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Common Questions about KR Specialties Water Control Products
Designed and patented as the 1st collapsible dam, all design decisions including height of the dam was influenced by the healthcare experts we interact daily over the past 30 years. Our parent company, The K Ross Company, has a long and establish track record working directly with healthcare architects, engineers to bring to market accessible shower products for healthcare and senior living industry who design ADA and non-ADA shower environments to maximize safety and limit risk. Rehab hospital discharge planers, physical and occupational therapist are trained to consider short vs. long term mobility. Removing or limiting barriers and tripping hazards is a top priority by the CDC to prevent falls for patents and healthcare workers. If their must be a dam, experts agree it shall be as low as possible yet effective. When paired with a curtain with heavy tape weights sewn in bottom seam holding the curtain to the floor, the outcomes are a safer entry and exit into the shower by both ambulatory and shower chair users.
- We are the Pioneer and originator of 1st Collapsible dam ever made.
- 30 years of experience serving the Healthcare & Senior Living architectural community
- Proven product manufactured in America
This can occur shortly after installation and daily use when the dam was applied to surface that was not chemically cleaned or sanitized with denatured alcohol. You will need to replace. Call us for assistance.
All barrier free showers are by definition, barrier free or curb-less with a gentle slope to the drain. The size and depth of a barrier free shower often determine the shower area’s capacity to retain water.
Collapsible dams are particularly well suited for bathtub replacement size showers that have narrow depths usually around 30”- 36”
Collapsible water dams are soft and flexible under foot yet durable enough to stand up to robust commercial applications. When paired with heavy tape weighted curtains, that is, curtains that have weights sewn in every two inches along the bottom seam, these accessories provide safety and assurance by preventing water from escaping your shower.
If your shower has a radius or curved corner where the threshold meets the wall, order round end caps designed for vertical installation for showers with on curved corners. Order enough collapsible dam to travel approximately 2-4 inches up each side wall. If your shower has square corners, choose square caps for proper seal, fit and finish.
If you are getting water cascading out of the shower onto the bathroom floor while the water is on and in use, start with these easy trouble shooting observations which will lead you to the solution.
Improper Seal: This can occur shortly after installation and daily use when the dam was applied to surface that was not chemically cleaned or sanitized with denatured alcohol. You will need to replace. Call us for assistance.
Curtain Choice: Conventional Lightweight curtains made for conventional baths or showers will cause big problems in barrier free showers. Choose curtains designed for barrierfree shower applications designed with heavy tape weights sewn in every two inches along the bottom seam. Curtains shall be 15% wider than the shower opening, meaning a 57” opening would require a 66” width curtain. The curtain should be hung at a height that allow the bottom to make contact with the shower floor. Note: These curtains are available in heavy institutional vinyl which tend to be stiffer and rigid. When elbowed involuntarily, the curtain will jump over the dam. Staph check heavy vinyl is not machine washable which makes it harder to clean and maintain. Material curtains in Polyester or Nylon with tape weights come with a higher cost but are much more effective keep water in the shower when elbowed involuntarily and are machine washable.
Fiberglass shower with Curved corners: The corners is where most leakage occurs as water spray cascades with force down the curtain and wall toward the corners. Modular manufactured with curved corners are vulnerable to leakage where the threshold meets the wall. The KR dam was originally designed for modular manufactured showers with curved corners and is the only dam on the market that covers the entire radius in the corner. The triangular shape of the dam allows the dam to travel up the wall to a vertical position which provide corner and wall coverage not available anywhere else on the market. The dam hugs the curtain where it’s needed most. Finish with a round cap that seals against the wall. The installer can decide how far vertically you want it to go.
No, the KR dam has a “patented” recessed channel design that eliminates to need for additional glue or adhesive reinforcement of the edges. The recessed channel with automotive grade 3M tape pulls the dam tight to the shower surface along the perimeter of the dam providing a integral flexible friction seal similar to a car or window seal that that is easy to clean and maintain. This feature also limits water exposure to the tape, so the tape maintains a long-lasting bond.
Yes, without end caps, the dam will tear away from the wall when stepped on. The result for all collapsible dam designs will be water leakage in the corners, the location water typically cascades down the wall on all bathing fixtures. If you have a dam with a hollow channel, this will harbor mold and bacteria where the seal has been compromised. Collapsible dam end caps are essential to provide a robust seal and a finished aesthetic that is easy to clean & maintain.
Yes, because we are primarily and OEM manufacturer and not a distribution marketer, you will find our product images on the web and in videos distributed by distributor partners and major manufacturers of accessible showers who provide our products under a multitude of brands for commercial and residential applications. Wherever you buy, you are getting the original product, not a knockoff.