Every walk in bathtubs have doors. This bathtub configuration differentiates walk in tubs from ordinary bathtubs. Doors in the walk in tubs provides a specific purpose that is easy, safe and comfortable access to the baths. Walk in bathtub doors needs also to be water tight sealed. The guaranteed seal on the doors is not open for compromise otherwise if the door does leak, it will defeat the purpose of safety to which walk in tubs are designed for. The elderly, who is the primary benefactors of these tubs, will be open to the hazard of slippery bathroom flooring due to the water leak.
There are four types of door styles to choose from in a walk in tub. The type of door that will be suitable for you depends on your choice and needs, bathroom space, your physical condition and the degree of security you may want. The types of bathtub doors are the following; doors that swings inward to open, doors that swing outwards to open, sliding doors and upward swinging door.
Outward Swinging Doors
When you open an outward swinging door, you pull the door towards you. It takes up the space in your bathroom rather than go to the bathtub itself. Established healthcare institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, retirement facilities and the like, uses these tubs with outward-swinging doors. This type of walk in bathtubs are more expensive to manufacture, hence its exorbitant price. Aside from high cost of these type of bathtubs, outward swinging door walk in tubs does not has aesthetic value. They look like medical equipments and may not be suitable for ordinary residential homes. The outward swinging door is made water tight by reinforcing the door itself and strengthening the bathtub shell to which it is hinged. To do this heavy-duty bolts is locked to the frame of the door. Aside from this heavy bars are used to ascertain enough support for the door. The locking mechanism or the lock handles of an outward-swinging walk in tub door requires extra strength and complicated making it Non ADA compliant. ADA guidelines require minimum grip strength and easy to operate controls. Outward swinging doors walk in bathtubs are ugly, expensive and difficult to operate which makes it not advisable for ordinary use. However it has a special function. In case of emergency, the bather can be easily removed in the tub by simply opening the door without draining the water inside. Health institutions love this type of door in their walk in tubs.
Inward-Swinging Doors
When you open an inward swinging door, you push the door towards the inside of the tub. Walk in tubs with this door design is marketed for home resident consumers. Manufacturers for inward swinging walk in tubs also abounds because it is easier to produced and much cheaper. To make the door of this walk in tubs water tight a one piece construction of bathtub frame is required. Aside from that the door itself sealed in itself with the water pressure inside the tub a minimum problem because the one piece construction of the frame can bear the weight of the bathing water and the bather. Because of this, walk in bathtubs can be designed in terms of beauty. Inward Swinging door bathtubs are stylish and classy. The locking mechanism is ergonomic and ADA compliant. It also does not require additional bathroom space since the door opens towards the inner bathtub space. Inward swinging walk in tub doors are popular to ordinary home users because of their aesthetic designs, affordable prices and space saving features. However it has one major disadvantage. The water in the bathtub needs to be drained completely before the door can be open. In times of emergency this situation for an elderly bather can be really dicey.
Slide in Bathtub Doors
To open a slide in walk in tub doors you need to glide the door into wall by means of a door track. The sliding door has minimum space clearance and door can be locked automatically by means of an automatic latch. In times of emergency the door can be open without draining the water inside. This type of walk in tubs are relatively new to the market and few reviews of its safety and security can be readily found. With a moderate price this walk in bathtubs may be the next superstars for less aesthetically inclined elderly bather. Slide in walk in tubs rely on the wall track to function. Hence it is cabinet base and maybe likened to a box crate.
Upward Swinging Bathtub Doors
To open an upward swinging walk in tub door, you need to lift the door upwards and to push the door downwards to close it down. Like the slide in bathtub door, the door will no hamper the legs of the bather. Its door space requirement is also minimal. The door can also be opened without water draining. Its futuristic look may not be well suited to an ordinary residential bathroom and the price is not affordable to the average income elderly consumers.
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