By Courtney Ilarraza
A few weeks ago I learned that a child I know suffered 2nd degree burns when her nanny turned her back for a second and the child turned the bath faucet on, scolding her arm. At Baby Bodyguards we always recommend that the water temperature in a house NOT be above 120 degrees.
The problem arises when parents live in a building, where they don’t have control over the water temperature. Finally, we have found a solution besides just trying to hide the faucets. We came across HotStop Anti-Scalding products. These products are designed to stop water flow if the water temperature reaches a dangerous level.
The HotStop line of products features tub spouts (with and without diverter), shower heads and a hand showers. All four products have the HotStop scald protection built into the fixture. They are also attractive in design.
I installed HotStop in my own shower to try out. I happen to like hot showers and was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my shower, but I did. The HotStop didn’t interfere with the temperature I prefer. I then tested to make sure that it worked. I ran the water, and as soon as the water got a wee bit hotter than I enjoy, it shut off, and resumed running once the water cooled down.
The HotStop website says that their products are sold at Lowes. I haven’t seen them in the Brooklyn store, but am sure they can be requested there. The product line is fairly easy to install. My husband was able install the hand shower and remove our old one in about 15 minutes.
Courtney Ilarraza is a Brooklyn native and former Park Slope resident. Courtney and her husband Fred, started Baby Bodyguards,www.babybodyguards.com, a child safety company, dedicated to creating a safe environment for children ,without stifling their natural curiosity and while giving parents the peace of mind they deserve. Baby Bodyguards provides in-home safety evaluations, child proofing services and car seat installation classes/checks. The company was started after the birth of their son and after hearing of a string of preventable injuries that happened to children they knew.
