The kitchen is considered to be the heart and nerve center of any home, without which the whole house would appear utterly incomplete. Over time, this important part of the house experiences gradual wear and tear, consequently, necessitating improvements and remodeling. Furnishing the kitchen with up-to-date appliances and facilities could mean a lot, but with each passing year, major overhauls would be inevitable. This vital procedure of kitchen remodeling requires carefully thought-after improvement projects necessary to make your kitchen attain green status, hence sustainability.
Aesthetic value improvement
Kitchen remodeling improves the aesthetic, as well as monetary values of your house. Regular maintenance costs are one burden every homeowner aspires to be relieved off and turning your kitchen into a sustainable room will go a long way into achieving this desire. Worn-out kitchen floors are unattractive, besides rendering cleaning to be difficult, all of which compromise the hygiene of your home. Therefore, every homeowner should strive to remodel their kitchens and attain the green status necessary for sustainability. The following remodeling tips are vital to achieving this status for your kitchen.
Saving water
Water accounts for the largest percentage of kitchen consumables. Finding means to save water consumption will be a huge leap towards reducing recurrent kitchen bills. Consider the following projects to help achieve this goal:
- Install Low-Flow Faucets
Low-flow kitchen faucets consume less water without noticeable changes in water pressure. They employ a process called aeration in which water air are mixed to increase water flow force.
- Install foot pedals or sensor faucets
We waste much water during dish washing because there’s little we can do to turn off the water since our hands are full. Thanks to the ever-improving home technology, installing foot pedals or sensor faucets will help in saving the amount water that gets wasted in our kitchens.
- Repair leaking pipes and faucets
Pay attention to sources of water leaks and act promptly. Though not necessarily noticeable, leakages can mean a big difference over time when paying your water bills.
- Change the worn-out tap’s ceramic discs
Though meant to last a lifetime, presence of hard water filled with minerals could lead to unprecedented damages in tap’s ceramic discs. If this happens to be the case, you can find a detailed guide on how to replace the ceramic disc here.
Energy efficient kitchens
Energy is consumed in large quantities in the kitchen due to the presence of large appliances, as well as small but many tools. To turn your kitchen green, look at ways to reduce energy intake. These would include:
Paying attention to your appliances
These are the largest energy consuming monsters in the kitchen. Make sure to replace old appliances with Energy Star-Rated ones as it will positively impact your quest for a sustainable kitchen. They could include the refrigerator, stoves, freezers, and dishwashers.
Make Plans for ventilation and natural lighting
Explore techniques that will reduce the use of artificial lighting such as windows and skylights. An open floor planning is also helpful for natural lighting to occur. Also, improve air quality and heat the room without the use of HVAC systems at all times.
Insulate water pipes
Much energy is lost when water is traveling on insulated pipes, meaning it will consume more energy before getting heated at the faucet. Insulating the entire lengths of water pipes will help reduce energy consumption.
Use of recycled material
There are methods that can turn the kitchen green through utilization of recycled materials.
- Use countertops prepared from recycled materials. Most are made from rocks mined with ecologically unsustainable means. Utilize ones made from recycled waste products such as paper, glass or wood.
- Purchase cabinets for your kitchen from manufacturers that use recycled materials hence reducing formaldehyde emission. To ensure this, Forest Stewardship Council’s stamp should aid in easy identification of such cabinets.
- Kitchen flooring should be of high importance due to cleaning and hygiene. Consider using materials such as linoleum, reclaimed wood, tiles made from recycled materials or bamboo.
A sustainable kitchen speaks well for the homeowner, besides reducing the frequent trips to the bank. Remodeling your kitchen will set you above as a pioneer homeowner in this era of environmental protection and sustainability. Next time you plan to remodel the kitchen, ensure you are motivated towards the achievement of green status and sustainability.
