Bathroom

Showerheads

• Choose a new showerhead that uses one and a half to two gallons per minute (gpm). Older showerheads can use five gallons of water per minute or more.
• Designs that deliver multiple individual streams, rather than mist-like sprays are more energy efficient in that they keep the water warmer.
• Consider installing a showerhead shutoff valve – a device that fits between the shower arm and the showerhead and features a button that reduces the shower stream to a trickle while the user soaps up.
• Install a chlorine filter to remove chlorine from your shower water, regarded by many as a good precautionary measure against harmful fumes.

Toilets

Toilet flushing is the largest single use of water in a home. 

• When replacing a toilet, research and compare high-efficiency models that use 1.3 gallons or less per flush. Older toilets can be huge water wasters, using as much as five gallons per flush. To find efficient toilets, look for those with the EPA’s WaterSense label.
• You may even want to consider a dual-flush toilet, which gives the user the choice between a full flush and a half-flush.
• Install a composting toilet to convert human waste to nutrient-rich fertilizer for non-food plants.  One toilet can accommodate up to five people. Through the reduction in water use, the payback period for these toilets is about 10 years.
• Use greywater to flush toilets rather than potable (drinking) water.  This requires dual plumbing distribution lines and a storage tank/filtration system. These types of systems are now more widely available, and meet Seattle and King County plumbing codes when installed correctly.

Faucets

Since bathroom sink faucets are the most heavily used in the house, durability is a key consideration when replacing your faucet. 

• Look for lifetime warranties and ceramic disc valves, which are long-wearing and easily replaceable. 
• If reusing your existing faucet, see if you can outfit it with an aerator – a device that screws onto the end of the faucet to reduce flow.  Aerators, such as those with the WaterSense label, can deliver water at rates of one gallon per minute or less, which is sufficient for most bathroom tasks.

Bathroom fans

Without proper ventilation, moisture from the bathroom can lead to mildew, mold and structural damage.

• Consider installing a 60–minute timer or a humidistat to ensure the bathroom is dried out after use.
• If you have an older or poor–quality bathroom fan, consider upgrading to a new unit; ensure the fan is properly vented to the outside.

Flooring

A variety of flooring materials are available to meet different priorities. Criteria to keep in mind when choosing flooring includes durability, maintenance, renewable materials, recycled-content, comfort, appearance and ease of installation.

• Avoid vinyl sheet and vinyl tile flooring. Although a popular choice, vinyl provides questionable durability and raises concerns for environmental and health safety, especially during manufacture and disposal. It can produce harmful chemicals when burned.
• Flooring choices to consider:
• Natural linoleum is a close alternative to vinyl, but is durable, antibacterial and antistatic, and made from natural, renewable materials. It comes in sheet s or easy-to-install click tiles that can be installed without glue or nails.
• Concrete floors can incorporate recycled materials such as fly ash from coal-fired energy production, and are extremely durable. However, concrete is energy-intensive to produce, requires periodic treatments to maintain a surface seal, and is cold and hard to stand on.
• Tile is another durable option that can also contain recycled material, and can be repaired by replacing individual tiles rather than the entire floor. Drawbacks are that surfaces must be prepared carefully for a successful installation, production is energy-intensive, and tiles can be cold and tiring to stand on.
• Laminates, or floating floors, have the appearance of wood, bamboo or cork but are composed of a thin pattern layer over a tongue–in–groove base of wood or wood fiber. This flooring choice is easy to install, inexpensive and may incorporate recycled material. On the negative side, laminates cannot be refinished more than once or twice, are susceptible to moisture damage through the wood base, and are not recyclable.

Additional resources

• Green Home Remodel Guide for Bath and Laundry Rooms – from the King County Solid Waste Division
  Provides in-depth eco-friendly tips for your bathroom remodeling project — on everything from faucets, to toilets, to tiles

Showerheads/faucets

• "Find a Product" – from WaterSense
  Helps you find a large variety of home products with a “WaterSense” label
• Greywater Factsheet- from the Washington State Department of Health
  Answers all of your questions about the inner workings, cost, safety and feasibility of home greywater systems
• Saving Water Partnership – for Bathrooms
  Provides several strategies for conserving water inside your bathroom

Toilets

• Environlet Composting Toilet World
  A company that promotes the use of composting toilets

Other

• Cascade Water Alliance
  An organization of several King County cities focusing on water conservation efforts. They offer consumer info on ways to save water and take advantage of water saving rebates
• EcoBusiness Environmental Directory
  Provides an extensive list of links to companies that specialize in eco–friendly products for any home remodeling project
• Ecohaus
  A local green building product retailer that sells and offers detailed specifications on many green building products

Note: links to external sites include educational resources and businesses that are partners of existing or former King County Solid Waste Division environmental programs. If your business offers environmentally friendly home remodeling products or services, and you would like to be listed as a resource in the Eco-Cool Remodel Tool, please contact the EcoConsumer program online.

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