Grab rails are mostly present in bathrooms near the shower and toilet area, so people can grasp these bars while standing in. It is best for older people who need support during movement to maintain body balance.
Bathroom Grab Rails problems include slipperiness, damaged paints, poor installation, thick diameter, loose screws, and sinking of grab bars from the middle side.
Many people install them in the bathrooms because these can reduce fatigue. In addition, these are useful for handicapped persons and those with some illness and mobility issues.
| Problems with Bathroom Grab Rails | Solutions |
| Slippery | Use non-slippery covers |
| Damaged paint | Paint with water-resistant paint |
| Poor installation | Install them some inches away from the walls |
| Thick diameter | Check by grasping them when you purchase a new one |
| Loose screws | Tighten the screws |
| Rusty screws | Use plastic and stainless-steel screws for tightening |
| Sinking of grab rails | Replace the bent bars |
Slippery
Grab bars are made up of different materials, colors, and designs. Most of them are manufactured with stainless steel and chrome-plated material to reduce the chances of corrosion.
These are specifically used in bathroom areas that are loaded with moisture. The moisture can damage the metal surface and trigger an oxidation reaction.
The slipperiness is a significant problem in these plain surface bars because of their material. In addition, the surface does not contain any design to reduce the denting and scrapping of the epoxy and paint layers.
The moisture from the showers and toilets areas makes these rails wet. These can cause the slipping of hands when you grasp them, which can also increase the chances of injury in older people.
Slipping of hands occurs because of its non-textured surface. The soap residues come on them during bathing and cause this issue.
Furthermore, steam from hot water condenses on the metal’s cold surface, and your hands can slip from them when you grasp the bars.
Install textured surface grab rails instead of plain. Moreover, non-slipping and water-resistant covers are also available in the market, and you can add them.
The textured surface and covers provide a better grip because of their textured surfaces.
Damaged paint
Grab rails are painted with various types of varnish colors and types. These paints can come off from the surface of bars and expose the metal surface to an outside, moist environment.
The paint can come off their surface due to the heat of warm water. The paints can lose their adhesiveness on particular surfaces because of a warm environment.
In addition, these can come off due to constant exposure to water droplets on their surface. Many people ignore these fixtures and do not keep them clean and wet.
The persistent water droplets can damage the paint layer, and you can see brown spots there. Corrosion weakens the strength of metal material.
Water on these rails is also challenging because bacteria and molds can grow there.
It is better to repaint the scrapped-off area quickly to prevent metal from further damage. I prefer to paint my Grab bars with water-resistant paints to they cannot cause any damage.
Repaint their surfaces with water-resistant paints and match their colors with the walls of bathrooms.
Poor installation
The problem with Grab bars comes due to their poor installation on dry walls. However, you can install them on all walls, including dry, cemented, wooden, and ceramic types.
Attaching their screws after finding the studs on the walls is necessary. These can come off from the dry walls when you put them without finding the stud points using special devices.
The distance between these bathroom fixtures and the walls matters a lot. It is necessary to leave a distance of some inches between these bars and walls for their good grasping action.
People cannot hold them better if they are present closer to the walls. Find the studs on the walls while drilling holes for their installation.
In addition, leave a measurable distance from the walls so people can hold them properly. I prefer to install them in a horizontal direction instead of vertically placement.
Thick diameter
The diameter and dimensions of grab rails matters for their better grip. Those with thick diameters are long-lasting and more strong but do not provide a good grip.
People cannot hold them completely because of their thickness. In addition, the hands can also slip because of poor holding issues and increased thickness.
Many people use them because they think they can last longer and have less chance of bending.
You should select the ones with less thickness that are easy to handle. Then, check them by grasping them with your hand when you purchase the new one from the market.
Loose screws
Screws of several types are used to mount the grab rails on the walls. These screws become loose because of continuous weight and pressure on them.
Physical damage and rust can also damage these screws. Moreover, some screws cannot carry heavy weight and can come off the walls.
The use of low-quality screws has more chances of becoming loose because of their less weight-carrying capacity.
Check the screw types and their weight-bearing capacity before using them.
Tighten the screws when you face wobbly movement of these fixtures while holding them.
Rusty screws
Most of the bathroom Grab rails are screw mounted for better tightening. People use metal screws for their installation, which can rust easily.
The moist environment makes these screws rusty, and corrosion can also come on metal bars from these screws.
The rust also comes on these small parts because of their poor cleaning and exposure to soap scum and shampoos during bathing.
Change the screws and remove the rusty ones because of their less grip and strength to hold the fixtures.
I prefer to use plastic and stainless-steel screws to fasten because they are not prone to rust and water damage. Moreover, these are less costly and more long-lasting than metallic ones.
Sinking of grab rails
You can often see the sinking of grab rails from the center location, which can increase the chances of their breaking.
These are common in metal materials because they are hollow from the inside. The wooden types are less likely to bend and sink because of their thick material.
Sinking occurs due to low-quality manufacturing materials to make these fixtures. These cannot resist people’s weight and start to bend because of their frequent use.
The sinking comes because of their poor installation and without any middle support. Some of these types need middle supports and mounting brackets for better fastening.
Install the brackets in the middle area for better support. In addition, it is better to check the weight-bearing capacity and material of fixtures before purchasing them from the market.
Install the new ones if you see slight bending in their structure because it can cause injury to people.
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