WEB Freebies
We've added three pictorial checklists: “Laundry Room Design,” “Kitchen Design,” and “Oops!” These lists are chock-full of insightful information to help design function into your new home. And you know what they say: “A picture is worth a thousand words!” For more information,
Click for FREEBIES !
Watch a Green Home in the Making!
Recently I worked with those designing the 2008 Vision Home to provide a functional analysis. This home, now under construction in the Orlando area, is a project of Green Builder Magazine and Westmont Homes. For detailed photos and additional information about this project and the suppliers who are working on it, see
http://www.greenhomes.typepad.com.
Functional Features of The Master Tub
The tub is a beautiful portion of the master bath but certain features, seen and unseen, will make it easier to use, easier to clean, more sanitary, quieter, and more heat-retentive. Here are a few tips for the practical side of your handsome master tub.
Pullout Spray Faucet:
 The addition of a pullout faucet, as seen in the picture to the right, will make cleaning this large tub much easier. It's also very handy for rinsing the suds off after a bubble bath. (Note that you can't use the sprayer as the main faucet because it simply doesn't provide enough volume. Using a spray faucet to fill the tub would take forever.)
The location of the faucets is also an important feature. For example, take a look at the picture to the right.  This tub is beautiful, but the placement of the faucets makes it nonfunctional. Look at the location of both the main and the spray faucets. To turn on the water, the homeowner will need to be on one side of the tub; to feel for the correct water temperature, he or she will have to lean way over to the other side. And to use the spray faucet for cleaning, the poor homeowner will have to get in the tub.
Tub Insulation:  Some tubs can be purchased with a spay-foam insulation covering the outside, as shown in this picture from Jetta Products. This type of insulation seals the plumbing and jets so they won't move or vibrate, is an effective sound insulator, and increases heat retention. For more information, visit www.jettaproductsinc.com or www.izzibath.com.
Sanitary Tub Jets: Because the jets included in the majority of garden tubs don’t ever drain completely, infectious bacteria can grow in the stagnant water. Some manufactures have addressed this health concern by designing a safer jet. One such company is Sanijet®. Their Pipeless™ technology ensures that every wetted component can be completely cleaned. The self-contained jets are actually designed to be removed for cleaning. And because all components are easily accessed from within the tub, no access panel is required. For more information visit www.sanijet.com.
Maax® has also created a system that addresses the sanitary concerns of jets. Their AirPool® system begins to pulse preheated air through the jets twenty minutes after the system is stopped. Read more at www.maax.com
Tub Drain Closures Although this feature may not be mentioned by your plumbing representative, there are three options for the drain closure of your tub:
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The Lift and Turn option is just like the drain closure in the kitchen sink, you push down and turn to close the drain and reach into the water and lift and turn to open the drain. This manual drain closure provides a good seal and is usually used in the standard tubs installed in secondary bathrooms.
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The  Trip Lever, shown in the picture to the right, operates like a light switch and is often used in jetted or large soaker tubs. The plumbers I spoke with agree that this type of closure does not provide a complete seal, and our personal experience has borne them out. We have had no trouble with the tub holding water long enough for quick bathing. However, in preparation for a hurricane, we filled the tub with water one evening, only to find it empty the next morning.
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The Cable Operated closure, also used in large garden tubs, is the recommended drain closure. It provides a good seal and does not require reaching into the water to open the drain.
Is there a subject you’d like me to cover? Let me know by sending an email to tracy@tracystips.net.
All past issues of this ezine are in the Ezine Archives on our web site. Click here for Ezine Archives !
Copyright © 2007 Tracy DeCarlo - All Right Reserved
WANT A CHECK LIST OF HUNDREDS OF TIPS
AND IDEAS FOR DESIGNING A FUNCTIONAL HOME?
If you liked today’s tips you’ll love the book “Don’t Forget the Linen Closets!” It’s packed with over 240 ideas and reminders to help you incorporate function, organization, and efficiency into your home without breaking the bank.
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Homeowners building a custom home
Orlando, FL – February 2006
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You can, as long as you include the following blurb in its entirety:
Tracy DeCarlo, author of “Don’t Forget the Linen Closets!” publishes the idea-packed, monthly e-zine “Tips for Designing a Functional Home.” If you’re ready to learn how to incorporate organization, function, and efficiency into your new home or remodeling project without breaking the bank, get your FR*EE tips now at www.BuildingTips.net.
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