Coast To Coast Home Inspections, LLC

Home Inspection Ocala FL

Child-Proofing Windows and Stairs

by

Written by Nick Gromicko

The number one hazard for children is falls, which are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries in the U.S. for this age group.  About 8,000 youngsters wind up in emergency rooms every day for injuries related to falling, adding up to almost 2.8 million per year.  With those statistics in mind, it is worth looking at what can be done to prevent such injuries in the home.

In trying to fathom how so many children can be injured on a daily basis from something as simple as slipping and falling, we need to consider an important factor, which is height.  Oftentimes, when observing small children at play, we are amazed at their dexterity and ability to take what looks like a fairly serious tumble and hop right back up, unfazed.  Likewise, a slip or fall for most adults, more often than not, leads to little more than a poorly chosen expletive being uttered.  However, imagine a small child falling a distance equivalent to the average height of an adult, and we begin to see where the danger lies.  With this to consider, let’s closer look at two of the most important areas to childproof in a home: windows and staircases.

STAIRCASES

The first thing that probably comes to mind when examining child safety in relation to stairways and staircases is a safety gate, and with good reason: falling down stairs can be a serious hazard for an infant or toddler who is just learning to navigate his or her surroundings. When properly installed, high-quality safety gates can help eliminate this possibility.

Safety Gates  

A safety gate is a gate that is temporarily installed in a door or stairway.  It allows adults to unlock and pass, but small children will be unable to open it.  There are two basic types of gates which differ in the way they are installed.  The first type is a pressure-mounted gate.  These safety gates are fixed in place by pressure against walls or a doorway.  They can be used in doorways between rooms, such as for keeping crawling babies out of a kitchen during cooking, but they are not suitable for keeping kids out of other areas, such as the top of a stairway, where falling could be a risk.

The other type of safety gate, which is recommended specifically for stairways, is hardware-mounted.  These gates will mount solidly in place with screws but are still easily removable for times when they are unnecessary.  A hardware-mounted safety gate will prevent small children from entering stairways where accidents could occur.

When choosing a safety gate, you can refer to established ASTM standards for these products, and some manufacturers also participate in a certification program administered by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association.  Any gate you choose should meet the ASTM standards, which will ensure that the gate itself poses no hazard to the child.  Products that comply with these standards will have a sticker on the packaging or on the unit itself.

Railings 

For parents of children who have outgrown the need for safety gates but are still small and curious, especially those prone to climbing on things, baluster spacing on the handrail becomes a concern.  An InterNACHI inspector knows that a stairway with four or more risers should have a continuous handrail not lower than 34 inches or taller than 38 inches on at least one side, with balustrades not more than 4 inches apart from each other.  If you have spaces between vertical rails or risers that will allow an object larger than 4 inches to pass between them, they should be reported during an inspection as in need of repair because they pose a risk to a child who tries to climb on the rail or gets stuck between them.

WINDOWS
If the dangers associated with falling are compounded by the height of the fall, then windows can present an even greater concern than stairways.  It is estimated that more than 4,000 children are treated every year in emergency rooms for injuries sustained by falling from windows.  There have been at least 120 such deaths reported since 1990.  Risk of injury from window-related accidents in the home can be minimized by addressing
several common issues.
The first thing and simplest thing to do is to ensure that there is no furniture situated in areas that would make it easy for a child to reach and open or close a window.  Any furniture a child could potentially climb on should be moved away from windows.
Latches, Stops and Guards
As children begin to grow to heights where they may be able to access windows from a standing position, it is important to install secure, child-proof latches.  There are many types of window latches that, similar to safety gates, will allow an adult to easily open and close windows, but will prevent kids from doing the same.

Also available are window stops, which will not allow the window to be opened wider than a pre-determined width.  The recommended opening, similar to balustrade spacing, should not exceed 4 inches.  This eliminates the possibility of a child or one of his limbs to pass through.  These stops are easily removable by an adult whenever necessary.

An additional option to consider is a window guard.  A window guard can be vertical or horizontal.  It attaches to a frame and can be removed by an adult, but will deter a child.  Guards have some form of bars or beams across them, which should be no more than 4 inches apart.  Window guards maintain the functionality of the window while ensuring a child’s safety while the window is open.  However, even with a guard installed, kids should not be allowed to play around windows, whether they are open or closed.  Try to open windows only from the top, if possible.  And never rely on window screens to keep a child from falling, as that is not the function they are designed for.
With some foresight, a few clever and fairly inexpensive products, and proper adherence to building codes, the risk of injury from falling can be successfully minimized.  Your InterNACHI inspector can assess the safety issues in your home, and advise you on the most effective childproofing measures to keep your family safe.

Top 10 tips on getting your house ready for a home inspection

by

featured-electric-panel-cover

Home Inspections are stressful for all parties involved. With these few simple tips you may be able to avoid some things that could potentially complicate your deal and delay your closing.

Things to do:

1)  Clean house and yard inside and out. Home inspectors need to get up close to items to inspect them if weeds/leaves are around the bottom of the house, the home inspector can’t do his job to the fullest and your buyer may think you are hiding something.

2)  Put animals up or take them with you. One home inspector told me a story about a home inspection he did where the dog kept humping his leg. He said it was a frustrating experience and made for a long day. He was a dog owner and loved dogs. However home inspectors like dogs that listen. If Fido is a wild man, put him up or take him with you. You don’t want anything interfering with the home inspectors ability to do his job and get the information the buyer has requested.

3)  Clear areas around water heaters ,air conditioners and electrical panels. Any items that cannot be inspected thoroughly because they are blocked by personal items will not be inspected. Again it is in your best interest to give access. The home buyer is paying alot of money for someone to inspect these items. The home inspector will mark them as not inspected and move on if they are not accessible. The buyer may be charged again for a return visit once items are accessible. Or worse this could hold up the closing. So keep your home buyer at ease and save them money by making sure these items are accessible.

4)  We know you are moving, but organize your boxes and other things so the home inspector can actually see the house. When boxes are spread around and things are covered, it will be noted as not inspected and the home buyer may feel like you are hiding something.

5)  Be on time. The inspector keeps a tight schedule and every minute counts. Unlike a doctor they will not keep you waiting for your appointment time.

6)  Give the home inspector space and be sure all locked doors, attics, sheds are accessible. If not the home inspector will mark it down on the home inspection report as not inspected and this could hold up the closing if the buyer requests another inspection at a later date.

7)  Check your smoke detector batteries. This is probably one item that is on most reports. Yeah its not a big deal. But if you have 8 items on a home inspection report that need attention and then 2 other smoke detectors don’t work. The report gets long. Your home buyer starts to worry… It’s best that you keep these little items off the report. Remember the report is only going to say it doesn’t work, the inspector has no way to determine why. He may suspect it is a battery but what if it is a $50.00 detector? That’s what the buyer will think, so it’s best to replace the batteries and keep it off the report. Besides it’s a good idea to keep you and your family safe.

8)  Change the AC air filter. This is another item that home inspectors look at to gauge how well the unit was taken care of. If he sees a 10 year old filter he will note the condition and again the buyer may get a little concerned. Change the filter and breath easy knowing the buyer will get a picture of the new filter you just installed.

9)  Check all lights inside and outside the house. This is another item that may add length to the home inspection report. If the bulb does not work it goes on the home inspection report as a light fixture is not working. The home inspector doesn’t diagnose why. Again anything you can do to keep minor items off the home inspection report the better. Why? Because again you started with 8 items, then 2 smoke detectors, now 2 light fixtures. We are at 12 items and a nervous home buyer wondering how she/he will be able to afford to fix all this if indeed fixtures need to be replaced. So better to just replace the bulbs prior to the home inspection and keep your home buyer’s mind at ease.

10)  Go get some coffee. Home inspections can take anywhere between 2-4 hours depending on the size of the house and number of reports the buyer has requested. So remember the inspector is only reporting what is there. You already know what is there. So go have some coffee(or your favorite drink) and relax. By making sure these items are taken care of prior to the home inspection you should see a smaller report with less items and less complications moving forward. Good Luck!