Walk-In Tubs in Marietta

Roughly 14 percent of Marietta residents are 65 or older, according to the Census Bureau. If you're planning to stay in your house as you get older, the bathroom is usually the first room to rethink. And if you'd rather sit in a bath than stand in a shower, a walk-in tub is often the answer.

Robert, who owns TrueNorth Showers here in Marietta, installs every walk-in tub himself. Before you buy one, compare it with a walk-in shower and check two things: your water heater, and what Medicare will pay for.

Walk-in tub or walk-in shower?

A walk-in tub has a watertight door in the side and a built-in seat, so you step over a low threshold instead of a tub wall. You sit down, shut the door, and the tub fills around you. When you’re done, it has to drain before the door opens. It suits someone who wants a real soak and doesn’t mind a few minutes of waiting at each end.

A walk-in shower with a low curb (or none), a fold-down seat, and a handheld shower head suits someone who mostly wants to wash safely and quickly. Our page on walk-in showers in Marietta covers that option, and the Marietta walk-in shower guide compares the two in more detail.

Check your water heater first

Walk-in tubs are deeper than standard tubs and hold more water. American Standard lists a 75-gallon capacity for one of its 30-by-60-inch models. Kohler says its walk-in baths are designed for a standard 50-gallon water heater, and adds that the heater’s age and condition affect performance. If your Marietta home still has an older or smaller heater, mention it before you pick a tub. A bath that goes lukewarm halfway through isn’t much of a bath.

What Medicare covers, and what it doesn’t

Medicare pays for durable medical equipment that’s used for a medical reason and is typically only useful to someone who is sick or injured. Its national coverage rules call grab bars a self-help device and bathtub seats and lifts not primarily medical, and deny all three. Walk-in tubs aren’t mentioned at all. Don’t count on coverage until you’ve asked, and if you have a Medicare Advantage plan, ask the plan whether it has any home-safety benefits.

Installing a walk-in tub in Marietta

Many walk-in tubs are sized for the same five-foot alcove as a standard tub, so the old tub comes out and the new one goes in where it was. Robert installs every one himself, and most installs take 1 to 3 days. The tub carries the manufacturer’s warranty, and the installation has a 2-year workmanship guarantee. You’ll get the exact price at the free in-home estimate. Read more about walk-in tubs, or about accessible bathroom remodeling in Marietta if you’re planning more than the tub.