Wood Stoves

As energy costs are rising, wood stove back into favor with many owners. If a wood stove can heat an entire home or help offset the high cost of electric heat or gas account for children at home should be a priority.

A fence is purchased or custom built, must be installed around the wood stove, if young children are present. infants and young children are Crawling most at risk because they are too young to understand the dangers of wood stove and the word is not "simply not enough.

The enclosure must be large enough that only an adult can break. It should also be made of materials that can be mounted. vertical rails or fine mesh can keep children from climbing over the fence. The enclosure must also be placed far enough from the wood stove as the child reaches can not touch the surface of the stove.

Even with a fence installed, the crawling child or toddler should never be left unattended in a room with a wood stove. Toddlers, in particular, as throw items over the fence. heavy objects such as blocks can easily crack or break the glass facade of some models of stoves. Plastic items, they should reach the top of the stove can easily melt and release toxic fumes in the region.

From a young age, children should learn the dangers of wood stove. It should be noted that the fire is hot and should not be played in any form. The same explanation given to children on the stove cooking and security should be applied to a heater wood stove.

Children are fascinated by fire. As you load a wood stove, or logs or pellets, it becomes an ideal time to discuss with them the dangers. You do not want a child to be afraid of the wood stove, but at the same time you want to instill a healthy respect for the device.

Older children can help out wood stove, such as putting wood or pellets. They can also help to sweep the area or to engage younger children while parents are busy with the stove. Other tasks, such as loading the stove or empty the ashtray is best left to older teens and adults.

Another concern with wood stoves, not only for children, is putting pollutants into the air inside the stove. If a child has an allergy to smoke or asthma, a wood stove would make an attack more likely. We must take care that this child is out of the room when the stove is opened for filling or cleaning the ashtray.

Before buying a wood stove, make sure the stove is EPA approved. Do not take the word of the seller to that effect, asking to see a demonstration model that includes the EPA sticker. The EPA has strict requirements for wood stoves that will keep indoor pollutants to a minimum.

The disposal of the ash content is another concern when children are present. The ashes should not be discarded in an area where children can play, because he could be living embers in the ashes. A better solution is to dump the ashes in a bucket of ashes and let stand twenty-four hours or less overnight. ash buckets should be kept within the limits of the closing until completely cold.

Firewood and pellets should also be kept in the fenced compound. All wood chips or pellets that have fallen outside the fence must be swept away if young children are at home. The chips and pellets are a choking hazard for children who have either in their mouth.

A pot of water must be kept on the stove when the stove is in use. wood is a very dry heat and water will help keep the air moist. This is particularly important to help keep children's skin from drying out during the heating season. Babies are most at risk, but children.