The Filthy Truth About Walk-in Tubs
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- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
- www.BentleyBaths.com/the-webinar
800-688-0055
Water jetted "Jacuzzi type" walk-in bathtubs are a breeding ground for bacterial growth! George brings attention to a tightly held secret within the walk-in bathtub industry.
High levels of contamination are virtually unavoidable in a Jacuzzi type water jetted walk-in tub because you are filling and draining the tub with every use. Every bath becomes contaminated by body material, fecal matter, dead skin, dirt, body fluids, soaps and oils. Maintaining hygiene is the very reason we bathe in the first place. A properly designed high quality Bentley Bath, with their exclusive Medical Hydrotherapy® system, will help you to avoid this "filthy little secret" and keep your bathing experience sanitary. When it comes to a walk-in bathtub, here's the hygiene goal in its simplest terms - what is in the walk-in tub's bathing well goes down the drain (not into the piping).
George shares the powerful information from the leading experts in the field, scientists who have studied and tested literally hundreds of hot tubs, swimming pools and water jetted bathtubs.
Microbiologist Dr. Rita Moyes of Texas A&M University analyzed hundreds of water jetted tubs showing every water jetted tub (whether a walk-in bathtub or not) contained unacceptable amounts of contaminants. So, why is virtually every walk-in bathtub being sold with water jets or low-end air jets (which can be just as bad)? To our thinking, this can be only attributed to walk-in tub companies either being dishonest, ignorant, or simply in denial of the true risks to consumers in using "Jacuzzi type" water jetted tubs. Let's face it, lower quality, cheaper components on a walk-in tub and consumer ignorance leads to greater profits. Plus, it is very possible they don't know how to protect you anyway.
HERE'S THE LINK TO HER RESEARCH GEORGE MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO:
www.poolspamarketing.com/trad...
Bentley Baths Walk-in Therapy Tubs always puts the customer first, prioritizing quality, knowledge and effectiveness with medical grade equipment, many options, and solutions for every budget.
Time markers so you can so skip to important parts of the video:
1:00 why a walk-in tub with Jacuzzi type water jets can be dangerous
1:40 Biofilm in your walk-in tub pipes
2:50 Disinfecting walk-in bathtubs
3:25 Article from hot tub industry studying bacterial growth in water jetted tubs
4:25 Bentley Baths Walk-in Tubs with Medical Hydrotherapy® vs industry standard walkin tubs
Bottom line - NEVER put water jets on your personal walk-in tub.
HERE ARE TWO OTHER ARTICLES EXPLAINING HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO KEEP A HOT TUB CLEAN, (a walk-in bathtub is much more difficult because the water does not remain in the tub).
www.poolspamarketing.com/trad...
Tom Davis' overview of maintaining a sanitary hot tub:
Got slime or flakes in the plumbing?
Fixing bio-film in a hot tub:
1. Raise hot tub temperature to 104 degrees
2. Move all diverters to middle position so all the plumbing has water flow
3. Open every single jet to ensure all plumbing gets flushed
4. Turn on water features such as waterfalls
5. Leave the cartridge filters in the tub!
6. Add 2 to 4 pods of electric dishwasher detergent (I use Costco Kirkland brand)
7. Run detergent solution through tub at least 24 hours
a. Turn on high-speed jets several times for at least 20 minutes to scrub bio-film from insides of plumbing
b. Drain and rinse to sanitary sewer
c. Remove, clean and rinse filter cartridge(s)
**Allow filter to dry completely or install clean/dry backup filter cartridge(s)**
7. Refill, balance and shock
a. Keep Chlorine at 3 - 5 ppm for first 24 hours
b. Turn on high speed jets several times during first 24 hours to flush/sanitize plumbing
PREVENT BIOFILM: Keep all the plumbing flushed with fresh water and sanitizer
1. Avoid completely closing jets (especially neck/shoulder jets above the waterline)
2. Avoid completely turning off water features such as waterfalls.
(You can turn them down but always leave a little water flow so the plumbing is always flushed with sanitizer)
3. Whenever adding chemistry or at least once a week:
a. Move diverter valves to the middle position
b. Open all jets, turn on all water features to flush all the plumbing
c. Run jets in high speed for at least 20 minutes after adding chemistry especially sanitizer
All this will not be possible on a walk-in tub, and who would ever want to go through all that anyway. To paraphrase Niki - "Just DON'T Do It!"
www.BentleyBaths.com
800-688-0055
This was great! Ty!
My dad just bought a walk in tub from Kohler for $25,000! Reason was for my mom who has trouble standing to take a shower. He could have had hand grabs and a seat installed for WAY cheaper!
I can almost GUARANTEE that you were overcharged! There are many solutions, and I have yet to see a walk-in tub install (assuming there is not major additional remodeling being done) cast $25,000. He should not be paying more than $16,000-$18,000 under most circumstances. If I were you, I would have him cancel the contract immediately, then lets talk and allow you guys to look around a little more and see his options. Trust me, if he decides to go back to Kohler, they are going to give him the same or a better deal. Let me know if I can help. You can call my office at 800-688-0055, or email me at Info@BentleyBaths.com. Don't let him be pressured and I can share any number of other seniors who have been through the same process and were able to get out of it.
Jerry, have your dad watch this CZcams video and then call me. I will help, I promise. czcams.com/video/FixbSrSOdCE/video.htmlsi=QyIzNp4QXpGHO0UC
@@BentleyBaths He already has the tub installed
Thank you!!
You are very welcome!! Let me know if I can ever be of service.
This is a concern of mine. In 2020 I had a walkin tub installed for my dad after having double heart valve replacement surgery. He's also end stage renal and has cirrhosis. After the heart surgery, this was the most feasible way for my dad to bathe as the old standard shower/tub would've been impossible for him to step over or safely bath in even with a transfer bench. I live with my father and am his full time, live in home health caretaker. Our house has just one bathroom, needless to say, we share the walkin and these are the steps that I take to avoid thisconcern:
1. The bathtub does an automatic 2 minute blow down 20 minutes after use. This is built in by the manufacturer.
2. After each and every use I half fill the tub and run all jets with bleach water.
3. I then drain the tub and scrub the entire tub with a non-abrasive cleaner containing bleach.
4. I then use the handheld shower head to completely rinse, turn on the air to blow out any cleaning scrub from the air jets, rinse the rest away.
5. I then half fill the tub with fresh water, run the jets for 20 minutes to completely flush the system.
6. I then drain completely, do a final rinse and blow out the air jets.
7. Lastly, I use microfiber towels to completely dry the tub, avoiding any potential mildew.
It's an additional investment of time, money and water but we'll worth it. To me anyways. My dad does home hemodialysis and cleanliness is paramount to keep his access from becoming infected or worse. 2 years later. he's doing well and the walk in bathtub is as well.
Thank you Aaron! You are right on the point. And thank Goodness your dad is doing great. That's is what it is all about. And, thank Goodness he has you there to do all this maintenance. All these efforts to "try" to keep this tub water jetted system clean are important. Unfortunately, Dr. Moyes would likely tell you this still isn't enough. Imagine the health regulations for multi-bather environments such as a nursing home, they are supposed to do this ritual after every bath! Most don't. So, here is the secret... don't have a system that recirculates the bath water. What is in the tub must go down the drain, and nowhere else. Good luck my friend and thank you so much for sharing your impressive efforts to take care of your father. He is blessed to have you!
If the internal piping was copper, which is a natural antimicrobial surface, most of this would be a moot point, but I was thinking to do what you explained in your comment when I get one for my son. There are some manufacturers that have added an ozonator within the system to help combat those microbial situations...
@BentleyBaths I'm sorry to be so long sending my appreciation for your kind words. I sonetimes miss comments but did just want to say thank you. I still do maintain our walkin bath just the same. It is still the same investment of time and resources but certainly well worth the energy making the investments. One thing that I can say, knowing about how 'stuff' can develop in impossible to see or access spaces of a walkin tub, I would never, ever use a public or general use walk in tub. Would not happen.
@jdog4534 This is true, American Standard, which is who I purchased our walk-in tub from (in large part because of the longevity of service in the field and because their primary offices are based in the Dallas/Ft Worth area where I live - if I need to scream at anyone for any reason, there is a physical office that I can drive to if necessary), does include an ozonator which is supposed to help aid in maintaining cleanliness. But, unfortunately, it cannot do everything. That I have seen when looking underneath the tub after pulling the panels off, all piping appears to be PVC. There could be some copper piping - such as that which comes in from the main water line - but what I see is all PVC. There are lines that run from the water pump to the individual jets but those look more like PEX tubing. It may not be PEX, but it closely resembles it.
There is one place in particular that must be cleaned and replaced with regularity if desiring to maintain a truly clean walk-in tub. No amount of cleaning with remedy this if not removed and replaced: the rubber seal that the door contacts when secured and in use. I don't care how hard or how long one cleans, when this seal is removed there is an entirely new world of bacterial and germ growth that exists in this space and it is nasty. It cannot be cleaned without removing and replacing the seal and I strongly advise that anyone with a walk-in bathtub do this. I can guarantee that no matter how clean one is or believes themselves to be, nothing will deflate that belief faster than pulling that rubber seal. You will re-think everything that you've ever thought about your cleanliness.
For the record, I have never needed to, wanted to, or had to drive to American Standard's offices for any reason.
@TheAgentAaron I would suggest you steer clear of the bleach water, because bleach molecules are too viscous to penetrate pores and crevices in surfaces. That means that any bacterial or fungal microbes in the hard to penetrate microscopic spaces will remain and then recolonize untouched by the bleach that couldn't contact them. The best way to clean those types of issues is with citric acid powder, because it dilutes completely into the water and then the waters properties as water viscosity properly penetrate the surfaces the bleach can't. The increased Ph of the acidic water then kills the microbes, it's best to let it circulate and sit for a while. This is the same principle I use for cleaning my countertop ice maker because of its tendency to become compromised by mold and bacteria. You can find cleaning grade and food grade citric acid well priced across the market and at grocery stores. Best wishes to a healthy scrubbyadubdub
Citric acid. Fill the tub, pour in a can of citric acid, run it, let it circulate. Changing the ph of the water with the cirtric acid will kill all of the slime molds and biofilms.
Thanks @jadesea562. I appreciate your input. According to the Bacteriologists I consulted: "As a bacteriologist, I would not recommend using citric acid alone in a water jetted tub to sanitize and disinfect the piping. While citric acid has some antimicrobial properties, it is not considered a broad-spectrum disinfectant and would likely be insufficient to properly sanitize the complex piping system of a jetted tub... I would advise against relying solely on citric acid for this purpose, as it may give a false sense of security while not adequately addressing the microbial contamination in the tub's piping system." I am not an expert on these things. That is why I go to true experts for this type of guidance. This is also why I believe we are way safer and healthier to just not put these water-jetted systems on our personal bathing appliances. MEdical Hydrotherapy is sanitary and also a far better therapeutic process.
What about those tubs that offer an automatic purge feature and a ozone disinfectant? Are these tubs also dirty?
Yes they are, so long as your talking about water jetted tubs or tubs with low end air systems. Purging the lines should not be required if water doesn't water the lines. Purging on our system is merely to dry and water drops at the jets. Ozone is effective, but not on a tub you fill and drain every time. It does not have time to disinfect according to the bacteriologists.
Not really according the the bacteriologists. Ozone is not fully effective in water jets personal berthing appliances. Happy to discuss this with you.
Dose Medicare cover any of the cost of a new walk in tub
At the present, no. However, Medicaid does in some states. The issue is that Medicare is primarily health insurance. If you are a disabled veteran, or have other disabilities, there may be some state and local grants and programs that might help you. Unfortunately, in the US today, we have to be prepared to self-pay for home modifications and that includes walk-in tubs.
Bathtubs are NOT hottubs lol
Very true Michael. The technologies work better on hot tubs because the water remains and can be treated over 24hours. With a personal bathing appliance... not so much.
So what do we use then ?
A closed air system that insures the dirty water in the tub goes down the drain. This is our Medical Hydrotherapy.
Of course, if you clean it there's no issue
Sorry, the issue is there is no way to clean inside the piping. That's what causes the issue according to Dr. Moyes. Without a way to mechanically remove build up (the way you clean to exposed surfaces) bio-film will develop.
@@BentleyBathsIsn’t that the case with all bathtubs?
@@wendyread1183 With non-jetted tubs, you will mechanically clean the surface with disenfectant and scrubbing. If you didn't you would also get a build up of biofilm around the tub perimeter (soap scum ring). The issue with jets that now you cannot get into the piping to perform the scrubbing with disenfectant and biomaterial grows. The longer a tub sits with the jets unused, the worse it gets, too.
Jeez ,and we are supposed to be saving water .
Because your home is not set up for greywater reuse by code... code is the extreme problem these days.
Yes we are. The truth is the average walk-in tub does not use much more water than a regular tub because we have more of our bodies displacing the water. Also, there are technics that I have developed to greatly minimize the amount of water my wife and I use in our tub. I will do therapies in the footwell (way less water than a shower), we can actually both use the tub at the same time, or we can reuse the water when we are primarily doing therapies... then we save the bathing for last.
Has a PhD. Can't spell unacceptable.
Ha, thanks Richard! Good catch. I have a Juris Doctorate (not a PhD), but I happen to be severely dyslexic. I’m much better at creating typos than I am at seeing them. I appreciate your pointing it out. Thanks.