Risks of an Outdated Bathroom
Bathrooms are a place of retreat from stressful routines. We all need a fully functional bathroom to fulfill our needs and stay fresh. But the same place that is supposed to be a cozy environment can become dangerous due to minor negligence.
In one incident, law enforcement found an unresponsive 4-year-old boy in a bathtub who died an hour after reaching the hospital. The case was labeled as accidental and nobody was charged. But that’s not it. Every year, over 15,000 people either get severely injured or die in a bathroom due to poor maintenance.
If you also have an outdated bathroom, you and your loved ones are at risk. Below, we will explain the dangers of an outdated bathroom and how to mitigate the risks.
Leaks
Bathroom leaks are common, and many people ignore such issues. According to a report, most bathroom accidents occur primarily due to leaks. But how?
Bathroom leakage refers to water dripping from damaged or poorly fit faucets or fixtures. The same leakage could be behind the bathroom walls in the pipelines.
Leaks are more dangerous than you think. The gradually dripping water leaves the bathroom floor wet. When no one uses the bathroom for a few hours, for example, late at night, a layer of water is created on the flooring without any apparent trace.
The morning hours are the busiest in ordinary homes. If anyone hurriedly opens the bathroom door and steps in, they may slip.
These accidents are common in all age groups. Keeping floors dry and repairing leaks is the most effective way to prevent these occurrences.
Toxic Mold
Your bathroom might start accommodating mold due to poor ventilation and drainage. Mold is a fungal substance that grows in bathrooms due to dampness and humidity. It’s problematic for two reasons:
- It damages bathroom fixtures and structure
- It causes respiratory diseases
If there’s mold at the sink’s borders, the sink will begin to deteriorate. The mold gradually attacks the joints where components are firmly connected. After some years, the sink will look like it can collapse at any time.
The same mold can become harmful for your lungs. It can also cause skin allergies in some people.
Accidents in the Shower or Bathtub
These two fixtures are also common places for bathroom accidents for many reasons. An outdated shower or bathtub is susceptible to leakage, and you already know the consequences of having a leaky bathroom fixture.
If there’s a broken tile or border, the chances of tripping and falling in the bathroom are quite high.
While taking a shower or enjoying a hot bath, shampoos, soap bars, and other products must be close by. If they are far away from the shower or bathtub, you might lose your balance while reaching for them.
Shower Doors
Shower doors offer privacy and prevent water from escaping the shower. However, they become dangerous if you don’t consider these two factors:
- Professional shower installer
- Quality of the glass
Firstly, you must hire a professional shower door installer if you don’t have expertise installing it yourself. Hiring an incompetent worker for this job will only risk your safety.
Suppose a worker installed a shower door without taking accurate measurements. Since you were not there, the worker poorly fit the door and gave it weak support to fix it temporarily. When you open the door, its weak support suddenly collapses, and the hinges are too weak to carry the door’s weight.
Shower doors usually have lightweight glass to make them easy to open and close. However, the glass must be of high quality yet lightweight so it won’t shatter easily. Horrible injuries can happen if the glass shatters.
Preventing Bathroom Accidents
Since accidents happen more in bathrooms than any other room, you must be careful to keep them updated and safe. Here are a few techniques you should consider to make your bathroom a safer place for households and guests:
- Always hire a professional bathroom contractor whenever you plan for renovation or remodel work. These contractors are experienced and know how to cater to complex bathroom structures.
- Invest in good-quality fixtures because if you are the homeowner, you will use your bathroom for many years.
- Immediately fix bathroom leaks and damaged fixtures.
- Install supportive accessories for people who can’t independently use the bathroom. For example, add adjustable toilet seats so that people with mobile disabilities can easily sit and stand up from the toilet seat.
Make Your Bathroom Safe With Us
By keeping your bathroom safe and updated, you can prevent injuries. The bathroom should be a place where you and your family members can relax without worrying about your safety.
So, invest in your bathroom to avoid risks of falling and getting injured with our network of bathroom remodeling professionals.