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WATER HEATING boilingpoint
Are accessible bathrooms a new business opportunity?
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we may see more hotels and sports facilities using more electric showers, for example? Whilst these products offer an effective way of heating
small flow rates instantaneously, they cannot offer the performance that most hotel visitors are used to. We may see a more decentralised system, not untypical in some sports facilities and even domestic properties in certain parts of Europe. This is where a number of smaller storage cylinders, typically between 10 and 50 litres are positioned around the property and heated by direct electricity immersion heaters. This is somewhat easier to do in Europe than perhaps the UK where we are required to absorb the inevitable expansion of water as it is heated, generally with expansion vessels. Whilst technically this isn’t an issue it is more from a space and aesthetics that we experience difficulties with this approach.
The future of water heating
It is of course possible to continue to use instant water heating, should we change from a current gas supply to a hydrogen gas supply. This has been investigated in a number of trials around the country and seems to have good support from the government who have funded many of these trials. A hydrogen firing appliance will perform very similar to a natural gas appliance, but of course with the added benefit of zero carbon emissions at the point of use. If hydrogen gets the thumbs up, it is possible we will see water heating continue as it presently is, with of course a gradual increase in electric water heating from solar PV or heat pumps, but with hydrogen heating being more prevalent, particularly in commercial properties to heat the volumes of water necessary.
ver the last decade, we have seen an increase in people reporting to have a disability, in 2010 – 2011 the Family
Resources Summary reported over 11 million people with a limiting long-term illness, impairment or disability, with most common concerns being mobility, lifting or carrying. This group included 6% of children, 16% working age adults and 45% of adults being over state pension age. In the 2019 - 2020 survey we see a rise to 14.1 million people reporting a disability, including 8% children, 19% of working age adults and 46% of adults being over state pension age.
How does this affect our trade?
Clearly there is a need to make bathrooms and kitchens more accessible for a large section of our customers, who live with a long-term illness or disability and provide them with solutions to keep them comfortable in their home. We should also be thinking about what this means for the future of the industry. In recent years we have seen an increase in home renovation including bathrooms so designing a new bathroom could provide an opportunity to ‘future-proof’ a customer’s home.
It is all about design
Historically, accessible bathrooms were the domain of specialist installers and design was not much of a consideration, with grab rails and shower seats that would not look out of place in a hospital setting. It would be a mistake to assume that the older generation is solely focused on functionality when considering home improvements, an accessible bathroom doesn’t have to be any less attractive than a traditional bathroom refurbishment and could still come with modern tiling and other aesthetics.
Key considerations
¡ Consider a wet room. Those with reduced mobility can manoeuvre in and out of the shower very easily in a wet room.
¡ Think about a wall-hung toilet, which enables the seat to be positioned at a comfortable height from the floor. ¡ Install a thermostatic shower mixer to prevent scalding. ¡ Taps may be more usable with a single lever, lever action or push button operation or even electronic taps. ¡ Look at the door, would it be better to open outwards, or maybe a sliding door to give more space to turn around. ¡ If the customer wants a bath, many manufacturers have a vast range of walk-in baths or feature other design aspects such as a moveable seat, built in arm rests even a reclined back support. ¡ The basins may be better changed to a smaller wall hung bason to allow clearance for someone to move themselves around in a wheelchair. ¡ The floor surface should be level, smooth and skid resistant. ¡ Look at grab rails, blue or other contrasting colours make it easier for someone with a vision deficiency to reach out and use safely. Above all, a more accessible bathroom in a home doesn’t mean you need to compromise on design. The most important factor in designing, supplying and fitting a wet room or accessible bathroom is communication with the customer, building up trust to make sure they can be honest about their needs and you are comfortable to ask them about things like grab rail heights, furniture positioning etc. Accessible bathrooms are part of an
ever-growing market that comes with great satisfaction in knowing that you not only provided a high-quality installation, but you may have helped someone stay in their family home. If you need support from a qualified plumber
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