There are many types and designs that can be applied in a bathroom to bathe in. The most common and budget-friendly is a shower stall with either a shower head or a handheld shower. The second is the common bath tab which might be either a free-standing bath tab or a combination of a bathtub and a shower stall.
All these are great, but this article is mainly on a different type of tab known as a walk-in tub. A walk-in tab is designed to apply to handicapped people. The tab is designed to have an entrance or a door and a seat. There are some advantages and disadvantages to having a walk-in tab instead of a bath tab, but the owner’s decision is always up to.
The installation process varies depending on the buyer. If the buyer is skilled in the installation process, it could be a DIY project for them. But if the buyer or owner is not skilled or does not have the time, they could have professional services and make sure the tab is installed properly. People should have professional installation to avoid challenges developing over time due to mistakes done during installation.
Requirements
Before installation day, some things are required to be available on site. It takes about a day to install the tab, meaning if something is not on-site, it might delay the process and lead to the installation taking up more time. Some of the necessary things for the procedure include; the most important is that the walk-in tab should be on-site either earlier or that morning. Other things required are protective gear, tools, plumbing materials such as pipes and faucets, electrical and materials to build up the wall and surrounding including wall tiles for the wall.
Process
The process begins by ensuring that the water supply to the tab is off. The second step is ensuring that all electrical to the tab is also off. This ensures safety and dryness in the bathroom to provide a good working environment. The second part should be having a floor protection cover in the bathroom and the entire way to the bathroom. The next step is to ensure the PVC drain is in place and fitted for the tab. This should be done alongside connecting the necessary electric line to the breaker box from an approved location near the tab.
This should be the next step if walls are built around the tab. But if walls are already in place, the next step is to install tab plumbing for the locking nuts for the faucets and drainage. This process should be done outside where people have enough space to work around the tab. The next step is to build the tab pocket; this starts by dry fitting the tab, placing the tab in the pocket, checking the level, and releveling the feet accordingly. The process also involves measuring the tabs surrounding and constructing the surrounding to the measurements taken. After the surrounding is in place, the next step is to place the tab in its pocket and bolt it to the floor. Once secure, hook up the drain, water supply, and electrical. The next step is the finishing touches, including the faucets, lights, and other creative additions the owner wants.
Benefits
Tabs have several advantages in a house, but a walk-in tab has more advantages. A normal tab may have therapeutic benefits, including joint, muscle, and bone health, lower stress and blood sugar, improved sleep, and heart health. But walk in tabs have all this a few more such as they are safer since people do not have to skip over the edges to get in or out, they are easy to remove in case you want to sell them, they require less space, and they increase the value of the property more than a normal tab.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a walk-in tab is better and safer to have in your house. It is meant for people will disabilities and developed to make life easier for them. Even if nobody in the house is handicapped, they will be safer using the walk-in tab than the normal bathtub. And if one of the future occupants is handicapped, they will not have to make any changes in the house. The installation process is also easier than the normal bath tab, and the tab can easily be removed if the owner wants to replace it.