Do you use a fire guard for your wood burner?

[MoonlightBonnet]

We’ve just it a wood burner and I’ve been looking at fire guards. They seem massive and intrusive. Does anyone have anything smaller and simpler? Or not use one at all? I reckon we’d get away with one that wasn’t attached to the wall as my youngest is very cautious and wouldn’t be trying to pull over something she’d been told was dangerous. But I think she still needs a guard in case of falls/getting over excited etc. Just wondering what works for other people.

No we don’t but we don’t put the burner on when young kids are about. We left it until they were asleep.

I think if I had a small child I would. I don't but there are no infants in the house.

Fire guards are all vile looking but a necessary, fixed to wall, evil for a few years. Good for drying washing quickly!

We always did. Dh built a fence looking one, so they couldn't touch the box at all, I could open the door on it and put wood in without moving the guard.
But we had a massive living room with it at one end so it looked OK.

Drying washing hadn’t occurred to me, that sounds Handy! So can anyone recommend one that isn’t too terrible looking?

I have a log burner and two toddlers , never used a fire guard , but it is set back in a alcove. It is sooo hot they don’t go near it when it’s on

Ours is about to be fitted. How old is your youngest?

Youngest is three and generally quite sensible for her age.

I would have one. My 3yo runs and jumps and trips constantly. I would be worried a child could fall up against it. I don't have one though so can't speak from experience.

We removed our fire guard when DD was 3.5 so I wouldn't bother.

We have the massive ones but not actually anchored to the wall so we can take them down after bedtime and through summer. Will use them until youngest is 4 or 5 I guess. Middle child is a complete menace (in an affectionate way) and even so we've never felt that we needed to get them anchored to keep her safe. I wouldn't use the fired without though, even the risk of horseplay/an accidental shove in the wrong direction is too much.

They are good for drying washing though that does detract even further on the aesthetic appeal front!!

We don't but my youngest is 5... I was wondering if we should get one but have decided we probably dont need to. I think I would have done at 3.

We had big one that OH made it fit Infront of the hearth and fixed to the wall in the sitting room.We had a curved kitchen one too and that was also used to dry apple rings and chilli's on.
Because they filled the whole space and were very simple they looked OK.

We’ve just installed an enormous monstrosity of a fire guard. Unfortunately the previous owners of the house installed a wood burner that is twice the size of what our tiny cottage actually needs and is technically too large for the hearth, and it is the only means of heating our house (barring expensive portable heaters), so the fire guard is 100% necessary.

Forgot to say,no matter how good your child is ask yourself at what age would they not reach to get a toy or ball that got too close or underneath,that also tells you how high the fireguard is.

It’s that risk of accidental falls, over excitement etc that makes me think we need to get one. Even her older brother would still get carried away and fall into it!

@Canyousewcushions which one are you using without attaching it? That sounds like a good option.

I have a really pretty swirly victoriana one to stop my kids from falling into it when wrestling and to stop my silly dog from sticking her self to the hot door

You should not use a wood burner at all in a house with young children as you risk their lung health. Wood smoke is a known carcinogen and causes asthma. Also terrible for environment.

I feel like I can't get rid of ours because DD is always flinging herself and other stuff around. I'd be scared to leave the room

You should not use a wood burner at all in a house with young children as you risk their lung health. Wood smoke is a known carcinogen and causes asthma. Also terrible for environment.

Not if it's a Hetas approved one. Car fumes can irritate asthma sufferers too, as can damp bathrooms, pollen and air fresheners.

@Fluandseptember cheery, thanks. Ours is ultra high efficiency, very low emissions and we live right by the sea so aren’t going to cause smog. Thanks for your concern though.

Yep you will definitely need one at that age I'd say, too much risk otherwise of trips/falls/thoughtless touching or for that matter objects/furniture/similar being pushed against or too close to it with risk of starting a fire. Also make sure it really blocks access, someone I know had a railings-type guard (with small gaps between) and thought that would be enough, but their child got a nasty burn reaching through and touching the stove, even at an age where you would have thought they would be old enough to know the risks (just had a daft moment I think).

No, because when we installed ours our little boy was climbing everything and I didn’t want him to climb over it (heavy duty one) and then be stuck between it and the heater.
Ours sits on tiles on a wooden floor and my kids were forbidden to go on the tiles. And they never did.
Our room is knocked through and very large, though.
Most people agree that they’re too hot for the kids to go near them.

Fire guards are hideous and bulky and you have to fasten them to the wall. Best case scenario it ruins the plaster, worst case it’s impossible if you have a stone hearth because it would be wrecked if you drilled into it. We just don’t use our wood burner any more, we’ve cranked up the radiators and use the central heating instead. It’s not ideal but the pleasure of having the fire on isn’t worth the risk of permanent scarring for DC.

I would be careful about drying washing on a fireguard TBH!