Tub/shower options

Hi,

Looking at the sterling line of tub/showers they have a couple options that I would like clarification on if you could. Is age in place brackets necessary or recommended and should I get one with an access panel. Thanks

tub

If it is not a jetted tub with a motor, why would you need an access panel?

What about them brackets HJ. Do you recommend them? Probably good if somebody slips but of course the sliding doors will have handles on them. Thanks

If you use the towel bar on a glass door for your tub/shower to catch your fall, you might just have the glass following you down! They are not qualified as ADA safety bars and are not designed to hold much of any weight. Safety bars in a tub shower are handy for any age. They need to be installed properly which usually takes some prior planning. You want the anchors to go into solid material - normally, you'd put in some solid wood blocking between the studs so the screw mounts have something solid to bite into.

For a tiled wall, www.wingits.com makes some neat anchors that fit into a hole. I used a pair in my mother's house to install a safety bar - really slick, but your holes must be very accurately placed - there's very little leeway.

To be useful, make sure that any bars in the tub/shower are actually rated as ADA safety bars - otherwise, consider them ornamentation - they may work, or they may not.

I installed grab bars in my shower years ago, when I did not need them but thought it was just a good idea. Then , twice within the last 6 years, I sprained a knee ( each one once!....I'm an equal opportunity sprainer) and those grab bars were the difference between a shower and a sponge bath!

Prior planning will make it infinitely easier to put the bars up, whenever you decide to do that.