As we age, a bathroom is one place that becomes risky to use sometimes. Gripping ability reduces with age bringing risks of falling or slipping. So, Slippery surfaces in the bathroom may create a dangerous situation.
Dropping over wet surfaces can cause severe injury to bones. It is where bathroom grab bars come into the picture. People install them for safety, but there are some things to watch out for before installing bathroom grab bars.
Few Things To Consider While Installing Bathroom Grab Bars
There are numerous choices in bathroom grab bars, making it challenging to pick up the perfect one for your home. Apart from style, it is essential to consider a few important points before choosing the right grab bar for you.
Location And Use
To determine which grab bars work well for you, you first need to check out the spots where you want to add them. Some familiar places are by the shower, toilet, or near the bathtub.
Still, the excellent way to determine the location of bathroom grab bars is to pay extra attention to where precisely you want the support.
There are some common spots where you need help and consider features like the grab bars’ length, diameter, gripping surface, and so on while selecting the perfect one for you.
Your Physical And Health Requirements
Whenever you install bathroom grab bars, consider the height of users like elders who will need and use them often. You must see that they can reach the grab bar comfortably from the toilet seat or bathtub.
You or your elders can use it to stand up or sit in the place. Thus, the bar placed at the wrong height will not support or prevent any risks like falls.
You can also check out the bars having angles or vertical bars rather than horizontal. The requirements will help you choose the perfect style of grab bars.
Length
Grab bars vary in length that ranges from 9 to 42 inches. Also, numerous shapes are observed in ADA bathroom grab bars. You can blend your grab bars with decor and fixtures to prevent them from looking institutional.
Structural Strength
The strength and construction of the grab bars most important for safety. Grab bars do not rotate within their fittings, and so they are safe.
When you install correctly, grab bars will support up to 250 pounds of force. It is for keeping the power level for the user who is falling and holding the bar immediately.
Your Aesthetic Preferences
You may have thought about including grab bars in your bathroom. Will it look nice or not? However, modern grab bars are available that don’t look dull but give a new aesthetic appearance to your bathroom and functioning.
Various Types And Styles Of ADA Bathroom Grab Bars
Today, there are different modern and stylish safety bars options available for you –
Zig Zag Safety Bars
These rails offer sit-to-stand support, an angled section in the middle, and two horizontal support levels. These zig-zag bars are also available with different finishes that involve satin or polished stainless, powder coating black, white, or bronze.
Design Curved Grab Bars
It provides a multi-height bar having the lowest part close to the seat that helps to support you when you stand. The curvy bar can also hold a toilet roll, so the entire bar looks elegant, serving a dual purpose for you.
Crescent/Wave Grab Bars
A wave or Crescent bar has many styles and finishes that compliment your bathroom style so that it will not stand out as an assistive aid.
Swing Up Grab Bars
Swing Up bars are perfect for toilets that do not have a wall right beside them. Thus, you can move the bars out of the way when not in use. Yes, you can install two of such folding bars for support on both sides.
Straight Grab Bars
The straight grab bar is precisely linear. It is a simple essential sort of grab bar that everyone might have seen. You can install it in all three directions as needed.
Flip Down And Up Grab Bars
These bathroom grab bars hinge to the wall so that you can move up or down when not using them. You can install it in the toilet area.
Slide Grab Bar With Showerhead
You can consider this grab bar if you want to sit down in the bath. Slide grab bars will support you when you stand up or sit down and also hold the showerhead.
So, choose the type and style of grab bars you need.
Where Can You Place These Grab Bars According to Your Needs?
Below are some of the prominent places where you need grab bars and appropriately install them.
Wall Mounting
The foremost tip to remember is that bathroom walls must be mounted with grab bars. You need at least one on each wall division. For instance, if your bathroom has four walls, add four grab bars mount on each.
Tub-Shower Duo
Bathrooms having both a tub and a shower need a minimum of two grab bars. One is for the standing shower, while the other is for the tub that supports you get in or out.
Full Standing Shower
If you have the standing shower. It is essential to install the vertical support to the rod right at the entry of the walk-in shower.
It serves as the tool for immediate stability. It proves to be very efficient and helpful.
Bath Tubs
It would be best to fix the grab bars near the rims for regular and standard tubs that do not have a shower. Some bars are designed for these specifications, making them different from traditional wall mount handles.
Toilets
Two grab bars is recommended around toilets. One is right above the tank if your bathroom has an external tank, and the second is on the right wall, where you can also get the toilet roll holder on the bar itself.
Final Words
So, adding grab bars can reduce the risk of falling or slipping to increase the safety of users. There are many options available where you need to install the bars according to your needs and choices.
