Keeping Your Little Ones Safe: The Essential Childproofing Guide for Manufactured Homes

As a parent, ensuring your child’s safety is a top priority. With their boundless curiosity and explorations, childproofing your manufactured home is essential. While many childproofing principles apply regardless of housing style, there may be some unique considerations for those with mobile homes. Let’s dive into a comprehensive checklist to help you create a safe and secure environment for your little ones.

Safety Essentials for Every Room

• Furniture & TV Securement: Secure bookshelves, dressers, and TVs with furniture straps to prevent tip-overs. Older mobile homes may have less wall support, so be vigilant.
• Outlet Covers & Cord Management: Cover unused outlets and minimize the risk of tangled cords which children can pull on.
• Window Safety: Use window guards on upper-story windows and ensure all window locks are functional to prevent falls.
• Stair Gates: Install gates at the top and bottom of any stairs, interior or exterior, to prevent falls.

Kitchen Considerations

• Stovetop Safeguards: Use stove knob covers and install a stove guard to prevent burns or them turning on burners accidentally.
• Secure Cabinets & Drawers: Use childproof latches on drawers containing sharp objects and cabinets with cleaning supplies.
• Dishwasher Detergent Storage: Keep dish detergent pods, etc., out of reach and preferably in a locked cabinet.

Bathroom Beware

• Toilet Locks: Toilet lid locks can prevent potential accidents and drowning hazards for toddlers.
• Medicine & Personal Care Storage: Vitamins, lotions, even seemingly harmless items pose a risk. Store these out of reach.
• Bathtime Safety: Non-slip bath mats and constant supervision prevent slips and falls in the tub.

Unique Considerations for Manufactured Homes

• Carbon Monoxide & Smoke Detectors: Ensure you have working detectors installed with fresh batteries. Some older mobile homes may not have them in all rooms, so check!
• Skirting Maintenance: Check skirting around your home for tears or access points. This prevents animals from getting underneath, where they could bring in hazards or chew on wires.
• Secure Doors: Check that exterior doors are secure and not easily opened by a toddler, especially if stairs lead right off the porch.
• Leveling and Support A properly leveled home lessens the chance of furniture or appliances shifting unexpectedly. Check this periodically.

Triple L Homes: Designed with Families in Mind

While some childproofing is universal, we often build in features to our manufactured homes that make your job easier:

• Rounded Corners: Fewer sharp edges in many models minimize bumps and bruises.
• Cabinet Design: High-up storage or hard-to-reach latches can sometimes offer built-in safety for some items.
• Modern Standards: Our homes adhere to strict safety regulations, giving you peace of mind in their construction.

Creating a safe home for your family shouldn’t be overwhelming. Use this checklist as a starting point and let Triple L Homes help you with any home features that can make childproofing even easier. Contact us today!