Bathroom Safety

26 Things to think about in your Bathroom...

Bathroom Safety:

1. Do you have a bathroom fan?

When was it last cleaned? Where does it duct too? Does it go through an attic, basement, or crawlspace? Can water vapor become condensation in the venting and become trapped in there? This could make the fan work poorly and grow mold.

2. Do you have a shower door or shower curtain?

Shower doors should open out and should be tempered glass. There should be a small label or insignia on a corner of the glass saying it is tempered. Tempered glass breaks in small rounded chips. Regular glass breaks in sharp pointed shards. Shower curtains can stay wet in the tub and grow mold on the plastic or cloth.

3. Are your light bulbs in the bath correct wattage? Are there any burnt out or missing? Good lighting can properly illuminate areas to avoid accidents. Is there proper illumination in your shower area?

4. Are there dangerous chemicals and cleaning materials under your sink areas? Are they properly sealed. Could they be stored in a safer, less child accessible location ? Do you really need all of these, especially ones you haven't used in years? Do you know the number for poison control?

5. Can you adjust the shower water controls from outside the shower (without getting wet) ? Scalding is a real concern in showers.

6. Is the electrical outlet in your bathroom a newer safety type with a Test and Reset button? Ground Fault safety devices (gfci) shut off in a millisecond (before you or a loved one) get electrocuted. Do not use extension cords or multiple taps in bathrooms.

7. Do you have a skid/slip resistant mat for inside your tub?   Do you have a securely installed handle to hold onto, when you leave your shower or bath. (Not a towel bar!)

8. Do you have the newer pressure balancing single lever shower/tub valve? These reduce the chance of radical temperature drop or increase when another fixture in your home is used while someone is showering.

9. Have you checked recently under your vanity for leaks. Does the sink faucet drip or does the drain mechanism need adjustment? If there is a sink overflow...have you tested that for leakage? Slowly overfill the sink till the water enters the overflow tube and look below for leaks).

10. Is your medicine cabinet securely fastened to the wall? Will items like glass bottles, medicines or razors fall out when the door opens or is slammed?

11. Are your tiles tight and well secured to the wall? Is the grout between them clean and in good shape. Does it need re-grouting? Water can get behind the tiles and ruin the wall, grow mold and rot the framing.

12. If there is a window in the shower is it tempered? Does water collect around it? Is the tile and grout intact. Consider installing a shower curtain over that.

13. How is the toilet? Is it loose and able to wobble or partially turn? Toilets sit on a wax seal that can deteriorate if the toilet is not bolted tightly to the support flange. Is the back tank loose? Is the cover cracked? Damaged porcelain and china should be replaced.

14. Does the toilet run more than it should. Flapper mechanisms are easy to replace. Water continuously running in your toilet will waste water and can get expensive.

15. If the toilet flushes on its own it indicates the flapper may be leaking. Do not use large hockey puck shaped bleach tablets inside the toilet as these can ruin the flapper mechanism.

16. How is the floor doing? Are tiles loose or cracked? Are there areas that are mushy or bouncy? Water getting below the flooring can leak into rooms below and create pockets of damage and mold.

17. Are the towel bars firmly anchored or are they loose on the wall?

18. If there is a linen closet is there an exposed bulb in there that could be too close to combustible towels and sheets?

19. If you have a heat source like an electric heater on a wall... can combustibles be placed near or hung over the heater? Danger!

20. Broken handles, loose hinges and missing door stops should be checked. Is there a spare key above the outside of the door frame in case of emergencies?

21. Are heat lamps on timers? (too avoid overheating) Are hair dryers, curling irons and other appliances placed in safe locations when not in use?

22. If there is a skylight is it operable? Are there screens? Any signs of water entry or condensation?

23. Is the vanity counter loose ? Is there a bead of caulking on the back splash?

24. When clearing stopped up drains and clogs... wear eye protection. Many drain cleaners react strongly when they hit water and can spatter on you. Also avoid fumes which can be dangerous.

25. Jetted bathtubs need regular sanitizing to avoid skin rashes, mold and bacteria growth. Fill the tub above the height of the jets and run hot water and a few tablespoons of laundry detergent for about 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and re-fill. Add a Pint of bleach for about every 75 gallons. Run for 15 minutes and then drain and rinse. Re-sanitize every other month.

26. Clean mold at first sign with detergent and a sponge. Don't worry about killing it , just get rid of it.

These safety tips are provided by :