If you are looking to remodel your bathroom to enhance accessibility, you might be asking yourself what to go for between a walk in tub and a walk in shower. Since each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages, it can be tough for you to make the right decision. Furthermore, the choice you decide to go with is likely to have a lasting impact for a long period. Therefore, you want to make sure that you select wisely. This article is going to make things easy for you, as it analyzes how you can choose between a walk in tub and a walk in shower.
- Available Space
The amount of space that you have to work with plays a major role in making the decision between a walk in tub and a walk in shower. If you have a small bathroom space, a walk in shower may be the best option for you. This is because it does not use up a lot of space compared to a walk in tub. On the other hand, if you have a large bathroom, then you can choose a walk in tub, which requires extra space. If your bathroom is quite big, you can decide to install the two options.
- Accessibility and Convenience
If you are renovating your bathroom to make it more accessible, you may want to go with an accessible walk-in shower. All you need to do with this option is walk in the bathroom, turn on the shower, and take your bath. This is quite different from what a walk in tub requires of the user. In fact, a walk in tub requires the user to walk steadily because most of them still have a small step. This means that you may need to raise your feet over to pass through when entering or exiting. This can be a bit hard to maneuver if you rely on a walker or wheelchair for your stability. A walk in tub might thus not be the best solution when you are looking to achieve accessibility. Having a walk in shower also eliminates the waiting time of filling and draining your bathtub, which increases convenience.
- Resale Value
If you plan to sell your home any time soon, then you may want to install a walk in tub instead of a walk in shower. The reasoning behind this is that when you only have a walk in shower, you will be isolating couples and families with kids. These are the people mostly looking to buy houses and you do not want anything to affect their purchase decision. If you want even better results in the property market, consider having a shower/tub combo.
- Custom Features
If you are looking to introduce custom features into your bathroom to make it look and feel like a spa, you can achieve that by installing a walk in tub. You can have your bathtub customized in such a way that it has features like hot water jets, which you can use to control the temperature of your tub. You can soak yourself in this hot water, creating an amazing home spa experience. On the other hand, if you decide to go with a walk in shower, then you will have other options to consider. One thing that you can have with a walk in shower is custom seats, which are good for individuals with mobility issues.
- Energy Efficiency
If energy efficiency is a high priority for you, then you should install a walk in shower instead of a walk in tub. The reason behind this is that a walk in tub requires more energy to heat up the water. The cost will even be higher if you have other features like a whirlpool or water jet installed in your tub. A shower uses up less energy and saves you money on your water bill, since you do not need a lot of water to take a shower. This is a great bonus for your wallet.
Mobility problems prevent individuals from being able to perform daily activities, such as bathing. This can be deflating to a person’s emotional state, bearing in mind that bathing is an all-important daily task that should be performed independently. Luckily, there are solutions for these issues such as installing a walk in tub or a walk in shower. This article has explained the factors that may affect your decision of choosing between the two. If you are still not sure, consider reaching out to a professional for further assistance.