If you are a live-in carer or have limited mobility, a walk in bath will help take a lot of the strain out of bathing. Available in a variety of types and styles, walk in baths will give back independence, making bathing a more pleasurable experience. As there is a wide range to choose from, it can be a bit daunting to decide which the best walk in bath is for you.
What Should I Be Considering If I Want To Purchase A Walk In Bath?
- Safety Features – User safety is probably the most important thing to consider when thinking about installing or purchasing walk in baths. Make sure your walk in bath has safety rails installed to avoid any slips or falls. Additional rails can be purchased to increase safety. Check that non-slip strips have been installed too. As most walk in baths have a seat and require bathers to sit in the bath while it fills, make sure that your bath has a Thermostatic Mixing Value (TMV). This is an anti-scalding measure that controls the maximum temperature of the water as the bath fills.
- Height – As a walk in bath is designed with ease of access and the dignity of the bather in mind, be sure to consider what is known as the step in height, when purchasing your bath. The step in height is the lip over which you will need to step when the door is open. Additional steps can be purchased to meet your comfort requirements. This is particularly handy if you suffer from mobility issues. A taller walk in bath may be more beneficial to you if this is the case, as they offer surfaces to hold onto when entering the bath.
- Door Swing Direction – Walk in baths feature doors for improved accessibility over a regular bath. Some baths feature inward doors, whereas others have doors that open outwards. An outward opening door can prove more hazardous to users should the door opening mechanism fail, but are smaller than inward opening doors. Outward opening doors are a rarity these days. An inward opening door, however, will form a tighter seal as the water pressure forces the door closed. Walk in baths are all designed not to leak when full.
What Else To Consider
You may be entitled to cheaper council tax rates when adapting your property to be suitable for a person with a disability. Be sure to check with your local council or Citizen’s Advice Bureau. Large scale appliances, especially for bathrooms, can be costly to install so this may help financially.
Also consider what aesthetic options would match your bathroom if converting your home or installing a new walk in bath. The shapes of walk in baths are quite different in appearance to regular baths, so make sure you pick and attractive option.
Would You Like To Know More?
Bathtime Mobility specialise in the installation of accessible bathrooms and showers, meeting the needs of the disabled. For more information or to get a quote, contact us today.