Master Bathroom Energy Efficient Tips
Next to the kitchen, the bathrooms of your custom home use the most energy. As energy efficient home builders in Tampa, we know that one of the best ways to ensure energy efficiency in the bathroom is to reduce the need for water coming into the bathroom. Bathroom water usage can be almost cut in half with just a few simple changes. In this article, we will discuss a few tips homebuyers can implement to make their master bathroom more energy efficient.
High Efficiency Shower Heads
Most shower heads today have 2.5 gallons per minute flow rates, and luckily modern high efficiency shower heads can cut that amount by half or more. These newer fixtures maintain pressure without sacrificing water flow for efficiency like earlier models did.
High Efficiency Faucets
Similar to high efficiency showers, high efficiency faucet aerators are easy to install, and will reduce your water usage by at least half. Faucet aerators are also one of the most cost effective ways to reduce water usage in your home. Along with the aforementioned shower heads, these newer aerator models will keep pressure high while reducing water flow. The only downside to these faucets is that homeowners will need to check for leaks or drips on a fairly regular basis.
Bathroom Lighting
As green home builders in Tampa, we know that most bathrooms are way too bright because they are over-lit. Not only does this waste energy, but it can throw off the paint color for the entire bathroom. The brightness of a room can be measured with a light meter, which will tell you how bright your bathroom is, and then you can compare that to national standards of lighting needs. For example, if you have a four or five bulb vanity over your sink, you have the option to unscrew at least two of them, and still have a sufficient amount of light over the sink. Another option to save energy is to swap out those bulbs with LED light bulbs. This will cut your light usage drastically.