How to Prevent Bathroom Injuries
Did you know that about 25% of all emergency room visits stem from slips and falls, and that most take place at home? Equally important, many such accidents occur in the bathroom, especially among seniors, small children, and anyone who needs assistance.
While there are several ways to beef up bathroom safety, our focus today is on equipping your showerhead with an anti-scald valve. That’s because when the water suddenly turns extra hot, people are inclined to quickly move away and, on a wet shower floor, that can easily result in a fall.
What causes sudden water temperature fluctuations?
When a toilet is flushed – just as one example – cold water flows into the tank and, simultaneously, lowers the water pressure in cold-water pipes. If someone is taking a shower at the same time, less cold-water pressure can cause the shower water to suddenly feel much hotter than usual, even if for just a few seconds – but long enough to cause an accident, including serious burns.
Of course, the reverse can happen, too. Let’s say a family member is taking a shower and in an instant the water turns colder while someone else turns on a hot water faucet at the same time. These situations occur more frequently in homes with clogged or narrow plumbing, plus those with low-flow and multiple showerheads.
Anti-scald valves sense and correct for the sudden loss of cold water from a showerhead. They can also be installed for use in your kitchen or bathroom sinks.
More bathroom safety tips and devices
While a great deal more can go wrong in your bathroom, Best Choice Plumbers can help prevent countless injuries with these and other safety measures:
• Anti-slip tub or shower floor mats
• Anti-slip flooring, such as rubber or non-glazed tile
• Grab bars in and around the tub or shower
• Grab bars next to the toilet
• Comfort heights toilets to shorten the distance it takes to sit on or get up from a toilet
• Bathtub benches
• Walk-in tubs
• Hand-held shower head, which reduces the amount of turning and twisting
• Child-proof locks on all lower cabinets and anywhere else medicines and household cleaners are kept
For more information on how Best Choice Plumbers can help introduce added safety into your home – your bathrooms in particular – contact us today.