Make your balcony safe for your child

Balconies can be quiet a problem especially if you have small children at home. This is how you can make your balcony safe so that accidents don’t happen.

Railings are a must in the balconies. Railings should be at least three feet from the ground. This ensures not only your child’s safety, but also your own. Moreover the gaps between the rods should not be more than four inches. In fact it should not even be close to four inches because then your child may get stuck in it.

If the railings are already four inches apart, have them covered with some sheet, like the Plexiglas sheets, or the garden fencing, or even plastic sheets. Garden fencing and plastic sheets are cheap but they lack the finesse. Plexiglas, though expensive, can give an additional look to the balcony. But remember you need a very good worker to get it cut and installed properly.

Garden fencing is also a cheap option. It can be used at the outer side of the railing. It is a mesh made of thin wire. A black mesh is more preferable and the mesh is so thin, that it will not obstruct your view.

You can also put fat wooden boards in the gaps in the railings, especially if they have wooden railings.

You can also opt for a balcony guard or a banister shield to cover the balcony. These are also cheaper compared to the Plexiglas that comes at $3 to $4 per square foot. This will cost you around one dollar per square foot. But these have to be put along the inner sides of the balcony.

If the railings are having horizontal structures that can serve as a ladder, you must put the sheet along the inner wall .Children by nature want to explore new strategies, so putting the sheet in the inner wall may forbid him from putting his head in the railings and get stuck. Remember it is always more safe to attach the sheets with screws rather than having them stapled. Plastic cords are also available in the market and can be used too.

Do not keep furniture like tables and chairs along the railings. In fact it will be wiser to not have any furniture at all, and you place one when necessary obviously removing it after use. Children are prone to climbing up furniture and try to see what’s outside!

The way leading to the balcony should not be easily accessible. Have latches attached to it and be very particular to keep them locked. Remember children can be very fast and can slip off the balcony before your reflexes may work. You can also have bells or alarms attached to the balcony door, so that if by mistake you have not latched it, you know by the sound that the child is heading to the balcony.

You can also have sliding doors installed in the balconies; these are more preferable to the door types.If you are in some other place and face problem with the balcony, it is best to stay off the balcony.