Fireguard - until what age?

[hellogood]

My children are 5 and 7. We've always had a wood burner so they know it's hot and that they must be careful.

What age have people felt it's safe to stop using the fireguard? Ours is set into the wall, so no risk of them hurting themselves on the slate hearth (which I know is a reason some people keep the fireguard).

They're pretty sensible, I've kept it more to stop them falling into it if they're running about or being silly. Sometimes we have it going for large chunks of the day, so it can get pretty hot.

I'm not in a rush to remove it if it's still considered unsafe, just looking for thoughts really.

We never had one because I didn’t want to be lulled into a false sense of security.
DS was, and is, a massive climber and I had visions of him scaling it. He was never left alone in the room with the wood burner lit until this last few weeks when he has understood properly how dangerous it is. He’s 5 now.

We never had one either. I just brought them up understanding that they must never go near the stove or hearth or they'd crack their heads and end up in hospital. They never went near it.

That's helpful, thanks both.

Is it your only option for heating?

Just the air quality impact on the kids is a massive negative, so I'd be looking to remove it altogether rather than worry about the fireguard.

I think you have to consider that they will have friends over who have no experience of being around it. So I'd be keeping it longer than you would need to for your children.

With a wood burner I’d be very cautious it not so much they know it’s hot
kids will be kids it more them messing about and accidentally falling on it and ending up disfigured ( touched the glass on ours when I was a kid NEVER forgot it )

as there older instead of the big cage thing that clips to the wall
perhaps a small freestanding one like the one u put in front of the fire so if they do land on it protects them
but also as others said if they have friends over that aren’t used to it you need to factor this in

Have you looked into how damaging wood burners are to small children’s lungs 😬

It’s not the fire guards you need to worry about, you can heal from a burn! It’s the pollution inside your home from using a wood burner.

We have an open fire and never used one, just taught DD to respect fire by getting her to help with setting and feeding it. Now she's better at lighting it than me!

I'd never get rid of it. It's not worth the risk. Personally I wouldn't use the burner either even when properly installed they aren't great for your health or the environment

Sorry but you don't always heal from a burn.

We never bothered with a guard either. We never left them alone with it when little (including when no longer lit but still hot from the previous night) and fire safety was drilled into them.
We had a small freestanding one when I was a DC, but that was an open fire and to stop bits flying out and burning the carpet.

Our 3 year old grandchild has been aware of the dangers of fires/cookers, etc. for a good year. His parents include him in cooking, etc and he’s learned along the way.

We had one due to bonkers children but got rid of it this winter. Ours are 7 and 5.

I’ve still got ours up and ours are 12. 9 and 7. If I’m honest, I don’t see it anymore. And it’s useful for drying washing on!

We still use ours regardless of the child's age. It's neat and slides in and out of the hearth, and just creates a buffer so the burner can't be touched accidentally by anyone including us.

DCs are now of the age where they could be lighting it safely.

We still have one and we don't have children - ours is to prevent curious cats from trying to sit on it 😂

I wouldn't get rid of it I don't think - I don't see any benefits to it being gone.

With the fire unlit yes?

I agree with this.

Kids fall over though, it isn't just about respect.

We left ours til our youngest DD was about 8.

Our 2 DD were well behaved and sensible little girls, but no WAY was I taking any chances. They could have tripped and fallen.

To not use a fireguard with little kids running around is ludicrous, and bloody dangerous!!!

!

@toomuchfaster · Today 07:31

We have an open fire and never used one, just taught DD to respect fire by getting her to help with setting and feeding it. Now she's better at lighting it than me!

WTAF have I just read?! 😆

What we did, which is what OP asked for. DD also went to a Montessori nursery so used sharp knives from about 2 years old, feel free to laugh some more.

Then surely we shouldn't allow them to cross roads, ride scooters, etc, etc.

Yes the issues of kids falling into it or other kids who might not be so familiar with the risks is kind of why we've kept it, so perhaps it will stay for a bit longer.

Take the point about air pollution, however our house is old and draughty and we live in the middle of nowhere with little to no other pollution, so on balance I think we'LL be ok.