Much has been made in the last few decades about reducing our ecological footprint in the world via energy-smart home appliances. But some of the most damaging environmental drainage happens right inside our own bathrooms at home because of our outdated toilets, showers and sinks. It doesn’t have to stay that way, however. Here are five tips to keep in mind for engineering a more efficient bathroom.
Energy efficient toilets
You might not know this, but modern toilets use no more than about a gallon and a half of water per flush in the United States. That only goes for the newest models, though. If you’re living in an older home with older appliances, your toilet might be using up a good portion of your entire water source. You can easily remedy this by finding efficient toilets that specialize in saving gallons of water per flush.
Walk in bathtubs
These specialty tubs have swinging doors at their bases which allow you to get in and out with ease. Additionally, the doors feature a non-leak bit of lining in order to ensure all the water stays in your bath, not all over the floor. Walk in tubs have amassed a good following in senior care centers and domestic homes throughout the country because of their increased accessibility into the tub.
Simpler shower heads
Finding efficient toilets and tubs isn’t going to completely cut down on your water use, though. Since shower heads tend to be larger and have more openings than standard sink faucets, they typically use quite a bit more water when they’re in use. But opting for an energy-smart model that shuts off after a certain number of minutes is a nice reminder to keep your showers short and sweet — for the betterment of the planet, of course.
Non-drip faucets
A leaky faucet can pose a number of serious risks for any home or office. The primary one is flooding, which can easily be remedied by tightening up the base pipe to cut the dripping. The second one, however, has far greater consequences for the planet. In order to prevent draining the earth’s water supply any further with a leaky faucet, opt into contemporary water-efficient faucets instead of your old ones.
Regular maintenance
Because your bathroom is the place in your home where you use the most water, you’d do well to ensure it’s being run as efficiently as possible. That includes regularly checking near the base of the toilet, tub and sink for signs of leakage or broken water lines. Not only do these cost you more in your water bills, but leaks can also lead to devastating water damage — sometimes in places you can’t even see. Always make a point to check your floor for standing water.
As you can see, it takes a whole lot more than simply finding efficient toilets in order to make your home — specifically, your bathroom — environmentally friendly. But a more efficient bathroom also means a less expensive water bill. In that, that’s a win-win.