Article - Water, Water Everywhere!

Taking a quick shower is not only good for your personal hygiene, it can be an invigorating way to wake up in the morning or a relaxing retreat after a stressful day. But taking a shower can also be frustrating if the controls are too hard to use or the water doesn't go where you want. For example, if you have difficulty standing and prefer to use a shower seat, the spray from a standard shower head might not reach your whole body. In addition, people who find it difficult to twist may have trouble turning to rinse their front and back and people with arthritis might have trouble adjusting the knobs for the shower head while standing.

You could completely remodel your shower to suit your needs. Or you can make a few adjustments with easy-to-install pieces of hardware that make the water in your shower work better for you.

The staff at Dynamic-Living.com has identified a few products and tips to help you move the water in your shower where you want it, when you want it and how you like it.

Does your shower spray water just where you need it?

A hand-held shower is an inexpensive, versatile alternative that offers convenience and safety all in one. You can shower completely from a seated position, directing the water exactly where you want. You can also use a hand-held shower to bathe someone else.

A hand-held shower may include the following features:

• spray and massage selections

• pause functions

• the ability to attach it to a bar so that the height can be adjusted if you would prefer not to hold it.

How do I turn this thing off?

Most Hand Held Showers with a pause button don't completely stop the water, they only slow it down to a dribble. Adding an On/Off Switch between your hand held shower head and the hose allows you to completely stop the flow of water without getting up from your seat. It eliminates the need to bend or reach for the controls on the other side of the tub.

What if a hand-held shower doesn't work for every member of the household?

Diverter valves that redirect the water let you add accessible hand-held showers to your bath without eliminating the existing shower-head or tub spout used by the rest of your family.

There are two types of diverters available to help manage a hand-held shower.

• A shower arm diverter valve can be added to the showerhead pipe to switch the water flow between an overhead shower or a hand-held shower. These diverters can be easily installed in minutes by anyone with handyman skills.

• A tub diverter spout can be installed (preferably by a certified plumber) to enable use of either the tub spout or a hand-held shower.

Ow! Don't flush the toilet while I'm showering!

If someone flushes a toilet while you are in the shower, does the water suddenly get extremely hot? Maybe your skin is not as sensitive to sensing water temperature as it should be. This a common occurrence for children and for older people, leaving them vulnerable to burns if the water is too hot. The average water heater is often set at 120º or higher. This is too hot for direct exposure to skin, so it is usually mixed with some cold water to make the temperature safe. Unfortunately, if the cold water is suddenly unavailable there isn't anything to moderate the water temperature. The HydroGuard Scald Guard monitors the shower's water temperature and reduces the water flow to a trickle if it becomes hotter than 115º. Once the water goes below that temperature again, the shower will automatically return to a normal flow.

Is water seeping out of your roll-in shower onto the bathroom floor?

Barrier-free shower stalls are easier for people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility to get into. Unfortunately, if the water isn't draining as fast as it should you might end up with water all over your bathroom floor. This is a safety hazard. The Collapsible Water Dam is designed to allow wheelchairs and rolling shower chairs unrestricted access to a curbless shower. Made of a heavy duty foam, the Water Dam collapses when it is stepped on or rolled over. When the pressure is removed, the foam returns to it's original shape, preventing water from escaping.

Water is a precious commodity, don't waste it by using it inefficiently, ineffectively, or not in the way you really need it. If you are not enjoying your showering experience, you don't have to remodel when a few adaptations could do the trick. It's your shower. Make it just right for you!

© Copyright 2007 Dynamic Living, Inc.
Dynamic Living Newsletter may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the editor must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.

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