Going green can start at home, right in your own kitchen and bathroom. And saving the environment can also add up to savings in your wallet. Whether you’re planning a major kitchen remodeling or bathroom remodeling project, or you’re building a new home from the ground up, consider including these eco-friendly touches for your kitchen and bathroom.
Green Home Tip #1: Use Low-Flow Toilets And Water Saving Shower Heads
An old toilet can use up to five gallons of water per flush! Consider how many times you or your family members flush each day and you could be flushing hundreds of gallons down the drain every day. If you’re planning a bathroom remodeling project or designing a bathroom for your new home, consider installing low-flow toilets. These toilets use roughly 3.5 fewer gallons of water for each flush, which means you could be saving nearly 2,000 gallons of water each month if your family typically flushes 20 times a day.
Water saving shower heads are also excellent to include in your bathroom remodeling project. A normal shower head can use 2.5 gallons of water per minute. If you have four people in your family who all enjoy a 10 minute shower each day, you’re using 3,000 gallons of water every month. Water saving shower heads can use less than two gallons a minute, which can reduce your water consumption by 600 gallons a month.
Another benefit of using low-flow toilets and water efficient shower heads is a reduced water bill, which can help offset the costs of your bathroom remodeling job. Imagine how much money you can save if your water bill is reduced by 2,600 gallons each month!
Green Home Tip #2: Install Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo flooring is one of the most eco-friendly types of flooring available. Bamboo renews rapidly, unlike hardwood forests, which can take decades to mature. Additionally, if bamboo isn’t harvested after five years of growing, it falls over, wasting the shoots. So it makes sense to harvest bamboo over other types of slow-growing trees like cherry or oak.
However, bamboo isn’t just eco-friendly. It also looks beautiful on your floors throughout your home and is durable enough for kitchens and bathrooms. Bamboo flooring is particularly popular in South Florida as it naturally lends itself to light, tropical and airy décor. In its natural state it is a very light color, although it comes in a variety of stains which makes it practical for both contemporary and traditional themes as well. With so many options, it’s possible to use eco-friendly bamboo flooring throughout your entire home, whether you want a dark walnut or chestnut color or a natural light one.
Green Home Tip #3: Use Energy Efficient, Energy Star Appliances
When you’re shopping for new appliances for your remodeling job, look for ones that have an Energy Star rating. These appliances, including water heaters, refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens and ranges, microwaves and water softeners, all use less electricity, lowering energy consumption and utility bills. However, that’s not all. Energy Star appliances are often built with higher quality components, which can help them last longer and reduce costly repair bills in the long run.
Additionally, some Energy Star dishwashers can handle larger pieces of food waste, which means you won’t need to rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. This can save you even more money, not to mention time. And who doesn’t want to spend less time doing the dishes?
If you’re interested in learning more about making eco-friendly updates to your home’s kitchen or bathroom, Beattie Remodeling can help. Contact us through our website or call 239-471-7005 to book an appointment at our Design Center at 1213 Coral Parkway E in Cape Coral, Florida. We can design an eco-friendly plan for your home that fits in perfectly with your family and your lifestyle.
