Don’t Become a Toppling Television Statistic.

I tend to err on the side of caution. And by this, I mean I occasionally act like a human bumper-pad to my 2-year old, following him around everywhere to hopefully prevent any and every opportunity of him getting injured. Thankfully, with consistent coaching from my husband (along with the occasional chill pill), I’ve gotten a lot better about this and am beginning to realize my kid is going to be a kid—which inevitably comes with bumps, bruises and breaks—a tough, but necessary reality for me to face. That being said, there are a few things I’ll never stop worrying about, and with which I will continue to take additional precautions with. One subject in particular is the securing of the televisions within our home.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, furniture and TV tip-over incidents are one of the top hidden hazards in the home, amounting to about 8,000-10,000 children being treated in ERs each year, and the worst statistic showing that a child dies every 3 weeks from a toppling TV.

It seems quite odd to me that even though box-televisions are a thing of the past (for the most part anyway), injuries from toppling TVs are continuing to rise—an increase of 31% over the last ten years. Perhaps it’s because of the weight structure or the stature of the newer-style sets, as they tend to be front-heavy and are much easier to move or jolt. Or maybe it’s because they are now fitting onto fireplace mantels and narrower areas much more easily. Regardless of the reasoning, it’s a statistic that could be easily reduced.

Most new television sets should come with mounting hardware, or at the very least, a strong base. If you are placing your TV in an armoire or entertainment center, be certain it is placed as far back as it can go and it’s on a flat, sturdy surface. If you are placing it on a wall, purchase and install a proper TV wall-mount and anchor it securely.

We decided to take to social media to look at some of the ways our Control4 dealers are mounting televisions in their clients’ homes. A few of them are using a more standard-style mounting while the others push the envelope a bit. Aside from cool aesthetic appeal and blending in with the décor and sophistication of the home, they all have another huge benefit in common—SAFETY.