How to Make Your Bathroom More Green-Friendly
Making your bathroom more green-friendly is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and save some money on your utility bills. There are several things you can do to make your bathroom more eco-friendly, from choosing the right wallpaper to incorporating energy-efficient lighting. Here are some of our favorite ways to make your bathroom more green-friendly.
Eco-Friendly Wallpaper
One of the easiest ways to make your bathroom more green-friendly is to choose eco-friendly wallpaper. Look for wallpaper made from recycled materials or that is certified by an environmental organization like the Forest Stewardship Council.
VOC-Free Paint
Another simple way to make your bathroom more eco-friendly is to use VOC-free paint. VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemicals that can off-gas into the air and cause health problems. Look for low- or no-VOC paint when you’re repainting your bathroom walls.
Add Plants and Greenery
Plants not only add a touch of life to any room, but they also help purify the air. So, if you’re looking for a way to make your bathroom more green-friendly, consider adding some plants. Snake plants and spider plants are particularly good choices for bathrooms because they thrive in humid environments.
Get a Ventilation Fan
Bathrooms can be notoriously humid places, which can lead to mold and mildew growth. To prevent this, make sure your bathroom has a ventilation fan that you use every time you shower or bathe. Ventilation fans help remove excess moisture from the air, which will keep your bathroom cleaner and healthier.
Design with Recycled Building Materials
When you’re designing or remodeling your bathroom, look for recycled building materials like reclaimed wood flooring or recycled glass tiles. These materials cost about the same as their virgin counterparts but have a much smaller environmental impact. And when you’re done with your renovation, donate any leftover materials to a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore so they can be reused by someone else.
Add a Skylight for Natural Light
Adding a skylight is one of the best ways to let natural light into your bathroom and reduce your reliance on energy-consuming artificial lighting. If you’re not ready to commit to a skylight, consider adding a solar tube instead. Solar tubes are less expensive and easier to install than skylights, but they don’t provide as much light. Either way, you’ll be saving energy and money on your electric bill.
Use Energy-Efficient Lighting
When it comes to choosing light bulbs for your bathroom, look for ones that are energy efficient. LED bulbs are a great choice because they use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last much longer. You can also find energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs, although they don’t last as long as LEDs. Whichever type of bulb you choose, make sure it’s rated for use in damp locations like bathrooms.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many ways you can make your bathroom more green-friendly. By making small changes like these, you can help reduce your environmental impact and save money on utility bills at the same time. And if you need help with your bathroom renovation, be sure to contact Capitol Design Build—we’re experts at creating beautiful, sustainable spaces in Virginia!