How to Avoid Accidents in the Family Bath

By Jaye Lewis

When planning that bathroom remodel, the do-it-yourselfer often has grandiose ideas of color and design. We often neglect to consider safety in the planning stage. However, wisdom dictates that we must include safety issues, along with the pizzazz that tantalizes our imagination. Here are a few safety tips to incorporate into your bathroom plans:

• Saying No to Glass Fixtures. Unless you are decorating with glass tiles, leave glass containers out of your bathroom plans. Remember that bare feet and broken glass tumblers simply don't mix. Install a paper cup dispenser instead. Paper cups also prevent the spread of disease from one person to the next. Soap dispensers and standing toothbrush holders of glass are also best left out as accessories, since they can break when they hit the floor, and they will.

• Glass Tub and Shower Enclosures. Everyone loves that sparkling glass shower door; however make certain that those enclosures are made of impact-resistant safety glass. Also be sure to select shower doors that open outward, to assure accessibility if someone should fall and need assistance.

• Preventing a Lockout. It is important to select door locks that can be opened from the outside. Children find bathroom locks very interesting toys, and disabled adults can find themselves unable to reach the door-lock, should they need assistance.

• Preventing Slips. Wet bathroom floors can be treacherous. Many manufacturers offer slip-resistant flooring products. If using ceramic tile for your bathroom floors, be certain to choose a matte finish. Better yet, consider small tiles that require more grout, which does not become slippery. One of the many delights of small tiles is that they come on one-by-one foot cards. If you choose several boxes in different colors, you can create your own design. One woman successfully transferred her favorite counted-cross-stitch design to her bathroom floor, simply by switching the colors within the square; allowing each little tile to represent each X in her pattern.

• Keeping Your Grip. Grab-bars make safety-sense for any bathroom. The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends installing grab-bars in the shower, in the tub, and beside the toilet. Make certain to anchor these safety features to a framing stud. DO NOT ANCHOR GRAB BARS MERELY INTO THE WALLBOARD.

• Avoid Scalding. Nothing is more dangerous in a bathroom than sudden scaldings. Always check the water temperature before stepping into a shower or tub. Small children and seniors are especially sensitive to temperature changes. Install an anti-scald valve to ensure that there are no scalding accidents.

• Prevent Short-Circuit Shocks. Plug-in appliances, such as hair dryers, can be hazardous if they come in contact with water. Always install electric outlets with ground-fault circuit-interrupters (GFCI). These wonderful safety features can keep you or a family member from being electrocuted, since they immediately stop the flow of electricity when the appliance comes in contact with water. Hiring a licensed electrician for this job is the right move.

• Bathroom Lighting. This is the safety feature where most bathrooms fall seriously short. No other safety element is as important as lighting, especially in those interior bathrooms that do not have windows. Install non-glare overhead lighting above the tub and shower region. Supplement this lighting with task-lighting that spot-lights shaving and other mirror intensive tasks. Consider full-spectrum lighting, which mimics daylight lighting, so that you can see yourself in a more natural light.

• Natural Daylight. My all time favorite lighting fixture is a daylight-tube, which can be installed on a week-end. It will light your bath even on the gloomiest winter day. A daylight-tube is inserted through the roof (including all parts to waterproof around its entry), and the tube travels through the attic and into the ceiling entry over your tub. You may hire a professional to do the work, or you can do-it-yourself. Directions are usually included. A daylight tube works by bouncing daylight around inside the highly reflective tube. By the time the light reaches your bathroom it is simply glorious. Any place that you need or want daylight, a daylight-tube will more than deliver.

Bathroom safety is often overlooked in home-improvement planning, yet it is the single most important feature in any home. By thinking and planning ahead, you can prevent terrible accidents from happening to the ones you love. Your insurance carrier will thank you, and so will your family.

© Doityourself.com 2006