Updating your Bathroom for Energy Efficiency

In recent years, energy efficient products have become more elegantly designed as homeowners increasingly want to improve efficiency without sacrificing the look they want. Today a plethora of options exist for improving the efficiency of a bathroom, from installing low flow faucets to making those seemingly minor repairs that are often buried low on the priority list.

Reducing water consumption is a major way to boost the energy efficiency of a bathroom. Installing low flow shower heads and bathroom sink faucets will help reduce the amount of water used in everyday activities. Older toilets also waste a lot of water, so replacing yours with a high efficiency model is a worthwhile investment. Some cities and organizations offer rebates or other incentives for upgrading appliances and fixtures to approved energy efficient ones, so be sure to research whether you are eligible for any such incentives when making energy efficient updates in your home.

Reducing the use of hot water will help save energy. Depending on your budget for upgrades, you may consider replacing a water heater with a more efficient one, or adding a low cost water heater jacket to help retain heat within the tank for longer periods of time. A water heater on a timer allows you to eliminate needless heating of water during times when it is not needed, such as late at night or while you are at work.

Another way to use less energy in the bathroom is by replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs. This simple change can help reduce energy consumption not only in your bathroom, but throughout the entire home.

Although not as exciting as getting new sink and shower fixtures, be sure to repair problems such as water leaks or poor seals on air ducts, which can consume energy unnecessarily. A drafty window is another culprit for wasted energy. Putting off seemingly minor repairs may be costing you money.

Last but certainly not least, make an honest assessment of your habits with regard to water and electricity consumption in the bathroom. Are there any areas that can be improved? Some simple changes are turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth or shaving, rather than letting it run when not in use. Another step you can take is avoiding taking unnecessarily long showers.

You do not have to make a heavy investment in a complete bathroom overhaul to improve energy efficiency. Every step counts!

About the Author: David Ems is the CEO of Overstock Deals, a leading supplier of discount faucets and fixtures for residential and commercial applications. Please visit www.OverstockDeals.com to browse kitchen and bathroom sink faucets and other plumbing fixtures from 50+ major brands.

Shopping for a New Kitchen Sink: Single, Double or Triple Bowl?

One of the decisions you will encounter when shopping for a new kitchen sink is the number of bowls you prefer. Double bowls are most commonly found in homes today, but single and triple bowl sinks have also become common for use in new homes and kitchen renovations. Some factors to think about are the size of your sink base (the space where the sink will be installed), how you use your kitchen and how you wash dishes. Here we take a look at a few considerations for deciding among single, double or triple bowl sinks.

Single Bowl Sinks
The main advantage of a single bowl sink is having one large basin in which to work. Single bowl sinks are helpful for tasks like washing large items such as pots and buckets. They also make sense when the sink base is relatively small, and functional space within the sink needs to be optimized. Single bowl sinks are common options for areas that have limited purposes, such as islands or wet bars.

Double Bowl Sinks
Double bowl sinks are the most common in kitchens today. The primary advantage of a double bowl sink is the ability to use each side of the sink for different tasks at the same time. Washing dishes becomes more convenient when one basin can be filled with water and the other can be used for rinsing. A division between two bowls is also helpful for keeping the garbage disposal available while dishes are placed in the opposite side. A drawback of a double bowl sink is that compared to a single bowl sink of the same size, a double bowl sink has less capacity to wash large pots and pans.

Triple Bowl Sinks
Triple bowl sinks usually consist of two larger sink basins with a smaller one in the middle or to the side for the garbage disposal. This configuration keeps the garbage disposal available, even if both sink wells are occupied. Typically triple bowl sinks are best suited for areas with large sink bases, and provide the ability for more than one person to stand and comfortably work at the sink.

The most important consideration when shopping for a kitchen sink is how you use your kitchen. Think about your past experience with sinks of different types as well as what your preferences are when washing dishes.

About the Author: David Ems is the CEO of Overstock Deals, a leading supplier of discount faucets and fixtures for residential and commercial applications. Please visit www.OverstockDeals.com to browse kitchen and bathroom sink faucets and other plumbing fixtures from 50+ major brands.

Choosing a Replacement Bathroom Sink Faucet

Bathroom faucets can change the look of an entire bathroom, or be as understated as you would like. The wide variety of bathroom sink faucets available provides the freedom to choose a bathroom sink faucet that fits your taste and the style of your home. Installing a beautiful new bathroom faucet can be quite rewarding, and there is no need to feel overwhelmed by the plethora of choices out there. Every faucet will not work with every sink, so narrowing down the options to select the perfect faucet may be easier than you think.

First, determine how many holes your sink has and the distance between them. Some sinks have one hole, while others have two or three. For a single hole sink, you know that you will need a single hole faucet. If your sink has more than one hole, you will need to know the distance between the centers of the outer two holes, called the faucet spread, to ensure that you purchase a faucet that will fit. Similarly, a wall mount faucet should be replaced with a faucet of the same mount style.

Another measurement to consider is the distance from the faucet handles to the wall behind the sink. The handles should have enough room to be operated conveniently. If you have limited space between the faucet and the wall, that is a factor to consider when selecting your faucet. Once you have taken all of the necessary measurements, you can limit your faucet options to just those that work with your sink.

With the options narrowed to those that will fit your sink, it is time for the fun part of choosing the style. Bathroom faucet styles range from very simple to intricately detailed antique replicas, and everything in between. Choosing the right faucet style for your home is largely a matter of personal preference, but you may want to keep in mind other factors such as the other fixtures in the room and the style of your home. Coordinating your new faucet with existing fixtures will give the bathroom a cohesive look. If you are replacing all of the fixtures, shopping from a collection will ensure that all of the finishes and styles flow well together. If the rest of your home fits into a particular style, you may consider keeping the consistency by choosing a bathroom sink faucet that fits. There are no concrete rules about coordinating styles, but for instance, a modern faucet may best fit with a modern style home.

For more information about choosing the right faucet, please visit our Bathroom Sink Faucets Buying Guide.

About the Author: David Ems is the CEO of Overstock Deals, a leading supplier of home improvement products including a vast selection of faucet fixtures. For more information and to browse the latest Delta bathroom sink faucets, the full Kohler kitchen faucet collection and more, please visit www.OverstockDeals.com.