I need to know if I’m overreacting. I am a worrier, so I like to check in with others. My sister has 2 vintage fans in her house. They’re pretty and she likes them, which I don’t have a problem with. I do think they’re unsafe because the grills on them leave way too much of the blades exposed. No problem as far as I’m concerned if only adults are in the house.
But. She has a granddaughter who is about to turn 1, and who is toddling around quite well when she visits or spends the night. One of these fans is on a side table in the living room where the child can reach it. I was there over the weekend when the baby was there and the fan was not on and I didn’t think to check if it was plugged in. But at Christmas time, she had a small one running on the floor and the baby was moving around with a walker then and even though the walker was well made and protective, I was still a little nervous. When I said something, my sister said I worry too much.
I don’t like the idea of these vintage fans in a home where children live or visit, or at least, they need to be put away when children are present. The blades are exposed and even when not moving, they can cut. My sister is 55 and she’s a big girl with bad arthritis in her knees, so she would not be able to react quickly enough if a child went toward one of these fans, so why even take the risk?
They make mesh covers for pedestal fans for baby-proofing, but I can’t find any small enough for what she has. I thought about making something for hers out of mesh and tied around back with a ribbon.
I would be as concerned about the electrical safety as the potential for injury on these old, pre-UL designed fans with fabric-insulated wiring, exposed motor compartment that will collect flammable fibers and dust, and no overload protection. I’m sure these fans are quite handsome but I’d cut the power cord and put them up on a shelf for display where they can neither lop off curious fingers nor burn your entire house to the foundation.
If you were asking whether or not you should say something, that would be one thing.
But you did say something, and – IMHO – were very reasonable to do so.
Which begs the question: Now what?
Taking it any further likely has its own risks, no?
As most of us have learned – one way or the other – any message that could possibly be construed, or misconstrued, as judging somebody to be a bad parent … tends to go pretty poorly.
But I think you’re right, so … you’ve got that going for you
I grew up with what are now considered vintage fans, with guarding that would not keep a small hand out. Inevitably I did poke them. They didn’t mangle my hands, cut my fingers off, or even draw blood, though they did leave a mark short term and they did hurt.
One summer night I slept through a fan catching fire, burning off a bunch of the fabric insulation. When I woke up in the morning, the room stunk, and the fan had stopped. Considering the filmy curtains in that room I may have been very lucky the fire didn’t spread (though the curtains would probably have had to be tied back to stay out of the fan, so probably that wasn’t particularly a threat, I just don’t remember).
I second Stranger’s suggestion the power cord be cut.
And I wish I still had some of those fans, as they really were quite pretty.
Just as an afterthought: those fans were very very common, especially pre air conditioning. Has any of us ever heard of a child losing fingers in one?
Just leave it be. You’ve done your job, and done it well too.
It’s similar to a hot stove. A kid can reach up and touch it. So you tell the kid, don’t touch, it is very hot and you’ll get burned. If the kids still touches it, it’ll hurt but they’ve learned their lesson. Hopefully!
I was going to mention this as well. Sometimes with older electrical appliances you can rewire them, but with the fans you’d still have the older motor and I don’t know if the motors could be easily or aesthetically replaced with modern ones. In any case it would probably be more retrofitting than it’s worth.
Mrs. solost and I used to have a vintage 5’ tall standing lamp that was very cool and art deco-looking-- I would guess it dated back to the 30s or 40s. It gave off a really nice, warm light. The bulb it used had a non-standard socket compared to more modern incandescent bulbs-- we probably would have had to special-order a new bulb if the old one burned out.
Anyway, one day I unplugged it right after it had been on for awhile and the plug was almost too hot to the touch. So that lamp was quickly retired. I briefly thought of trying to rewire it, but the top part was on a swivel mechanism such that I wasn’t sure how the electric connection to the bulb even worked- it was certainly more involved than simply running a new wire through it. Probably some outmoded design that made it dangerous to touch while grounded
Agreed. The child has parents, I assume, who can see the state of your sister’s residence. Your sister has also, I assume, successfully raised at least one child without mangling them through incompetence.
You’ve raised the question, that’s all you really have any right to do.
The potential for injury is there, so you are not worrying too much.
Another factor to consider is that small children use touch as a sensory tool far more than adults. In the primary section of our school, all student work, pictures, posters, etc, are placed on the hallway walls beyond their reach for that reason because, even though it should only involve the sensory tool of sight, they invariably want to touch what they are looking at. Given that fact, if the toddler suddenly becomes interested in the spinning fans, the odds are very high that he will want to touch as well as look.
Those things are dangerous. If she were my sister I would (again) tell her, “Those fans are not safe around children. If she gets hurt you will be trouble.” And then I would give her a couple fans I just purchased at Walmart.
I would be upset if I went over there again and saw those fans in operation and near the child. They should be out of reach (preferably put away) until she’s much older.
Lots of grandwrex around here. And cats with tails.
I have an old table top fan like that. It doesn’t work. I snipped the cord off long ago. It’s just for decor.
I don’t think I would ever run something like that around kids and pets.
I’m a worrier, as well.
Plus I have plenty of parents to keep me in line about child proofing around here.
If they expressed concern, that item would be gone in a minute.
The blades on the fan are angled such that the leading edge is away from fingers poking in. Go look at a fan, and look at the direction the blades turn. Unless the fingers are getting poked in through the back, or through the side, they’re not going to be chopped off, but they’ll likely get banged hard. (ETA: this is why our grandparents had all of their fingers.) That said, they’re still dangerous and I wouldn’t have one anywhere near a child.
I actually had a good text discussion with my niece, the child’s mother. She is aware of the fans and moves them when she is there. She said she has noticed that her parents are a little more carefree with safety than she and her husband. so when the child is left with the grandparents, there are rules and instructions to follow. She and I are on the same page as far as safety and she and her husband are not afraid to be assertive when it comes to the child. I feel a lot better knowing she is watching out for the same things that I am. I appreciate all the comments.
