Choosing the Right Bath for your Bathroom
- Size of the tub
Aside from the obvious point, that this is important in checking how the bathtub
will fit the designated space, this also needs to be considered for other reasons.
Should you go for a one-person or two-person bathtub? Remember that if you
choose a two-person tub, this will consume more water than a one-person tub.

The bathtub size is also interdependent with the capacity of the water heater.
A bathtub usually requires 65% hot water. For some bathtubs, the hot water
content may require up to 40 gallons. Consider then if after dispensing 40
gallons of hot water, will your water heater still have sufficient hot water
for the rest of the household, or will it have enough time to reheat some water
for consumption.
In this case, you may have to choose a smaller bathtub or upgrade your water
heater so it will be able to supply enough water for a bigger bathtub. Another
option is to install an instant water heater to the water source leading to
the bathtub.
Also make sure that, with the bathtub's size, you get enough support for your
head, neck and back.
-Material
Choosing the material for your bathtub depends on several factors: on how often
you will use the tub, durability, ease of maintenance and budget.
Fiberglass is a cost-effective material, however, it doesn't have the durability
of acrylic or porcelain bathtubs. Wooden and marble tubs are good-looking but
these require much maintenance and may not last long. Cast iron tubs are the
most durable, although these cost a little more than other materials.
-Depth
The bathtub's depth is important if you are considering using the bathtub for
therapeutics. Many people enjoy soaking in a warm bath to rejuvenate the lost
energy and to ease the pain in tired muscles. Soaking in a tub even reduces
the stress levels that most people resort to a warm bath before going to bed.
However, few people know that there are special tubs designed for this purpose.
Soaking tubs are designed to allow a person to immerse the whole body with
comfort unlike that with a standard tub that is only designed to soak the lower
part of the body.
-Functionality
Tubs with jets, such as whirlpool tubs, look very enticing, but will you be
using the jets often? Consider the importance of the additional features and
how will these features impact your power and water consumption.
- Features for the handicap and the elderly
People with handicap and the elderly rarely use the standard bathtub due to
risks for additional injury. Check bathtubs that have features that allow easy
entry and exit from the tub. These tubs also have grab rails and grab bars
to prevent accidents while soaking in the bathtub. Check for ADA compliance
if you want these features for your bathtub.
-Design
Most bathtubs come in cream and white, but are also available in other colors
such as brown, maroon, pink, green and blue. Shapes are usually rectangle,
oval, and round, but heart-shaped designs and corner styles are also offered.
These are important so the bathtub will match the color and the design of the
bathroom. It also makes the bathtub inviting and makes soaking a comfortable
experience.