What to look for in a walk in tub

What many do not realize is very few walk in tub manufacturers make their walk in tubs entirely in the USA. Since a majority of parts are shipped from China to save on production costs and manufactured here in the USA, there are several safety features that may be left out that do not adhere to safety regulations for walk in tubs here in the USA.

There are safety regulations set by leading testing laboratories and organizations that are committed to consumer safety. When purchasing a walk in tub make sure it is manufactured in the USA and is certified by UL®, IAMPO/R&T, UPC®, IPC®, or ETL. In addition you’ll want to make sure the walk in tub is ADA compliant.

Safety features to look for in a walk in tub are non-slip floor, ADA approved seat, safety grab bars, solid stainless steel support frame, reinforced door system with lifetime door seal, fast draining system, overflow protection drain, door drain, and easy to use tub doorway. These safety features should all be standard with your walk in tub.

If you are looking for the best bathing experience there are several therapeutic features a walk in tub provides. Water massage jets, air jets, dual jets (water and air jets), chromatherapy (light therapy), aromatherapy (aromatic therapy), inline heater (maintains constant water temperature), ozone generator (sanitizes tub and equipment), uv sterilizer (eliminates water-borne pathogens and cleans water), and soothing headrest for relaxation.

Of all the features a walk in tub provides something that is easily overlooked is the ease of use. Does the walk in tub have a quick drain system? Are the controls, faucet, and hand held shower within comfortable reach while sitting down? Is the seat contoured to your body and comfortable? Are safety grab bars positioned in all the right places maneuvering in and out of tub? There are several different walk in tubs that each offer a different bathing experience, so make sure you can answer yes to all of these when purchasing a specific walk in tub model.

A majority of walk in tub manufacturers will ship out their walk in tub and have a local third party handyman install the walk in tub to save the expense of hiring a licensed contractor. Before purchasing your walk in tub you’ll want to ensure the company selling the walk in tub is also a licensed contractor and verify they specialize exclusively with walk in tubs. Walk in tubs that are installed by unlicensed handymen could void the warranty, so you are protected by purchasing your walk in tub from a company that handles the sale, installation, and service of your walk in tub.

Your walk in tub is a purchase you want to rely on for the rest of your life. You can protect your investment by ensuring your walk in tub includes lifetime warranty and includes service in the event something needs repaired in the future. A key component in your walk in tub is the door seal. The tub door seal should come standard with a lifetime warranty. If the manufacturer offers a limited lifetime warranty make sure you understand everything covered and the term of the warranty. We suggest a minimum warranty term of 10 years on all parts and labor to protect your investment.