Create a New Green Bathroom Without Replacement

Creating a green bathroom without replacement saves money, time, valuable resources and the environment. It requires accurate knowledge about the resources available today that can save water and energy resources, in order words utility bills, while treading very gingerly on the environment. It means replacing old and inefficient fixtures and appliances with ones that conserve water and energy. It goes much further to include recycling, refinishing and using materials that are recycled.

Benefits

In a hopelessly depressed and sluggish economy, many are creating green bathrooms, without replacement because in addition to saving time, money and the environment, it offers comfort to those that want to wait out a bad housing market. Those that wanted to buy new homes, can wait for the economy to improve while continuing to enjoy the present home with a bathroom face lift for some, and total remodel for others.

Additionally, remodeling adds value to the home and makes it more appealing to potential buyers. Since green bathroom renovation emphasizes reduction in water and energy use, lower utility bills is exactly what many prospective home buyers are looking for in a very tight economy.

Another component of green bathroom renovation that is often over looked is that it saves trees and landfills. It is well known that trees are still the cheapest and most effective way of sucking excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The fuel council estimates that an average drive of 1,000 miles, even with fuel-efficient cars emit 3.5 tons of carbon annually.

In order to offset the impact of a single car every year, it takes about 17 mature trees. Interestingly, a single mature tree can absorb 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year and release enough oxygen to support two people. By shading homes and offices, trees also reduce up to 30% of air conditioning bills.

Creating a new bathroom that does not require replacement benefits the landfills and ultimately the environment. It is estimated that 47% of the junk that goes to the landfills comes from renovation. The reasons are obvious because new construction does not waste a lot of materials compared to total tear-outs. Energy is used in making new fixtures and appliances and is saved when those items are not replaced.

Creating a new bathroom without replacement and on budget:

The easiest and most cost and time effective way to create a new bathroom is to refinish the bathtub, sinks and counter-tops. Cabinets can also be refinished saving precious trees. It costs about $450 to $650 to refinish a bathtub compared to $1500 to $2500 to replace a bathtub. If you are new to bathtub replacement, the price goes so high for a replacing a bathtub that costs a couple of hundred dollars to install, because of the work and contractors involved. Replacement calls for a plumber, removing and replacing tiles, perhaps floor work and the dumping of replaced fixtures. It is usually takes more than a day, while bathtub refinishing can be done in about four hours. Since bathtub refinishing does not involve replacement, money, time, energy and the environment are saved.

Many that have used the services of a few cheap 'bad apples' in the bathtub refinishing industry have complained of peelings. When you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Period.

After bathtub and sink restoration, shower heads are the next inexpensive items to tackle because they reduce water use. There are many varieties and the prices range from cheap to expensive. Find one that saves water, money and performs equally as a standard shower head.

There have been more strides in the development of varieties of water and energy efficient toilets in recent years and the prices are getting comparable to standard toilets. Take the dual-flush toilet for instance, it uses less than .8gallons per flush for number one and 1.6 gallons of water to send number two down the drain. An average home saves about 15000 gallons of water a year.

Many suppliers of building materials carry recycled tiles, vanities and flooring materials.
These can be used to affect the least impact on the environment, while saving lots of green. Those that are blessed with an antique claw foot bathtub have seen a renewed interest in their use. They are in-expensive to re-glaze, colors can be changed and they are a beauty to be soaked in.

Saving energy can be achieved by using energy efficient light bulbs. Some have added dimming lights to save energy, while others have take advantage of the orientation of their bathrooms in their use of skylights.

Creating a new bathroom without replacement is a sure way to save up to 80% of the cost of bathtub replacement, saving on counter-top and sink restoration, coupled with savings of natural resources. With a tightened economy, you can eat your cake and have it too if you follow these recommendations.

Wilson Uche Ukah, is the President of Refinishing Stars, a bathtub refinishing company serving homeowners in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville. Refinishing Stars, refinishes bathtubs, sinks, and countertops for hotels and motels nationwide. Wilson can be reached at http://www.refinishingstars.com or sales@refinishingstars.com

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