Caregiver Doors

The manufacturer’s limited warranty for defects is extended to the original “end-user” purchaser. When installed in a commercial setting, the warranty period is for 5 years from the original date of purchase. When installed in a residential setting, the warranty period is for 10 years from the original date of purchase. Please see the AKW warranty for details.

Compensators essentially make up the gap between the doors and the walls, giving you space to make fitting adjustments and achieve a finished appearance. Compensators are U-shaped channels, open on one long edge. Each door assembly’s end fits into a compensator channel. With the doors removed, you have access into each channel to fasten the compensators to the walls. When you slip a door assembly into a compensator, you can fine-tune its position so that the door’s gasket rests on the floor properly, so that it swings properly, so that it engages a mating door properly, and is plumb.

The manufacturer makes many caregiver door sizes and configurations. ARC stocks only the models designed for alcove installations because they are the models that the US and Canadian markets have consistently required.

The manufacturer makes them only in white with gray trim accents.

All caregiver doors have a “fit range” that allows for adjustments during an installation. To determine which door to order, begin by measuring the width of your alcove shower opening (from wall to wall). Make sure the walls are finished so that the thicknesses of all materials are taken into account (drywall, tile backer, tile, acrylic or fiberglass coverings, etc.).

Next, in the Alcove Caregiver Door section of this website, see the “Available Models” page and select the model with a “fit range” that includes your measurement. If none of the models have a “fit range” that covers your needs you can consider the use of one or two extra-wide compensators. Every door comes with two compensators. Swapping an original compensator for an extra-wide compensator will change a caregiver door’s “fit range” by 2″. So, for example, if a caregiver door’s “fit range” is originally ?59″ to 60″, replacing one original compensator with an extra-wide compensator changes the “fit range” to between 61″ and 62″. Switching out both original compensators for extra-wide compensators would make the “fit range” 63″ to 64″.

There is one exception to this general rule. Caregiver door model CD2960-WG includes extra-wide compensators as original equipment, therefore its “fit range” cannot be adjusted.

If you’re still out of luck finding a caregiver door that will work in your shower, there is one more possible solution. You can easily install a strip of material between each wall and compensator to make up a gap of any size. For this purpose we recommend non-porous, solid surface products like Corian, Avonite, Swanstone, Cambria and the like (there are many brands). You could also use acrylic or fiberglass. Cut the material to the dimensions you need and mount the strips to the walls, then fasten the compensators against the strips. Using this method, the “fit range” of any caregiver door can be expanded or fine-tuned to meet most every need.