Shower enclosures are becoming more typical in new construction and remodeling projects, replacing the old fashioned wet room. Remodeling a bathroom suite to include one can add cost to a project, so it is important to consider the actual advantages of an enclosure over a wet room. Surprisingly, one of the things to look most closely at when making your choice is not design or cost, but the age of the persons in your household.
Is There An Advantage To A Wet Room?
Wet rooms were the standard for so long the natural question is to look at whether there was an advantage to having one in the house. The answer is both yes, and no. A wet room can sometimes be ideal in houses with small children. It can make the bathing process easier on the parent because it opens up the area available. While this may seem a significant advantage, children only need help bathing for a few years and householders use their bathrooms for decades. The sacrifice in space that is required to have a wet room quickly undoes its momentary advantage of allowing more room to chase slippery toddlers.
What Are The Advantages Of A Walk-In Enclosure?
Walk-In shower enclosures have several advantages to them that quickly reveal them to be a better choice than a wet room. While wet rooms make it easier for parents to supervise their young children whilst bathing, using a walk-in can also make the process more controllable. For youth and adults, a walk-in shower can save significant time in the bathing and maintenance process. With an enclosure, there is only the shower screen to wipe down rather than a large space. Also, the privacy accorded to the bather allows for others to use the bathroom suite, which can be helpful in houses with teens. One thing that is not often mentioned is that a walk-in enclosure is easier for elders to use. There is less a chance of slip and fall injury as wet tile is limited and there is no climbing in and out of a bath. Lastly, walk-in shower enclosures can save space when designing or re-designing a bathroom suite in a home.
Things To Look For In A Shower Enclosure
To make sure you get the best for your budget, there are things you should look for when shopping shower enclosures. A movable shower head, one on a braided hose, can be best as it allows the shower to accommodate persons of all heights. There are also other styles and designs of shower heads available that you may want to consider such as soft, large heads and massaging styles. The wet pans of the enclosure are another important consideration. They should have an easy means of draining and not be plugged or stopped in any way. The height of the wet pan is also important, especially in homes with older residents. Also, consider the enclosure itself and what it is made of. Glass can be expensive and very heavy. Acrylic screens have become the new norm for enclosures. Acrylic is lighter, cheaper and easy to clean.
Louisa Jenkins is a Grimsby-based blogger. She regularly produces advice pieces on bathrooms, guiding people on which shower enclosures to buy, the flooring they should install and so on.
