Plumbtile is doing back-to-back posts today as we declare that all the Mondays of 2013 be Green! That’s right! We want to do our part in helping save our planet. Our goal is to help spread consciousness and awareness about our responsibility to our environment.
Going green in your home décor can help reduce the negative impact on our planet. Starting with a small space such as the bathroom can open up a new world of design possibilities to update your home and help better the earth both at the same time.
Waste Not, Want Not
Toilets are usually the biggest water wasters in a home, consuming about 27% of the home’s total water. Installing a dual flush toilet that uses two flush buttons, one for light work and one for heavy work, can help conserve up to 17,000 gallons of water per year. The dollar savings you may experience from changing to this type of toilet design could average around $50 or more.
Showers also use an abundance of water, averaging around 15% to 20% of the total water usage in a home. Most shower heads have a flow rate of 1 to 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Low flow shower heads have a flow rate of 1.6 to 2 gallons per minute and can save a substantial amount of water. Some may worry that lower flow means less power and ability to clean adequately. Rest assured as there are many powerful low flow shower head options available that can give you the best of both worlds.
Quite a lot of energy is used to heat the water used in a home. A way to reduce the amount of energy used would be to sufficiently insulate accessible water pipes in your bathroom. Also, many water heaters are set to heat water to 140 degrees. By turning down the setting to 120 degrees you will help cut down on your total energy usage.
Let There Be (Green) Light
Lighting choices can become overwhelming when converting your bathroom to the green way. The latest bathroom remodel lighting trend consists of using LED fixtures. LED lighting options last 15 to 20 years and consume only 2 to 15 watts, which is extremely economical.
Air Circulation
It is important to circulate the air in your bathroom so that moisture, odors and mold spores do not become an issue. Exhaust ventilator fans can reduce these potential problems. Some fan systems include heated air. When this is the case, using a heat exchange ventilator will help conserve energy. These particular systems work by heating the incoming air with the outgoing air.
Jazz Things Up with Glass
You don’t have to lose your eclectic style when going green. Consider choosing recycled glass tiles to make your new eco-friendly bathroom as unique as you are. Not only do they offer beauty and color, glass tiles are particularly easy to maintain and are very durable. Friendly Plumbtile representatives can assist you by suggesting other eco-friendly ways to remodel your home and reduce the footprint left on our environment.