Counter tops are one of the most important aspects of a high end looking quality kitchen. While design matters, so does durability and maintenance.
Energy Efficient Bathroom Remodeling
When it comes to remodeling your bathroom for energy efficiency, you will need to focus on function. That’s why you need to determine the energy your bathroom uses and how to save with energy-efficient features. Even though your bathroom is one of the smaller rooms in your home, it does significantly impact the amount of energy consumed. When considering updating or remodeling your bathroom, take in to account if your bathroom isn’t energy efficient, it could be draining your wallet more than you assume.
In this article, we’ll look at energy-saving measures to consider when planning your next bathroom remodel or update.
Invest in Insulation to Save Energy
Adding new tiles to your bathroom is one of the most basic steps to giving it an entirely new look. However, before you install your tile, consider adding a layer of new R- 30 to R60 (R- Value stand for resistance to heat flow) insulation to the walls (especially exterior walls). If you live in a home that does not have cavity wall insulation, then your bathroom will be unusually colder than the house itself. So, adding the proper R value insulation will make the bathroom warmer and much more comfortable, consequently saving money on heating during the winter and cooling in the summer.
If you live in an unusually cold region of the world, you will want to consider insulating the hot water pipes too. A 75mm thick insulation should do the job when it comes to reducing heat loss by as much as 75%. It could roughly save you $70 a year.
Replace all the Bathroom Fixtures
As part of renovating the bathroom, you’ll want to replace the fixtures with energy-efficient parts. Make sure that the new fixtures you install are Energy Star compliant. For instance, Energy Star compliant bathroom fans consume 70% less electricity. Make a list of all the fixtures in the bathroom that consume excess water and power, then replace them with energy-efficient ones.
New Flooring Installation
Many people may not know, but their home’s temperature has a lot to do with the flooring. For instance, by using rugs and carpets, you’re going to trap more heat which continues to keep your bathroom warm during the winter. If you live in a very warm climate, tile is also a great choice and is very cool during the summer. If you have pets and live in a hot climate, your pets will love to lay on tile. Find a flooring professional who can help you choose an energy-efficient solution for your bathroom flooring.
Choose Energy Efficient Bathroom Lighting
When remodeling your bathroom, think about the energy consumed by the existing lighting solutions you are using. If you’re using CFL for instance, you might want to switch over to LEDs which cost slightly more, but the benefits in the long run are worth it. LED lighting lasts longer, much brighter and don’t consume half as much electricity. So, you will end up saving on energy consumption and service life in the long term.
Install Motion Sensors to Bathroom Lighting
Many people reading this may forget to turn off their bathroom lights especially kids. That’s where connecting motion sensors to the bathroom lights can help rectify this situation. Alternatively, timer switches will turn off the lights after a certain time helping you save electricity.
Conclusion
Bathrooms happen to be one of the top remodeled spaces in most homes. However, with the right planning, you can ensure your remodeled bathrooms will not only be beautiful, but save you money by becoming more energy efficient.
