Get an Eco-Friendly Bathroom | Planet-Friendly

More than half of our home’s indoor water consumption happens in the bathroom. Since the average American uses 100 gallons of water every day, that means that we use more than 50 gallons of water in the bathroom (your toilet uses about 27%!). For more stats on indoor water use, see the EPA’s WaterSense page.

Eco-Friendly Bathroom Solutions

But don’t worry! These numbers are steadily decreasing as more and more homeowners are opting for more eco-friendly bathroom designs and plumbing fixtures. We’ve already talked about how you can create a more eco-friendly kitchen, so this time we’re heading into the bathroom.

Eco-Friendly Bathroom Solutions

1. Cut the Flush

For a standard toilet, every flush uses 3.5 to 7 gallons of water! Low-flow toilets, however, us as little as 1.28 gallons. There are also European toilet models that have a dual-flush option – one for liquid waste and the other for solid waste. Some municipalities even offer money-saving rebates on low-flow toilets and other plumbing fixtures.

2. Shower Savings

Your toilet isn’t the only water hog in your bathroom. The next largest water consumer in your home is your shower and bath, which also uses energy to heat up the water. Like your toilet, there are also low-flow showerhead options available to you. These designs use less water without sacrificing water pressure or comfort. Compared to standard showerheads, gauged at 2.5 gallons per minute, low-flow models at 1.6 gpm can cut your annual water use by 20,000 gallons and save you up to 15% on your water heating costs.

3. Frugal Faucets

Although federal plumbing standards require faucet to run at no more than 2.5 gallons per minute, many older homes still have faucet fixtures that flow at 3 to 5 gallons per minute. As with your toilet and shower, you may want to replace faucet fixtures and aerators. If you don’t have an aerator, they are cheap and easy to install yourself. Although you could shell out for those restaurant-style motion sensor faucets, we recommend just being very conscious of when the faucet is running. Turn the tap off while you are washing your face, shaving, and brushing your teeth. Doing this alone could save you over 200 gallons a month (EPA).

4. Bathroom Detailing

Avoid the hormone-disrupting and asthma-inducing effects of a PVC shower curtain by installing planet-friendly glass doors. Make sure that you have enough ventilation in the bathroom to prevent mold and mildew.

To keep even more toxins away as a result of your bathroom cleaning products, install a bath or shower that uses durable acrylic material. With ‘s high quality materials, backed by the Good Housekeeping seal, your days of scrubbing bathrooms are over. And with most remodels completed in just 1 day, you won’t have to live with a messy and stressful bathroom remodel.

5. Piping Problems

If your home was built before 1930, you may have lead pipes which are leaching lead into your water supply. You can test the quality of your water by sending in a sample to a sate-certified lab. Visit the EPA’s State Certification Officers for Drinking Water Laboratories page for more information.

You may also want to consider replacing your piping system if you have polybutylene pipes, leaking pipes, corroded pipes, discolored water, or low water pressure. Call Larry & Sons today to find and detect problems with your pipes and offer budget-friendly options for repair or replacement.

As an exclusive dealer, Larry & Sons Plumbing is committed to achieving eco-friendly bathroom comfort and efficiency.

ECO-FRIENDLY BATHROOM DETAILING

  • Replacement bathtubs and showers
  • Bath and shower wall surrounds
  • Walk-in tubs, step-through inserts, and barrier-free showers
  • Shower doors and rods
  • Bath and shower accessories
  • Large selection of styles and colors
  • Easy to clean and prevents mold and mildew

With the Good Housekeeping Seal, you have nothing to worry about:

For the showstopping, eco-friendly bathroom of your dreams, delivered in just one day (in most cases), call Larry & Sons for your next bathroom remodel.

For more information on easy, 1 day Bathroom Remodels, read our latest blog.

Whatever plumbing installation and replacement project you have in mind, the expert technicians at Larry & Sons can get the job done right.

Don’t forget to check out our maintenance plan; we provide fall and spring HVAC tune-ups, provide 15 % off all repairs, and much more!

Keep in touch with us on FacebookTwitter, and Google+ for more useful information.

Components to Consider Replacing During Your Bathroom Remodel

Having your bathroom remodeled is an excellent way to brighten up your living space and add value to your home. However, you should consider a remodeling as more than just a facelift for a single room: this is an opportunity to replace your plumbing and your fixtures and give yourself a more efficient and attractive bathroom. We’ve listed a few components we think you should consider replacing when you schedule your bathroom remodeling.

When you want comprehensive bathroom remodeling in Hagerstown, MD, look to a trusted name with a long history of service: Larry & Sons, Inc.. From tiles to tubs, pipes to showers, we have your bathroom remodel covered.

Consider replacing these components during your bathroom remodel:

  • Outdated piping: If you have an older home, you may still have non-copper pipes installed that are prone to corrosion and breaks. Copper pipes are highly resistant to corrosion and other damages, and 80% of all homes now have them installed. During a remodeling is a perfect time to have your older pipes replaced with durable copper ones.
  • Faucets: New faucets not only look pleasant, but if you can have low-flow models installed they will help you save water.
  • Showers and tubs with curtains: If you have a shower curtain for your bathtub and shower, you can brighten up the room—and have a more effective seal against water splashing onto the floor—with the installation of a glass door.
  • Toilet: Although your current toilet might seem fine, you can benefit from a new low-flow model that will add to your low-flow faucets in saving you money.
  • Interior lighting: Lighting is an important part of creating an attractive décor in any room of a house. Take out the harsh old fluorescent lighting in your bathroom and add an attractive new fixture to provide a warm glow.

Hire experienced professionals

A botched bathroom remodeling job is worse than not having the job done at all. But if you rely on a company with many years of experience and a reputation for quality, you won’t have to worry.

Larry & Sons, Inc. has served the community since 1960. We will work with you to deliver the best bathroom remodeling in Hagerstown, MD you could hope for. We replace cabinets, re-tile floors, fix drywall, and install many kinds of plumbing fixtures and durable pipes. You can trust us to work hard to deliver the results you want.

Thinking About a Bathroom Remodel? Call a Professional Frederick, MD Plumber!

If your bathroom shows signs of aging plumbing, can’t handle your family’s needs, or just doesn’t look like you want it to, you may be thinking about a remodeling project. A bathroom remodel will increase the value of your home and perhaps lower your water bills as well. In Frederick, MD, a professional plumber can help you determine what you can do within your budget, then conduct the remodeling with courtesy and efficiency. If you want to remodel your bathroom, it pays to keep a few things in mind before you call a professional.

  • How many people will be using the bathroom, and for what purpose? Is the bathroom currently adequate for your family’s needs? Or are people tripping all over each other in an effort to fit into the space, or even waiting their turn while one family member uses the limited resources? A qualified plumber can talk about things such as additional sinks and shower-to-bathtub conversions, but you should clearly define the bathroom’s requirements before you begin.
  • What is your budget like? The amount of money you wish to spend will have a huge impact on the specifics of your remodeling project. A surface refinishing might not cost much at all, while a full-scale rearrangement of the piping and fixtures could cost significantly more. You need to know how much each component of the remodeling will cost so that you can decide how best to use the resources in your budget.
  • What kinds of utilities are needed? Besides the fixtures themselves, you need to plan for adequate heating, lighting and ventilation. Without them, your new bathroom may be less appealing that you thought.
  • How much space do you have to work with? Expanding your existing bathroom may be possible in some cases, but you always need to know how much space you have to work with. A professional plumber can sit down with you and diagram the available space, showing you exactly what you can reasonably fit into it.

In Frederick, MD, the plumbers at Larry & Sons are experts at remodeling projects. Call us today to set up a consultation; we can show you what’s possible with your space and budget, and help you design the remodeled bathroom of your dreams.