Tips a More Eco-Friendly Bathroom Renovation
Posted on: 12 April 2016
When you're ready to renovate your home's bathroom, why not consider how to do this in the most eco-friendly way possible? This means considering how your choices and work will affect the environment before, during, and after the renovation. This is possible every step of the way with a few simple, eco-friendly tips.
1. Recycle Your Old Materials
There are very few things you might rip out of a bathroom that cannot be recycled, so call ahead to a scrap yard or salvage yard and ask what they accept. Very often this includes all the porcelain fixtures, faucets, showerheads, pipes, flooring, drywall, mirrors, shower tiles, and cabinets. Don't throw away anything until you're exhausted all your leads for recycling or salvaging these materials.
2. Find Salvaged Materials
You may be a bit hesitant about using a salvaged toilet or tub in your new bathroom, but very often you can find floor tiles, vanities, wood for shelving, mirrors, and many other pieces that have been salvaged and which are in like-new condition. Shop around for salvaged pieces your contractor will use to keep these pieces from winding up in landfills and to cut down on the virgin materials you'll need to purchase.
3. Collect Scrap
During any renovation project, there is usually a large amount of scrap created as contractors need to trim wood for studs and floorboards or trim pipes for plumbing. These materials can easily be collected and recycled; get a skip bin for the project and collect the materials during the renovation so nothing gets wasted.
4. Install a Window
Why run a bathroom fan for hours every day as everyone takes their showers? Install a window in your bathroom if possible so you can just keep it open a slight bit and let out condensation, keeping you from having to use the fan throughout the day.
5. Install LED Lights
When thinking of conservation in the bathroom, you may be thinking of how to save water. Certainly low-flow toilets and showers can be an eco-friendly choice, but consider the power used by all the bulbs in the bathroom. Switch to LED lights, which use less electricity.
6. Get a Solar Hot Water Heater
To make a very eco-friendly choice in your home, consider adding a solar hot water heater to your renovation plans. A solar panel can provide quite a bit if not all the power your water heater needs for daily showers and the like. You'll reduce your usage of electricity with a solar panel and, in turn, the pollution created by electrical plants as they operate.
For more information on how to make your bathroom renovation more eco-friendly, consider contacting a local specialist.
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