Cranford, Union County
Grab Bar Installation and Handrails in Cranford, NJ
Grab bar installation in Cranford, NJ puts a firm hold where you need it. The wall has to be strong enough, not just nearby, so ask the contractor to check what is behind it first.
Your house in Cranford
- A single rail on the stairsThe opposite wall is the place for a second one.
- Cellar steps with nothing to holdLaundry runs make this the stair most worth fixing.
- Standing up from the toilet is hardA bar on the side wall gives a pull point.
- Wet floor and a tub edgeBars at the entry and inside give you three points of contact.
Questions people ask
Should a Cranford stair rail run beyond the last step?
A short extension at top and bottom helps you keep hold while your feet find level ground, so ask the contractor to include it where the layout allows.
Do grab bars have to look clinical?
No. Bars come in brushed, bronze and white finishes and in slim profiles that read as ordinary bathroom hardware.
How high should a grab bar be?
It depends on your height and how you move. Ask the installer to mark positions with you standing, sitting and stepping in. An occupational therapist can advise too.
Do I need a permit for grab bars?
New Jersey lists installing bathroom accessories among ordinary maintenance. If you are unsure, ask the Cranford construction office.
Grab bars and handrails in Cranford
Falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older, CDC says, and in Cranford, where 20.3% of residents are in that group, the checklist is worth a look. CDC's list focuses on two places: the bathroom and the stairs. Both are small jobs.
Source: Census Bureau, age
In older Cranford houses, the stairs often have a rail on only one side, and the cellar steps may have none. CDC advises rails on both sides of the stairs for the full length. A second rail should be continuous across landings and run a little beyond the last step, so you keep your grip until your feet are on level ground.
The bathroom is the other priority. Bars beside the toilet and next to and inside the tub or shower are the arrangement CDC recommends. The walls here are plaster or old drywall behind tile, and the contractor should locate framing before drilling so that each bar is anchored for real weight, not just a hand's.
A basement with the laundry is worth a rail as well, since a basket in your arms leaves no hand free for the stair.
The permit point
Cranford follows the state code, which lists bathroom accessories among ordinary maintenance.
Source: CDC
Grab bar installation in Cranford, NJ: the CDC checklist at home
CDC reports that 1 in 4 older adults fall each year, and its checklist is simple. Bars next to and inside the tub and next to the toilet. Rails on both sides of the stairs, for the full length.
Sources: Census Bureau, age, CDC
In Cranford, where 20.3% of residents are 65 or older, that is a good place to start. Walk the house with a pad and mark each spot: tub, toilet, front steps, cellar stairs.
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Handrail installation on the cellar and attic stairs
The cellar stair often has no rail, or one that ends early. The laundry basket takes both hands. A rail on each side gives you something to hold even with one arm full. Do the same on an attic flight.
A second rail should be continuous across landings and run a little past the last step. Rails are cut to the stair, and brackets must reach framing. Ask for the rail to be graspable, about the width of a hand around.
Backing for bars behind plaster and old tile
Walls here are plaster or old drywall behind tile. The contractor should locate framing before drilling, so each bar is anchored for real body weight. Where the framing is not in the right spot, a rated anchor or added blocking solves it.
If a bathroom rebuild is planned, have blocking put in while the walls are open. See the bathroom conversion page for Cranford, and the grab bars and handrails service page.
Starting small: a one-day plan
This is the smallest of the five jobs. A day's work can cover a bar at the toilet, two in the shower and a second stair rail. Pick finishes that suit the house, then book the visit through the form and ask about $100 off your first project.
Lights and floor mats that make a bar worth having
A bar only helps if you can see it and your feet are steady. CDC's checklist also advises a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick strips on the floor of the tub or shower, and a nightlight on the dark path from the bed to the bathroom.
On the cellar and attic stairs, CDC advises a light and a light switch at both the top and the bottom, installed by an electrician. In an older Cranford house the cellar stairs are often lit by a single bulb at the bottom. Ask the contractor to price the rail and the second switch together, so one visit covers both.
Bar heights, sizes and strength
The 2010 ADA Standards place a horizontal grab bar 33 to 36 inches above the floor. A round bar is 1 1/4 to 2 inches across, with 1 1/2 inches between wall and bar. The bar, its fasteners and the wall must take 250 pounds. The ADA does not govern private homes, so use these as a yardstick.
Sources: IRS Publication 502, U.S. Access Board
Stair rails, by the same reference, go 34 to 38 inches above the nosings and run both sides, unbroken. A toilet bar on the side wall is long, at least 42 inches. Ask your installer which sizes suit your wall, and what each is rated to hold.
Bars and rails are also among the changes IRS Publication 502 lists as medical expenses, deductible only above 7.5% of income. If an occupational therapist has visited, hand the contractor their notes, since they know how you move. See ways to pay for bars, rails and other changes in New Jersey, and the Cranford aging in place overview. Packing it into one visit saves a second trip and keeps the house calm.
Grab bars and handrails in nearby towns
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