Even with a fence installed, a crawling kid or toddler must never be left alone unsupervised in a room with a wood burning stove. Toddlers specifically, like to toss items over the fence. Heavier objects such as blocks can easily crack or break the glass front of particular models of stoves. Plastic items, should they reach the top of the stove, can easily melt and release poisonous fumes into the air.
From a very early age, children should be taught the hazards of a wood burning stove. It must be discussed that fire is hot and should not be played with in any form. The same explanations given to children about the kitchen cooking stove and safety should also apply to a wood burning stove heater.
Children are captivated with fire. As you are loading a wood burning stove with either logs or pellets, this becomes an ideal time to discuss with them the hazards. You do not want a kid to be frightened of the wood burning stove, but at the same time, you do want to instill a healthy respect for the appliance.
Older children can help with wood burning stove chores, such as bringing in firewood or pellets. They can also help sweep up the area or engage younger children while the parent is occupied with the stove. Other chores, such as loading the stove or emptying the ash pan, is best left to older teens or grownups.
An additional concern with wood burning stoves, not just for children, is the pollutants put into the indoor air by the stove. If a kid has an allergy to smoke or asthma, a wood burning stove can make an attack more likely Visit this website . Care must be taken that such a kid is out of the room when the stove is opened for filling or for cleaning the ash pan.