"Accessibility", as it pertains to the design of buildings, is a term that most of us are somewhat familiar with. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the "ADA") mandates that most buildings used by the public be designed for ease of use by persons with many kinds of disabilities. We've all seen accessible parking spaces, ramps, and washrooms in retails stores, airports, and office buildings.
Homes, too, should incorporate design features and products that are easier to use by people of all ages and abilities. It's a concept called "universal design". For most people however, the image of an accessible home is one of fluorescent lights, wheelchair ramps, and white porcelain plumbing fixtures - more like a clinic than a home.
Countertop Burners
But an accessible home needn't be like that at all. In fact, many design features and fixtures that work well for accessibility are also well suited for just about anyone. Accessible design is often just plain good design - a well-integrated accessible home design can and should extend a home's usability through more than just one phase of family life.
Start In The Kitchen
Making a house more accessible isn't particularly difficult or expensive. You might even have some universal design principals at work in your kitchen now.
"Side-by-side" refrigerators are more usable by a person in a wheelchair - unlike a unit with the freezer mounted on top. Inside the refrigerator, sliding shelves eliminate the need to reach all the way to the back to retrieve what you want.
A very common disabling condition associated with aging is reduced physical strength, which can make cooking in a large pot difficult if it has to be lifted into and out of the sink to fill with water. Instead of a standard kitchen faucet, install a "goose-neck" spout that allows the pot to be filled without lifting it into the sink. And place the cooktop nearby so that the pot can be easily slid across the countertop to the burner - no lifting required.
The latest in dishwasher design is the "drawer" type like those from Fisher & Paykel and KitchenAid. Drawer dishwashers don't require as much bending over to load and unload and because there's no door in the way, they're more easily used from a sitting position.
Staying Home
As the American population ages and as housing prices escalate, many homeowners are trying to stay in their homes longer. Too often however, family homes are primarily designed for young families and become rapidly obsolete when they can no longer provide the convenience and safety that older citizens need. It's an unfortunate result of a "disposable home" mentality - but that's a topic for a future article!
A few simple design changes can make almost any home better able to support changing lifestyles, as ease of use and safety become important issues. One of the easiest is the installation of blocking for grab bars at appropriate places in the bath when the house is built. These simple and inexpensive structural supports are used for the future installation of grab bars, which provide increased safety in showers, tubs, and at toilets.
Another easy change is using "lever-type" door hardware - popular because of its looks and ease of use but also a requirement for persons with reduced strength or restricted mobility. Widening the doors a few inches can also extend the useable life of the house. Standard thirty-inch doors aren't wide enough for wheelchairs and can be difficult for anyone with trouble walking. A thirty-six inch wide door solves both problems and makes moving furniture a lot easier, too.
Ups and Downs
Stairs are the biggest obstacle to making any home accessible. Typically, a fully accessible home must be all on one level - no stairs, step-downs, or even door thresholds. But a one-level home is more costly to build than a two-story and may require a larger property.
A better solution is a residential elevator. Sound expensive? Compared to the cost of a one-level home on a larger lot, an elevator is a very reasonable expense. It only adds about sixty square feet to the floor plan, and enables easy access to the first floor, the second floor, and the basement. Even better, only the elevator shaft need be installed now - the actual elevator equipment doesn't have to be in place until it's needed, maybe many years down the road.
Easier Than You Might Think
In most cases, accessible or universal design isn't much more than good design sense and a desire to make houses usable by everyone - and isn't that a worthy goal for any house, regardless of the current occupants? Our houses are sometimes a little too disposable - we can easily make them less so by making them more functional for a wide range of homeowners with and without disabilities. We'll all benefit from design that helps people stay in their homes longer.
Black Friday True Induction Cooktop- Double Burner- Energy Efficient S2F2 2011 Deals
Nov 15, 2011 13:21:44
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Black Friday True Induction Cooktop- Double Burner- Energy Efficient S2F2 Feature
- Overheating sensors recognize when no cookware is present and turns off.
- Overflow sensors detect food boiling over and turns off unit.
- Timer function & exact temperature setting for precise cooking
- Melt chocolate /confectionaries without a double boiler
- Comes with a 2 year Warranty!
Black Friday True Induction Cooktop- Double Burner- Energy Efficient S2F2 Overview
Have True Confidence in True Induction Try induction cooking today risk-free for 60 days! (See Image For More Information)True Induction is energy efficient portable induction cooking that offers the prefect union of sleek design and advanced technology. With quick response times, even heating and instant heat adjustments-True Induction offers a state of the art cooking experience while being the pinnacle of safety. Induction cook tops have been an upgrade feature for many high end homes due to their streamlined appearance and impressive functionality. Now, utilizing the same induction technology TRUE Induction offers portable units for a fraction of the built in cook top price. Available in both single and double units, these portable cookers are not old style "hot plates" but are electromagnet cooking vessels that quickly and evenly heat food with minimal energy output. Compared to electric and gas, induction cooking is far superior because the heat transfer is direct and instant. True Induction portable cookers are safe because there are no open flames; the countertop induction unit heats the pan(s) and food at chosen temperatures (between 150° F - 450° F)- not the entire area. Each burner holds up to 35lbs. The lightweight countertop induction units are easy to use requiring no learning curve. It's powered by 120V AC/ 60Hz and is power rated at 1800 watts - just plug it into a standard 110 outlet and you're set! Additionally, the digital touch panel is conveniently located on the top of the model so there is no strain to find knobs or functions. With TRUE Induction you'll never see cooking in quite the same way again.Induction requires pots and pans that are made of ferrous (meaning magnetic) materials. Optimal cookware has a flat bottom and a diameter of 4.5" - 10" inches.To tell if your cookware is compatible it will have the induction logo on the box.
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