Is ‘Wear & Tear’ In Your Bathroom Wasting Valuable Energy And Resources? Part 1
A chipped tile, damp carpet, loose bath panel: Can all those little things really add up?
If you are talking about continued use, accidental damage, and redecorating – then it’s a great big yes! I am staying in a holiday cottage at the moment and they have made some big mistakes in the bathroom that could save them a lot of time, money and resources in the long run; and the planets resources!
Bearing in mind they are going to get different people with different lifestyles and ethics, they should make it almost ‘normal’ to be green. But instead, they have made it quite acceptable to waste products and to allow damage to the fixtures and fittings – and the bathroom itself in general.
photo credit: Sitka Projects LLC
Here is a general summary of the worst offenders:
And by offenders, I mean things that are not being allowed to perform at their best or are being used in such a way that causes them more ‘wear and tear’ than is really necessary.
You might think that some of these might be a bit ‘picky’ for you to consider – like preventing a broken tile in your bathroom – but don’t forget that it isn’t just your bathroom that I am thinking of. There are probably over 100 bathrooms in the streets around your house, and 100 communities just like yours close by. Now tell me that saving 10,000 broken tiles isn’t worth the effort!
1) No Handle In The Bath:
They have opted for the half-bath here to limit the amount of water used (as they could have fitted a full size one easily) – however, it has no side handles.
Now although I am still agile enough to get in and out of the bath without them – I am causing a bit of a moist mess in the process! I have to hold the side of the bath to steady myself or to get out – and as a result - all the water from my hand and arm is sliding over the edge of the bath, down the front of the wooden bath panel and down behind the wooden skirting that encircles the entire bathroom.
Needless to say, this continued moistening is gradually going to cause damage and the misshaping of the panel front until it all needs replacing. Unless, like me – everyone who stays here dries off while standing in the bath to avoid the drips! Which isn’t going to happen…
2) No Window To Outside:
As always, no window from this moist room means that there needs to be an electric fan running all the time you are in there – wasting energy.
They are also very ineffective, I find, over time and so the whole room will be susceptible to damp and mould growth. And to get the best results from the fan the door to the bathroom needs to be kept closed all the time – unfortunately, this only adds to the problem by sealing it in.
This windowless room also needs a light on all the time otherwise the fan won’t work (as they are seemingly always linked together). This also means that when you are not having a bath or the room isn’t damp but you need to use the bathroom for anything else – you have to have the fan on as well! What if you just need to nip in to clean your teeth, or grab your nail clippers from the shelf – on comes the fan for another 5 minutes!
Even a tiny window would eliminate this waste of energy and make the whole place lighter, dryer and fresher. I mean what creates damage more than a damp, dark, small, sealed room?
Planning So Far:
These first 2 things are so easy to eliminate when planning your new bathroom, but some people only think about working with what is already there for ease – rather than thinking ahead over the lifetime of the room.
By thinking how it will be used for the next 5 years makes eco thinking so much easier. Yes, its easy to just replace the damp panel ‘for now’, pint over the damp or to leave the fan on for longer – but when you add up the costs of just ‘covering up’ the problem each time rather than fixing it – you are paying more in resources.
I mean, imagine taking painkillers for the rest of your life rather than having a simple filling, or replacing the hallway carpet every winter due to muddy footprints rather than just buy a large doormat!
Take a look at Part 2 of this article for more bathroom money-wasters from this holiday cottage!