How To Select A Baby Gate
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 Hazard level of the area Throughout your home, you have safe areas and dangerous areas that require a baby gate. You may use a baby gate to limit your child?s activities to a play area so that you can keep your eyes on them. In this case, there is no big risk of them getting hurt if they get through the baby gate. You may also use a baby gates to limit your child from getting access to a highly dangerous area like stairs, chemical storage, or a swimming pool. Traffic through the baby gate The more traffic that you have though a baby gate, the more important it becomes that the gate is easy to open and close. If a gate is high traffic and difficult to operate, then it has a good chance it will be left open. If the area has very limited traffic, then the simplest gate is a good option. With these factors in mind, we can discuss baby gate styles and help select a gate for each area. Expanding Baby Gate One the most common and least expensive baby gate is a design that expands inside the doorframe to seal off the doorway. These models use leverage to generate a high force that is high enough to clamp the gate in place without the installation of additional hardware. These gates are perfect for sealing off non-dangerous low-traffic areas since they will not get much wear and tear. A plastic version starts around $20. The down side to these gates is that over time they can permanently bend the door trim. The plastic version has a short life due to plastic failure. The wood style will last longer and be safer since it can generate more pressure, making it harder for your rug rat to push it over. Hand-Free Gate A foot-operated gate is a great option for high traffic areas. These gates allow the parent to step on a leaver to open the gate while they are still holding a child or groceries. This gate sells for about $50 for a narrow installation and more if you need to buy several spacers for a wide opening. Although these are great gates, they do have several down sides. The gate uses pressure to hold itself in place so it can distort to doorway over time. It also has a bar at the bottom that can be trap hazard. It is also difficult for some people to figure out how to use the opener. Bolt-in Baby Gates Bolt-baby gates are the best option for dangerous areas, like the top of the stairs, since there is very little risk of the child ever getting through or pushing over the baby gate. Bolt0in gate come in both wood and steel construction. The steel version is almost indestructible. Also, These models do not have a bar to step over, critical at the top of stairs. The model shown in the picture was carefully installed to prevent permanent damage to the house while still getting an easy to use and safe installation. The information on this site is provided for reference only and is provided "AS IS", "AS AVAILABLE" with no guarantee of accuracy. Information comes with no warranties, express or implied. Use the information from this site at your own risk. See our disclaimer for more details. |