Eco-Friendly Bathroom Updates on a Budget for Portland Homeowners

(ARA) - Green remodeling is more popular in Portland today than ever before. But creating an environmentally friendly home isn’t the only reason homeowners are undertaking green remodels. According to The Wall Street Journal, certified green homes garner a higher resale value and are on the market a quarter-less time.

Think you need to be extreme to go green and make a lasting impact? Think again! There are small steps you can take to go green on a budget -- and the bathroom is a great place to start. In a short timeframe and with a small investment, you can increase your home’s value and easily turn your bathroom into a healthier, eco-friendly environment.

Freshen Up
If you’re planning to add some color to your bathroom or freshen up the walls with a new coat of paint, be sure to use one with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to reduce gaseous pollutants in your home. These non-toxic paints are not only healthier for you, your family and the environment, but they are vibrant and durable as well. The new Refresh paint, from Dutch Boy, is one example. This latex paint not only beautifies and removes odors from the air using unique Arm & Hammer odor-eliminating technology, but at the same time, provides a zero-VOC formulation and a mildew-resistant coating.

Eco-Fabulous Faucets
Bathroom faucets are the culprits of much water waste. Luckily, you can easily save water by installing a new lavatory faucet with a water-saving aerator. The Lindley bathroom faucets from Moen feature new flow-optimized aerators that allow water to flow at 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm), versus traditional aerators that flow at 2.2 gpm. The result is water savings of up to 32 percent without sacrificing performance. Available at the Home Depot, Lindley faucets join a variety of other Moen faucets certified to meet WaterSense criteria, indicating the fixtures meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s guidelines as environmentally responsible and efficient products.

Showering Savings
After toilets and washing machines, showers are next in line as residential water hogs. Today, flow-optimized showerheads, such as the Water-Saving Showerhead from Moen, are easy to install and help to conserve resources. Moen’s Water-Saving Showerhead offers a 30 percent water savings from the industry-standard showerhead and features innovative spray formers that concentrate the flow of water, providing a superior shower experience.

Not-So-Bright Ideas
Lighting is one of the largest uses of power in your home. Installing a dimmer in your bathroom will not only help you to set a serene mood after a long day, but also reduce energy and show green savings on your monthly electric bills. How much green you may ask? Check out www.lutron.com and use the interactive dimmer benefit calculator to explore the savings.

Replacing incandescent light bulbs in your bathroom with compact fluorescent lighting is another small change that will make a big impact. Fluorescent lights use one-third the electricity of standard bulbs and also last up to 10 times longer.

Lean, Green and Clean
Now that you’ve finished some green updates in your bathroom, make sure to keep it clean with non-toxic organic soaps and cleaners. Sites such as www.greenhome.com list the latest lines of environmentally-friendly cleaning products. It’s a win-win situation for both your family and the environment.

Being green doesn’t mean going to extremes. With these lean bathroom updates, you’ll see the green benefits for the environment and your wallet.

For more information on Moen’s water-saving products, visit www.moen.com or call  (800) BUY-MOEN (800-289-6636).

Courtesy of ARAcontent