MINNEAPOLIS — Experts say there are two reasons you should rethink childproofing your home in the spring.
One, nice weather entices kids to want to try to get out of the house.
Two, kids change quickly in a matter of months. The childproofing you did in the fall, might not work come spring.
"Our children are now six months older, six months taller, six months stronger, six months smarter, so the hazards which may not have presented as much a concern in the fall are much different today for your child," said Peter Kerin, owner of Foresight Childproofing, Inc., a Twin Cities company which will go to your home and help you childproof.
Here are some of Kerin's tips:
1. Front Door: Kerin recommends adding what's called a flip lock. We found one for about $4 at a local hardware store. When attached to the door frame, high enough to be out of a child's reach, a lever on the lock can be flipped perpendicular to the door, preventing it from being opened.
If your child figures out how to unlock the regular lock on the door, as long as the flip lock is out of reach, it should keep them from getting out.
2. Windows: It depends on the type of windows you have, but if you have a double hung window or sliding window, there are two options you can find online.
- A window Super Stopper: Suctions to your window and prevents the window from opening all the way.
- A Window Wedge: Its adhesive back attaches to the window frame, as the window raises up, the wedge stops it.
3. Deck: This one is easy. Pull your deck furniture away from the railings, so your kids can't climb on them and lean over the edge of the deck.
4. Stair Safety Gates: Kerin says the most common home hazard he sees is people putting in the wrong type of safety gate.
"They'll use a pressure gate, which is designed to go in a doorway between rooms, they’ll use that at the top of stairs. The reality is a mounted gate is what you need," Kerin says, "They [kids] push on that pressure gate and they can easily dislodge it."