Accidents surrounding toilets aren’t very common, but they certainly do happen. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to keep your toilet safe. Knowing what you can do can help keep you and other members of your household safe from slips, falls, and other accidents. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Babyproof Your Toilet
Toddlers find toilets interesting. Curious toddlers are at risk of falling in the toilet, and those who do fall in are unable to climb out on their own. This puts your toddler at risk of drowning.
Babyproof your toilet by installing a latch on the lid – or by placing a latch on the bathroom door that would prevent your bathroom from becoming accessible to your toddler.
2. Install Grab Bars
Grab bars are an essential tool for anyone who can’t easily stand up from the toilet when they’re done using it. Grab bars can prevent slips and falls in the bathroom.
When you’re installing grab bars in your bathroom, take care to install real grab bars – not a towel rack. Pay attention to the capacity of your grab bars before buying them, as it’s important to buy grab bars that can bear the weight of the person who will be using them.
Grab bars must be properly anchored or installed in the studs of the wall in order to be secure. Follow all instructions for installation, or hire a handyman or contractor to install grab bars for you.
3. Adjust the Seat Height
If you or a loved one have trouble standing from the toilet, then another way that you can make using the toilet easier is to adjust the height of the seat. The lower your toilet’s profile, the more strength it requires to stand up from a sitting position. Tall toilet seats are available to provide a higher surface on which to sit when using the toilet.
4. Light the Space Around the Toilet
Some people injure themselves using the toilet at night because they can’t see the toilet in the dark, and they don’t want to turn on the bathroom light. Keeping the space around the toilet dimly lit can help with this problem. Install a nightlight to provide you with some safety when using the bathroom at night.
5. Replace Your Toilet if Needed
It may be that your toilet is just too short for your needs, and you need a taller toilet. Or, maybe you want a toilet that lights up from the inside (instead of a nightlight). If this is the case, replacing the toilet is the most practical way to make your toilet safe.
To ensure that your toilet is properly (and safely!) installed, contact a reputable toilet installation person in your area. ToiletKing performs toilet installations for homeowners and business owners in Northern Virginia.
We make toilet installation easy by installing the new toilet and hauling away the old toilet. To learn more about how you can replace your toilet, contact us today.