Whether you plan to grow old in your home or have an elderly relative living with you, a walk-in tub is an excellent feature to consider with your bathroom remodel project. Walk-in tubs provide safety and comfort with every use, making aging at home a safe and enjoyable experience.
Although there are many benefits to walk-in tubs, you should also consider the drawbacks when making your decision on how to prepare your bathroom for elderly comfort. Here are some pros and cons you should weigh before investing in a walk-in tub for your home.
Advantages of a Walk-In Tub
The most obvious advantage of a walk-in tub is the safety it provides. With more than one in four older people falling each year, it’s important to consider ways to prevent falls at home. Since many of these falls occur in the bathroom, a walk-in tub can be an extremely effective bathroom remodel for reducing fall risk. Rolox Home Service’s walk-in tubs have several safety features available and customizable to your needs including low step-in height, secure handrails, slip resistance, and more.
Thanks to the vast array of safety features on walk-in tubs, elderly independence at home is much more attainable. Mobility issues don’t have to necessitate moving to an assisted living facility or even in-home care — with some mindful remodels, your home can do the assisting.
Walk-in tubs are designed with your comfort in mind. Many models include extra wide seats, whirlpool jets, and anti-scald valves to reduce the risk of overheating. They also feature a narrower design than most tubs, since you’ll be sitting and don’t need as much room to stretch out. This means that — contrary to popular belief — water usage is comparable to most standard bathtubs despite the taller design that offers greater water depth. So your water bill won’t suffer!
Disadvantages of a Walk-In Tub
Because walk-in tubs involve a door that must be sealed for the duration of filling and draining the tub, you must sit in the tub the whole time. This could cause you to become chilled or overheated easily, but both of these issues are easily remedied with scald valves, heated seats, or just keeping a towel or robe handy to stay warm during filling and draining.
Another consideration is the cost of a walk-in tub. Because of the many features involved and the more complex installation, a walk-in tub can sometimes cost more than a standard bathtub. Another consideration is the maintenance: the door seal may wear over time, and you may need to pay for repairs. But despite these extra costs, when compared to the expense of moving to a retirement home or hiring in-home care, it’s still much less costly in the long run! If you’re concerned about budgeting for such an undertaking, we offer financing to help you secure the remodels you need now and pay it off over time instead of in one lump sum.
Although innate to walk-in tubs and a significant benefit due to the accessibility it offers, a walk-in tub door is also a bit of a disadvantage because of the risk of leaking and flooding. Swing-in doors can reduce the risk of bursting open during your bath and flooding the bathroom, but your door may still become less effective over time and require replacement.
Signs Your Walk-In Tub Door Needs to Be Replaced
The most important thing is to pay attention to the warning signs so you know when it’s time for a walk-in tub door seal replacement. Usually, a walk-in tub door will show one of these smaller issues before it gets to the point of breaking in the middle of your bath. If any of these issues occur, stop using the tub and contact us immediately to get a quote on replacing your walk-in tub door seal! Here are three issues to look for:
Water Leaks Out of the Tub
You may notice some water puddled on the floor when you get out of your tub. This is not normal and is a sign your door may not be fully sealed. Make sure your door is completely and properly closed before you start running the water. If all seems fine but you’re still seeing water leakage after your bath, it’s time to get your tub looked at and consider replacing your door or seal.
The Door Doesn’t Close Properly
Avoid taking a bath if your door isn’t closing properly! (No one wants to mop up puddles, after all!) Your walk-in tub’s door must be fully closed and sealed shut before bathing or you risk it leaking or even opening during your bath. If the door is becoming more difficult to properly close than usual, we recommend contacting us for a free in-home estimate on whether or not your door needs replacing. If you cannot close the door at all, then you definitely should contact us and not try to use the tub until the door has been replaced!
Your Floor is Warping or Damaged
If your floor is showing signs of warping or damage, your walk-in tub may be leaking in a way you can’t see. It’s best to stop using your walk-in tub until the source of the leak can be found. It’s most likely the door seal and will need replacing!
Whether Remodeling or Replacing, We’re Here to Help!
Rolox Home Service offers both installation of new walk-in tubs and replacement of walk-in tub doors and seals. If you are considering preparing your home for aging or need to replace the seal on your current walk-in tub, contact us for a free in-home consultation! (And if you decide a walk-in tub isn’t right for your home? We handle all kinds of bathroom remodels!) We’re happy to discuss all the costs involved and share with you our financing options to give you the renovations your bathroom needs today.
