radiator safety

[momentofclarity]

Our nursery-to-be has a huge honkin' radiator on one wall. What can we do to prevent burned fingers? Some of our other radiators have radiator covers, but they look handmade. I'm not handy. Where can you purchase a nice-looking radiator cover if that's the answer?

Thanks!
Lucy

[Eilly]

I was about to post exactly this question. My DS is just starting to crawl and we have great big radiators in all our rooms -- it's an old appartment. I am worried about him burning himself once we start using them in winter but also about him banging his head on them right now. They look dangerous! We have wrapped a comforter round the one in the nursery for now but we need something that'll work in winter when the heating system is on. All ideas gratefully received.

[Karenn]

I posted a similar question a few months back and never really got an answer. (I was worried about our electric baseboard heaters.) Ultimately, I ended up teaching Colin not to touch them, and that seems to have worked OK. It's not ideal, but since I couldn't find any other solution, it seems to be our best option. I watched him very closely as he was learning to crawl and told him "no" in my most serious voice when he would reach for the heater. I think I had to do it twice and he hasn't gone near the baseboards since.

I'd still love to find another solution though, if anyone has one!

[Marisa6826]

I did a Google search and came up with several places to buy them online. Some of them even come with shelves on the sides.

They look pretty decent (as far as radiator covers go)!

http://leominster.com/radiator/

http://www.shuttershack.com/store/in...objectTypeID=5

There were also sites with directions on how to make one if somebody in your household is awake enough to be handy with power tools :)

http://doityourself.com/hvac/radiato...-e2diy0181.htm

Good luck!

-m

[AJsMom]

I have been going crazy over this as well! We just moved into a house with radiators everywhere. DS is 13 months and walking, so worried about hot surfaces and lead paint. DH thinks he will make covers for all radiators in the house- I think DS will probably be able to help him with them by the time he is done! These are a few sites I found (many others were in the UK). They are not cheap (why DH wants to make them).

www.eradiators.com and www. radiatorcover.com

Good luck and let us know how you do!

Kristen
Mom to AJ 7/22/02