen that makes it more convenient to control your fireplace in dimly lit and bright rooms. Better yet, there are more advanced systems that allow smartphone controls.
Not only are the fireplaces safer for a baby and toddler, but they are also more convenient to use.
You can check out the MagikFlame electric fireplace. It has the following main features:
- 30 ultra-realistic flames with holographic projection technology
- Built-in 5,200 BTU heater
- Crackling log sounds
- Free Technology Updates
- Available scent module to simulate the smell of pine
Conclusion
It’s easier to achieve a baby-proof, childproof, and pet-friendly fireplace than in the past. Start with small changes such as DIY barriers, and then move to adjustable gates and doors or flame-retardant glass doors. Education and teaching the best practices of fire safety also go a long way.
Don’t forget to clean your chimney often to ensure it does not block and force the smoke back into the home. This way, you will have protected the baby from heat and from carbon monoxide poisoning. Before purchasing screens, doors, covers, and gates — consider other means to prevent kids or pets from getting to the fireplace.
