The Problems and Solutions of  Walk-in Showers

The Problems and Solutions of  Walk-in Showers

Many people prefer to add walk-in showers at home because they are easy to clean, cost-effective, and spacious. In addition, these are more suitable for people with limited mobility who cannot use bathtubs.

 

 

The issues with walk-in showers include unsuitable bathroom steam for young children, reduced house value, water damage to wood or metal fasteners, frequent maintenance, and damage to walls or basements.

The walk-in showers in the bathroom may have some minor issues, but people still like them because they are smaller than bathtubs. In addition, you can also find various options for glass doors that you don’t need to match with the color of the lighting fixtures.

 

Steam in the bathroom

 

The walk-in shower does not include curtains and glass door panels to cover the bathtub area and prevent water and moisture from splashing onto other parts of the bathroom.

Many people add glass doors on one side to make it aesthetically appealing and separate it from the rest of the interior.

When hot water comes into contact with the internal cold surface, steam is generated.

Steam can affect different indoor lighting fixtures, including mirrors and ceiling lights. Therefore, I prefer to add glass doors to limit steam.

If the window is located in the shower area, please keep the window open to remove hot water vapor.

Not suitable for children

Italian showers are not suitable for young children because they are not in the same place. In addition, parents find it difficult to place them in specific shower areas and restrict their activities.

Bathtubs are more suitable for toddlers and children because they stay in place.

They sit in the bathtub and enjoy playing with water and toys. Mothers can also easily clean their children with less effort and time.

You can add a rectangular sink in the bathroom for your child, as these sinks have greater water storage capacity and can serve as a bathtub for your child.

Reduce the value of houses

The devices installed in your home play an important role in increasing or decreasing the sales value of your home. When buyers cannot find what they need in your house, the value will decrease.

When you don’t add something based on people’s current trends and needs, the problem arises. For example, many people prefer bathtubs over walk-in showers.

Every family has elderly and children, and bathtubs are more suitable for cleaning and hygiene. Therefore, you can increase the value of the house by installing a bathtub and shower in the bathroom to meet the buyer’s requirements.

Water damage to wood and metal fasteners

The walk-in shower room does not include glass panels and curtains that separate the bathroom area. When you take a shower, it increases the overall humidity of the room.

High humidity can cause water related damage to the bathroom, resulting in complete damage to bathroom equipment. Wood and metal materials are more susceptible to water damage.

Due to these shower designs, high humidity destroyed my wooden cabinets. I saw their wooden material deform and felt a moldy smell on the fabric.

In addition, it can affect metal fasteners, as you can see corrosion on towel racks and handrails. The corrosive stains of these suspended materials can also adhere to fabrics and towels, making them difficult to handle.

High humidity can damage the silver coating of the mirror, resulting in loss of gloss and blackening. Keep the exhaust fan open to avoid wooden cabinets and metal fasteners.

Frequent maintenance

Walk in showers require more maintenance and cleaning as they may splash. They do not include coverage space, and water splashes may splash into the surrounding area.

Compared to the limited space for installing these devices, you need to clean up a large amount of mineral residue.

In addition, this also increases people’s efforts as they have to mop the floor after taking a shower instead of doing so. I added splash guards under the glass door to prevent water droplets from falling on other sides of the room.

Underfloor and wall damage

A walk-in shower has more pitfalls than benefits, and is not a better choice for the bathroom. These increase the water content in the bathroom, indirectly increasing the risk of damaging the underlying floor and walls.

Many people add drywall in other bathroom areas to reduce installation costs. However, the moisture in these areas will seep into the drywall and decompose the gypsum material.

Ceramic tiles and their grouting materials may also be damaged if exposed to water for a long time. Water can cause cracks in the filling material and easily infiltrate into the interior.

It will damage the underlying floor and disrupt the overall appearance of the interior. By placing small humidifiers near the floor and walls to absorb excess moisture, damage to the floor and walls can be prevented.

Additionally, you can add a ceiling fan as it dries the floor faster than an exhaust fan.

It’s very cold in winter

The walk-in shower has no doors or walls, so cold air directly enters the indoor space, making you feel cold. Therefore, in cold weather, these are not good choices because blowing cold air to take a shower will make you feel uncomfortable.

I don’t like doing this at home because the cold air when children take a shower is not good for them. People hope to have a comfortable indoor space in cold weather that can serve as a barrier against airflow.

Add warm light to indoor spaces to maintain warmth. In addition, you can install heated flooring to heat the area, but the cost is high.

Less privacy

A shower area without curtains and partitions looks unsafe and violates people’s privacy. Transparent glass door panels reduce the risk of moisture and splashing water, but do not provide privacy for people.

It may also limit the use of the bathroom as no one can use the sink or changing room while showering. These places do not include separate areas such as bathtubs and will not compromise people’s privacy.

Many people add glass panels around them, but due to their transparent material, you can easily see through them.

I added thick fabric curtains in the bathroom to increase privacy, but these curtains require more frequent cleaning and maintenance.

The ground is slippery

A walk-in shower can make the surrounding floor smooth due to splashing water and increase the risk of falling accidents. When the surrounding area is submerged by poor drainage and ventilation, waterfalls will also increase.

I prefer slightly moistening the shower floor so that water can quickly flow into the drain and dry the floor. These places do not have muddy soil, and water remains on the surface, forming a pool around them.

Check the drainage pipe to ensure it is not blocked and can be quickly drained. In addition, you can install textured flooring in the area to reduce the risk of falling and slipping accidents.

You can install stone flooring and place bamboo mats to reduce floor slippage issues. Install handrails to grip and reduce the risk of falling.