Apartment bathtub resurfacing is the best green alternative to replacing old and dingy tubs and sinks. Traditionally, when bathtubs are dulled, cracked or chipped, property managers and owners would just replace the bathtubs and they end up in the landfills. With a tight economy and the country’s mood towards environmentally sustainable housing, many are turning to surface restoration instead of tub replacement. What are the benefits?
Benefits of bathtub resurfacing and green bathroom remodeling
Bathtub resurfacing saves money, time and the environment. It costs about $ 300 or less to buy a new tub, that’s comparatively inexpensive. But when you consider the demolition or tear out of an old tub, walls, tiles, disconnected plumbing and then the re-installation of those fixtures, the price can run up to $ 2000. Also, when you consider all the sub-contractors involved and the coordination of different schedules for different contractors you see that tub replacement may take a week or more to complete.
In addition, the old tub that is replaced ends up at the landfills as part of the 47% of all the remodeling junk that ends up at the landfills. Moreover, nobody wants new landfills built- not in my neighborhood.
On the other hand, bathtub resurfacing is done in the bathroom. It takes about 4-6 hours to complete and the tub can be used in 24 or 48 hours depending on the coatings used in reglazing. It costs about $ 250 to $ 450 to resurface a bathtub, thereby saving apartment owners up to 80% of the cost of replacement. No tubs or fixtures end up at the landfills.
Another factor that is overlooked when considering tub restoration, is that energy and other valuable assets are used in manufacturing new bathtubs. It takes energy to manufacture, transport and get the new tubs to an apartment. Such energy and other assets can be saved by surface restoration.
A green bathroom cuts down on water and energy use, and on sewage and greenhouse gas production. There are many low flow fixtures on the market today, that save energy and water without compromising comfort and performance.
Low-flush toilet.
In many apartment complexes, on the average, toilets are the single largest user of water. In fact, many old toilets use up to 5x as much water as the new versions on the market today. Installing low-flush toilets saves water.
Save in the shower.
As far as water usage is concerned, showers are next after toilets and washing machines, as apartment water hogs. Manufactures are making low-flow showerheads that save considerable amount of water and money. These showerheads look good, are efficient and comfortable.
Install a tankless water heater.
You will be thankful for a tankless water heater. Here’s what you get:
Savings in energy because there is no water losing heat in the tank
Savings in water because there is a shorter wait for the water to heat up on those cold mornings
Reduction in carbon dioxide emissions because of reduced energy use.
Extra space for tenants to put their cleaning supplies
Use fluorescent lighting.
Fluorescent lighting uses less energy than an incandescent one.
Apartment bathtub resurfacing when combined with green bathroom renovation, saves money, time and the environment.