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Selecting the right gate
Selecting the right baby safety gate the first time around is important to eliminate unnecessary returns and frustration. Answering a few questions in advance such as: where will the gate be installed? (the top of the stairs, in a doorway), how wide is the opening? (an exact measurement is needed since there is no "standard"); to what surface will the gate be mounted? (wood door frame, hollow wall, wrought iron, brick, wood) can help determine which is the best gate.
Safety gates can be wood, metal , plastic or mesh, as low as 22" and as long as 13 feet. The type of gate and installation decision should be determined by where and how the gate is going to be used.
Gates generally fall into two categories: hardware or pressure mounted. Hardware mounted gates are considered safer than pressure mounted gates because they are permanently mounted and are best suited for areas where safety is paramount, such as the top of the stairs. Pressure mounted gates require no holes or hardware for installation and are best suited for less hazardous locations, such as doorways or the bottom of stairs.
Kidco also manufacturers gates for irregular shaped areas and free standing play areas. The hardware mounted Configure Gates and HearthGate are multipurpose gate systems that form angles as needed to isolate irregularly shaped areas such as staircases, exercise equipment, hot tubs, fireplaces, wood burning stoves, barbecue grills and more. Kidco's Playden is a free standing, versatile play area. The Kidco Play Den's walk through door allows easy access. The Play Den is great for babies and pets.
All Kidco Gates have an average spacing of 2.25" between bars.
Safety Gate Testing
In the USA there are no mandatory federal child safety gate standards beyond those for toxicity of materials, small parts and sharp edges or points. Voluntary standards have been developed by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) in cooperation with the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) and concentrate on size of openings, height, vertical strength, bottom spacing, configuration of the uppermost edge and label warnings.
Europe on the other hand, has more stringent requirements for their child safety gates. These include, but are not limited to: dangerous gaps or openings, narrower slat spacing, toe or finger holds, and top edge protrusions. The gate must withstand 31.5 lbs. of force in a push/pull test for 10,000 cycles without being dislodged or destroyed and also withstand an impact simulating a 2 year old child running into the gate at 3 m.p.h. without the gate being dislodged or destroyed.
In relation to the European push/pull standards the US has added a voluntary standard of a 10 lb. push (only) test. This additional safety test is an improvement, however more needs to be done to make sure that products designed to protect children to the fullest extent, do their job properly.
KidCo is the only US manufacturer that meets, and in some cases, exceeds the strict European standards. It is also very important to note that KidCo gates also meet all Canadian safety standards set forth by Health Canada. By ensuring that Kidco gates continuously meet or exceed the everchanging standards, it solidifies Kidco's commitment to bringing quality, high performance safety products to the consumer.
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