Shopping for a house when you have kids requires circumspection. While you can childproof any property, choosing an inherently safe one matters to protect your little ones from as many household hazards as possible. Put an offer on a residence with these seven safety features — even if it means agreeing to a higher home value.
Shatterproof Glazed Doors
Most parents don’t report cuts as often as falls, burns, suffocation and drowning. Still, puncture wounds can be fatal. Deep lacerations can lead to severe bleeding and infection, requiring urgent medical attention.
Broken glass can cause sharp force injuries, so search for a home with shatterproof glazed doors. Shatterproof differs from unbreakable. It means the glass doesn’t turn into dangerous shards when damaged.
Shatterproof glass can be tempered or laminated. Tempered glass crumbles into less sharp pieces when it breaks. Laminated glass comprises two panes sandwiching a plastic film holding them in place when they shatter. Either make entry and patio doors safe with kids around.
Double-Hung Windows
In New York City alone, there were nine cases of window falls involving children aged 10 or younger in 2021 — one of which resulted in death.
When comparing houses, favor those with double-hung windows. These units comprise a pair of staggered sashes gliding vertically. Such a design means only 50% of the window opening max is accessible. They’re also taller than they’re wider. If you keep their lower panel closed, their accessible area will be out of your children’s reach.
Look for American farmhouse, Georgian, Federal, mission revival and shingle homes to ease your property search. Their quintessential windows are double-hung.
Automatic Garage Door
Garage doors make headlines for entrapping people, especially kids and pets, too often. Such incidents have cost precious lives, so never settle for a model without auto-reverse functionality and passcode protection.
Garage door models manufactured after 1991 move in the opposite direction when their sensors detect someone or something’s in the way. Passcodes prevent unauthorized access, which you can easily change through a keypad.
Range Hood
Indoor air pollution is responsible for 44% of pneumonia deaths in kids under 5 years old and increases the risk of childhood lower respiratory disease by 100%. A house with a poorly ventilated kitchen is a severe health hazard.
Be it ducted, ductless or hybrid, range hoods can capture air contaminants from your cooktop and keep them from spreading throughout the house. It’s mechanical, so you don’t have to rely on outside air to purify your indoor spaces.
Electric HVAC
Any fuel-burning heating equipment emits exhaust, which can be lethal. A prime example is carbon monoxide (CO) produced by gas or oil furnaces and boilers. About 240 people in the United States succumb to this deadly, invisible, odorless and tasteless gas yearly. Nobody’s safe, but small children are more vulnerable to poisoning than adults.
A fireplace is another cause for concern. The smoke from burning wood contains harmful substances such as CO and particulate matter.
Buying a house with electric HVAC is your safest bet. It doesn’t pollute indoor air because it’s a non combustion machine. Almost any type of heating system has a model that purely runs on electricity, so you can still find houses on the market with zero-exhaust furnaces, boilers and fireplaces.
Fenced-In Yard
About 15% of people 14 and younger who die from traffic crashes are pedestrians. That’s why you should keep your little ones from wandering away from your house at all costs.
Although you can’t constantly monitor your kids, having barricades around your yard can limit where they go. Any fence won’t do, though. Consider the material and design to ensure it’s durable and challenging to climb.
Nonslip Hardscaping
Slipping is one of the most common causes of falls for children at home. The yard is particularly hazardous because its surfaces can easily get slippery due to precipitation. If you want to move into a house with stunning hardscaping, ensure the patio and walkway materials are nonslip to provide more traction.
Pay Attention to Child Safety
Keeping your kids out of harm’s way is a never-ending pursuit. Buying a house with these safety features will accomplish half the job and give you peace of mind.
