A horizontal grab bar beside a toilet in a bathroom.Housing & Home Safety
A horizontal grab bar beside a toilet in a bathroom.Photo: Gramody · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Grab bars are inexpensive and effective, but placement matters — a few key spots cover most of the risk.

Priority locations

Have grab bars professionally installed into studs or with load-rated anchors — a poorly mounted bar can fail at the exact moment you need it.