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Naturally, we want our washrooms to remain smart, clean and functional for as long as possible. Ahead of costly refurbishments, you can replace a number of items that may be better suited to your needs compared to those currently in situ. In high traffic environments such as leisure centres, motorway service stations and entertainment venues, you’ll be looking for low maintenance fixtures that will be resilient to the volume of users visiting the premises. Here we take a look at some of the upgrades that can be made to increase the life of your facilities.
Hardware Packs
When caretakers or site managers carry out winter checks, particular attention will be given to the state of cubicle hardware. The locks, handles, coat hooks and hinges see significant use and often need replacement. It’s a good idea in places like schools to have an ample supply of replacement hardware on site. Our hardware packs provide aluminium fittings for an entire cubicle; including lock, hinges, partition support legs and channel fixing brackets. We offer a range of aluminium hardware packs including a powder-coated option, which enables you to maintain a slick finish.
Toilet Seats
The toilet seat is a common victim of washroom wear and tear and is often in need of regular replacement. However, a number of more durable upgrades are available. You may decide a wall mounted toilet seat is the way to go. As these models are attached to the wall or duct panel system, and not the toilet pan itself, they withstand a lot more use. Another option, which is becoming incredibly popular, are toilets designed to not even need a toilet seat. These are most often used in institutional facilities such as hospitals and prisons, but are now finding their way into schools and entertainment venues due to revitalised design.
Sensor activation
One of the very best upgrades you can make to your washroom is the switch to sensor activation. By installing sensor operated flush kits to your urinals and toilets, along with sensor taps, users never need to touch the handles or turn the water on at the sink. This significantly improves durability as well as hygiene. You’ll also find sensor-operated soap dispensers and hand dryers in our offering too.
Taps
As mentioned previously, sensor taps are a highly durable option in the washroom and when having to replace taps, they are certainly worth your consideration. With fewer moving parts, they require little maintenance and are much less likely to leak or get damaged. They also only allow water to flow for a set period of time and so can't be accidentally left on, causing a flood risk. Vandal resistant sensor taps may be worth thinking about too, particularly if your washroom facility is open to the general public – train stations, bus stations, hospitals, prisons and public conveniences. These slimline basin-mounted sensor taps sit just a few centimetres above the work surface and have chamfered edges, meaning they can't be prised off the basin.
Go Waterless
Though perhaps not necessarily an upgrade to improve durability, going waterless with your urinals is a good idea for almost all washroom environments. Mains water supply isn't needed when a waterless conversion unit is used. Instead, smells and bacteria from the drainage pipe are locked behind a replaceable cartridge that sits in the opening of the urinal’s drain outlet. With no mains water supply, legionella checks are made easier and the risk of flooding is significantly reduced.
Solid Grade Laminate
With some lower grade laminate cubicles, water ingress can cause the panel to swell, which results in weakness and inevitable damage. Replacing these damaged panels with Solid Grade Laminate (SGL) is a sensible step forward and with the huge diversity of colours available, you are sure to match them into existing cubicle panels – assuming you don’t want to replace all of them in one go. SGL is completely impervious to water and can also be used in wet areas such as shower cubicles. The benefits of SGL flow through into all areas of the washroom and the material is a great choice for duct panelling, wall cladding, vanity units and changing benches.
Safety Flooring
Washroom flooring is an area often overlooked. If your washroom is suffering from poor flooring, or the wear and tear damage to the surface is becoming more frequent, you may want to look at replacing it. Safety flooring is a great choice often used in hospitals and schools. Most safety flooring materials have non-slip properties and curve up where the floor meets the walls, rising for a few inches. This delivers a completely water resistant surface and prevents any leaked or spilt water from seeping into the fabric of the building. It also makes the washroom easier to clean – an added bonus.
Duct Panel Systems
If you are thinking of replacing your toilets and cubicles, then you certainly need to think about incorporating duct panel systems. This involves creating a kind of false wall behind the toilets. Within this space, you're able to conceal all the mains water and drainage pipework along with cisterns and sensor activated flush kits. The finish is clean, sharp and incredibly easy to clean due to exposed surface areas being drastically reduced.
A Pro-Active Stance
Lastly, one of the best ways to improve durability, is to stay on top of the small problems as and when they arise. Nipping things in the bud goes a long way to lengthening the life of your washroom. If tiles need re-grouting, perhaps do it asap, rather than waiting for the problem to worsen. A routine maintenance check needs to be carried out often, paying particular attention to things like the hinge movements, locks, handles, tiling and the seals around sinks and other sanitary ware.
Collectively, this list can be used as a guide when undergoing complete refurbishment. However, when carrying out ongoing repairs, these individual upgrades can markedly improve your facilities in both functionality and durability.
As always, our team are at the end of the telephone for all your queries and questions and have a wealth of knowledge they’re happy to share with you. So if you need some guidance, or would like to talk over your options, you can give them a call on 01202 650900.
