How Does a Low-flow Showerhead Save Water?

How Does a Low-flow Shower Head Work?

Water conservation is an important concern for our little planet, as are all environmental issues. But you must already know this or else you wouldn’t be here! One of the ways you can reduce the amount of water you use in your home is by installing a low-flow shower head. Standard shower heads can use up to 2.5 gallons of water per minute, and even more for older fixtures. This means even a 5-minute shower uses over twelve gallons of water. Older shower heads can use over five gallons of water per minute! Since you probably don’t take cold showers, this is water that needs to be heated as well. A low-flow shower head saves water by restricting the flow, thus reducing the amount you use when you shower. You conserve both water and the energy needed to heat it up. This is a win-win situation for you and the environment. You conserve resources, and save a few dollars doing it!

Most low-flow shower heads use less than 2 gallons of water per minute. According to energysavers.gov, you can reduce your water usage by 25%-60% by installing low-flow fixtures. There are two types of low-flow showerheads, each with a different mechanism for saving water: Aerators reduce water usage by mixing the water output with air and forming a spray. Laminar-flow shower heads restrict water output and form individual streams.

Pros and Cons of Low-flow Shower Heads

Aerators are those low-flow shower heads that form a misty spray by introducing air into the water stream. The upside to these is that they are extremely environmentally friendly, some boasting only .5 gallons of water usage per minute. Many people enjoy the feeling of the spray, but there are some downsides to an aerating shower head. Aerators, by mixing air with the water flow, tend to make the water feel cooler, thus encouraging you to crank up the heat. Second, because of the super-low flow, you may end up taking a much longer shower, effectively eliminating the water-saving idea altogether.

Laminar-flow shower heads put out streams of water, and can be adjusted to different flow patterns. These are a great option for people living in humid regions, as aerators can create a warm mist that’s probably unwanted. Laminar-flow heads can create a great massage-like sensation, but they have their drawbacks as well. Some low-flow laminar heads end up being more like a small waterfall than a shower, meaning your spend more time showering and use more water.
There are good and bad models of each type of low-flow head, with varying levels of performance. With pros and cons all around, how to you go about picking one?

Choosing a Low-flow Shower Head

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made it easy for consumers to find high-quality low-flow shower head options by implementing a labeling system. WaterSense is a combined initiative, bringing together the EPA, manufacturers, utility companies, non-profit organizations, retailers and other professionals. WaterSense shower heads must meet strict criteria, tested by an independent third party and approved by the EPA. Products that earn the WaterSense label must not only adhere to a flow rate of less than 2 gallons-per-minute, but also pass performance tests that ensure the shower head meets a consumer’s needs as far as comfort and ease of use.

The EPA says the average household can save 2,300 gallons of water per year by installing WaterSense shower heads. And, they say if one in ten Americans retrofits their entire bathroom with WaterSense fixtures, as a country we could save 74 billion gallons of water annually! That’s a whole lot of water, mostly water that required energy to warm up.

Simply visiting the EPA’s WaterSense website is a great way to begin your search for a low-flow showerhead. You can expand your search to online retailers, and spend some time reading reviews online. It’s worth taking the time to do the research in order to find a shower head that’s both environmentally friendly and pleasant to use. Nothing ruins your day quicker than a bad shower first thing in the morning! Well, except maybe high water and energy bills.

Is a Low-flow Shower Head Right for You?

It has been a federal law since 1992 that no shower head may put out more than 2.5 gallons of water per minute. If your shower head dates before that you should definitely replace it, if not with a low-flow head at least with a more modern alternative. As for going the low-flow route, it is a personal choice, one that you can feel good about.

You might cut back on some utility bills, but the importance of a change to low-flow heads goes beyond the financial benefits. If everyone makes small changes like these we, as a planet, can seriously reduce our drain on the natural resources of the world. It may seem like water is everywhere, but indeed it is a precious commodity. Doing your part to ensure fresh water for future generations can be as easy as installing a low-flow shower head.