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Howard Appelbaum

Howard Appelbaum – New Jersey

Baby Proofers Plus

Howard Appelbaum started Baby Proofers Plus in 1993. He obtained the Advanced Certified Professional Childproofer designation when it became available in 2011, feeling it was important to support the expertise of the industry. “Sometimes there is an idea that a childproofer is simply a handyman,” he notes, “but my experience with quality and safer child safety products differentiates me.”

Describe the process when someone considers working with you.

Our process involves two stages. First, we do a room-by-room home evaluation with the parent(s), citing the potential hazards and problems we see, as well as hearing their concerns. We have a collaborative discussion. Then we do a show and tell of the safety products recommended. We follow with an emailed estimate. After reviewing the estimate, the customer schedules a date for us to implement those safety products. The process to install safety items is always within one day.

What is the benefit that most of your clients experience from using your services?

Customers know their home is safer because they have used an Advanced Certified Professional Childproofer, who has installed safety products correctly and is experienced in balancing safety with aesthetics and functionality. People may not have the time to install the safety products themselves or may be unable to find the right or best products. By working with a professional, they are assured the right product is used and installed correctly. Many safety products are made differently, and we only use the highest quality items, including only certified baby gates.

Describe a typical childproofing job.

Typically, the jobs we do include latches in cabinets/drawers, protective safety outlet covers, safety gates, toilet lid locks, furniture and TV anchoring, door locks, and protective wire covering.

What else would you like to share?

I love making homes safer for children because it’s a way of giving back to society. Helping others is a positive reward. The most challenging aspect of my job is explaining to parents that childproofing is more than just installing safety items. Awareness and educating parents about where potential hazards exist in their home, and how quickly accidents can happen overcomes the challenge.