Showerheads and Energy Efficiency

Overview

According to the Department of Energy, heating water is the second-largest energy user in a home.  It’s typically responsible for about 13% of the bill.  So reducing hot water usage can result in a substantial amount of energy savings.

• A standard shower head sprays 5 to 8 gallons of water per minute (gpm) and about 73% of this is hot water.  (Standard kitchen and bathroom water faucets use 4 to 7 gallons of water per minute.)
• So even a five-minute shower can  consume 40 gallons
• Family of four taking daily showers with standard shower heads are using 700-1120 gallons of water a week – more than a three-year supply of drinking water for one person.

Inexpensive and simple to install, low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators can reduce home water consumption and water heating costs by 50% or more.

Evaluate What You Have

In 1992, federal regulations mandated that new showerheads and faucets could not exceed 2.5 gpm at 80 pounds per square inch (psi). If your fixtures pre-date 1992, they probably have a higher flow rate and you may want to replace them.  Here’s a quick test to determine whether you should replace a showerhead:

1. Open the top of an empty half-gallon milk carton so the entire top forms a square.
2. Turn on the shower at the normal water pressure you use.
3. Hold the carton under the shower head.  If it fills in less than 10 seconds, you will benefit from a low-flow shower head.

How LF Showerheads and Faucet Aerators Work

Low-flow showerheads either draw in air, or have it forced into the water stream by using compressed air.  The air-water mixture under pressure creates a high velocity spray, which makes it seem like more water is coming out than there actually is.  Faucet aerators replace the faucet head screen and lower the flow by adding air to the spray.

Options

• Aerating showerheads mix air with water, forming a misty spray.
• Non-aerating or laminar-flow showerheads form individual streams of water
  • Desirable for humid climates because they don’t create as much steam and moisture as aerating heads.

Shopping Tips

• Some quality, low-flow fixtures are available for around $10 to $20.
• There can be a substantial difference in the quality of spray from different showerheads and faucets—even among models with the same flow rate.  Consumer reports has rated the spray patterns and other features.

Results You Can Appreciate

With a new 2.5 gallon-per-minute (low-flow) shower head, a 10-minute shower will use about 25 gallons of water – less than your 5-minute shower used to use.  And if you continue with daily 5-minute showers, you’ll use only 12.5 gallons per day.

Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators and experience measurable savings in your water heating costs.