Universal Design for Faucets and Toilets

Continuing from the last blog entry, here are more suggestions for Ageing in Place and Universal Designs for your bathroom.

Most toilets range from 14 to 16 inches high (floor to seat height.). ADA (Americans with Disabilities) Toilets are between 16.5 and 18 inches high. Even though there is only a couple of inches difference, it can make the toilet easier and safer to use. Elongated bowel shapes, rather than round bowel shapes are also something to consider for comfort. Grab bars should also be installed next to and/or behind the toilet. Again, installing blocking in wall framing for support for the grab bars should be considered ahead of time. ( see previous blog entry)

www.superiorqualitycorp.com

Most healthy people don’t even think twice about turning on a faucet, but if you have arthritis for example, this seemingly simple task can be difficult. Single lever or touch faucets are much easier to use than two faucet handles that have to be turned.

This Delta Touch Technology faucet can be turned on and off with a touch. It also has a single lever for ease of use.

These are just a few of the numerous products and design options to consider and our designers can help you with these important considerations.

What are “Aging in Place” Options for Your Bathroom?

As the general population in the Unites States is aging, design trends and products that accommodate people wanting to stay in their homes as long as possible are becoming more popular. Even if you’re a younger person, elderly family members may come to visit and a range of modifications that you can make to your home can make them more comfortable.

Frequently, the most difficulties that people with physical limitation experience is getting in and out of showers and bath tubs. Using toilets can also present a challenge. Here are just some options that can improve the functionality of your bathroom.

A lot of showers have a 4” x 4” threshold at the entry to keep water from splashing out. Barrier-free showers or roll-in showers do not have a curb and therefore makes the shower accessible even in a wheel chair, provided it is wide enough. The floors need to be installed in such a way that the water drains quickly. Inside the shower, grab bars should be installed, as well as a shower seat to ease daily showering. Water controls that are easily controlled, and recessed soap and shampoo niches should be within the reach of the seat. Hand held showers can also be helpful when seated. The shower floor should be made with no-slip material in any situation to prevent injuries.

In order to install grab bars, the wall framing needs “blocking” to support the extra weight. When you remodel your bathroom, we advise to have the blocking installed even though you do not plan to have grab bars installed right away. It would be more expensive later on to have the blocking added because the tile or other material would have to be removed and replaced.

A curb-less shower by Aquatic Industries

Walk-in bathtubs with a waterproof door are also an option. Keep in mind that you will have to wait in the tub for the water to fill and drain, which could make you uncomfortably cold while waiting. Therefore water pressure and volume need be adequate for filling the tub. In addition, drains that drain the water more quickly should be specified. Built-in seats and grab bars are available with most walk-in tubs.

                                                   Walk- in tub (www.gardenhottub.org)

Stay tuned, next time we will discuss faucets and toilets.

Have You Considered the “Life Cycle Cost” of Your Home?

First of all what is Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) when it comes to your home? According to the National Institute of Building Sciences, LCCA is a method for assessing the total cost of home ownership. It takes into account all costs of acquiring, owning, and disposing of a building or building system such as a bathroom. What does this mean to you as a homeowner you might ask? The Life Cycle Cost holistically considers the impact your home has on the environment, the home’s overall energy use, and ultimately your pocket book by analyzing the costs over a building’s lifetime. Here are some points to consider:

Durability, in our opinion, is the most important consideration when designing structures based on Life Cycle Costs. The initial investment may be higher at first, but over the lifetime of the building, the savings can be significant. The concept of the “service life of building components” is probably best remembered in the L-P siding and synthetic siding fiasco of the 1990’s. These products were cheap and many builders and homeowner chose them based on price. But ultimately thousands of homes had to have their siding replaced and repainted. This low cost material cost homeowners thousands of dollars in replacement costs and filled the landfills. Quality siding that is properly insulated can easily last 100 years. This material costs more up front, but in the big picture of Life Cycle Costing, it’s a real bargain.

We recently saw an example of a bathtub not installed properly. The cost of replacing this tub will be quite expensive and wasteful. When you replace the tub, most often the tub surround has to be replaced as well.  If there is floor damage, which we frequently have encountered, the floor has to be ripped out and replaced. So you can see from this example how expensive poor workmanship can be, not to mention all of the materials which could end up in the landfill. This is why we like to hire subcontractors who are skilled at their craft so that a project is done right the first time. No single contractor is an expert in every aspect of the remodeling project.

Remodeling your home is green by definition. The whole shell of the building gets reused as opposed to building a new home. Powell Construction is conscientious about saving resources and recycling when working on projects. We donate used cabinets and appliances to organizations like Habitat for Humanity, whenever possible. We also like to reuse items, like doors for instance, to save on cost, resources, and to keep them out of the landfill. In addition, we recycle packaging and wood whenever possible.

Energy Efficiency is another important consideration. Energy efficient windows, which are installed right the first time, can lower your energy use and this cuts down your monthly bill over a long period of time. Insulation, appliances, heating and cooling systems also have an impact on your energy use and investing in these items will save you money in the long run as well.

quality windows and siding reduce your energy cost and last for many years

Speaking of energy efficient, whenever we do not have to transport a lot of building materials, we like to use an electric car for errands to keep Corvallis’ air less polluted.

Which Deck Material Should I use?

Decking Materials are available in different aesthetics, maintenance options, and price range. Our customers most often request cedar or composite decks, but there are other decks available.

Here are 5 basic materials to choose from.

1. Pressure Treated Lumber

This economically priced material is chemically treated pine and is easy to cut and fasten. The wood treatment resists rot, fungus and insects. The downside of this material is that it is not dimensionally stable and has the tendency to split and warp over time. Wood preservative is often applied every 2-3 years to maintain this decking appearance. In recent years, the treatment chemical has changed from chromate copper arsenate to a less toxic material, such as copper quaternary or copper azole.

pressure treated lumber decking   (www.hgtvremodel.com)

2. Cedar and Redwood

These western softwoods don’t contain chemicals and have natural tannins and oils that resist rot and insects. These decking materials are rich in color and display their natural beauty. The wood center of these trees is more desirable, because it is more weather and insect resistant than the outer parts near the bark. The best grades for decking are: architect clear, custom clear, architect knotty and custom knotty. Recommendations for Redwood grades for decking are: Sapwood-streaked construction common or deck common redwoods. These natural materials require regular staining unless you like the weathered look. Every three to four years a clear water-repellent wood preservative can be applied to maintain the color.

                                            cedar decking (www.hgtvremodel.com)

 redwood decking (www.hgtvremodel.com)

3. Tropical Hardwoods

Exotic, rich grained woods like red tauari, tigerwood, ipe, Massaranduba, and Philippine mahogany are very hard, durable and naturally insect resistant. They are difficult to install because of the wood hardness and require boring of pilot holes. They may also require hidden fasteners that clip into the edge of the boards. These materials are expensive, but have beautiful rich colors. These woods may not take stains very well and will weather to a soft silver color. This material also needs to be preserved with UV-blocking clear wood preservatives every three to four years.

                Massaranduba tropical hardwood decking (west-central-ohio.archadeck.com)

4. Plastics and Composites

Most plastic decking is made from polyethylene or polyvinyl chlorine and is available in a wide assortment of colors. These materials are resistant to decay, cracking and have no knots for a consistent appearance.

Composites, like Trex, contain recycled plastics and wood fibers. These materials are very weather resistant and the boards won’t rot or split.

Prices vary because of the vast choices of these products, but composites tend to be less expensive than plastic decking materials. These types of decks require very little maintenance; however mold can grow in damp areas.

                                composite decking material (customlandscapetyler.com)

5. Aluminum

The aluminum decking has a powder-coated finish and is extremely durable. It won’t decay, rust, warp, or splinter. In addition, this type of decking is slip and mold resistant and won’t catch fire. This light weight material has interlocking edges and contains built-in self-draining channels. The downside is that these channels could collect debris over time. Even in the hot sun aluminum dissipates heat efficiently and stays relatively cool. This decking material has ideal properties for a deck, but is also the most expensive of the decking materials available.

                                   aluminum decking material (railing-decking-fencing.com)

Paints for better indoor quality

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is three times more polluted than outside air. Paints can contribute to indoor pollution because most paints contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s), which is considered a toxin. Until recently, these compounds were essential to the performance of the paint.

Consumer demands and new environmental regulations have launched products that contain low or “no” VOC paint products. These environmentally friendly paints are durable and less harmful to humans than standard paint products. There are two categories of paints with less VOC’s.

Low VOC paints use water instead of petroleum based solvents. To meet the EPA’s standards VOC’s must not contain more than 200 grams per liter. The paint can should have the actual amounts labeled and varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Zero VOC paints are in the range of 5 grams or less per liter. Some manufacturers may claim Zero VOC’s, but these paints still have trace amounts because of colorants and fungicides. Adding color tints (mixing white with color) usually raises the levels up to 10 grams per liter, which is still quite low.

Miller Zero VOC Paint                            Sherwin Williams Zero VOC Paint