Tips about Shower Heads

Every day in the United States, some three billion gallons of water make their way through shower heads. Unfortunately, about 50% of that is simply wasted water. The reason is that most showerhead designs are not efficient! Another problem associated with old types of shower heads is the draw on the environment. In other words, for people to enjoy long, hot showers, water is taken from lakes, dams are built, reservoirs are used, and processing plants designed. When more water is used than needed, septic and sewer systems are overloaded, not to count the money you pay to heat the water being wasted.

What would you say if you were told that today, a number of different shower heads have been designed that can provide you with an amazing shower but without all the waste, would you be interested in learning more? The key is to use what are called low-flow shower heads, which are very inexpensive and highly efficient. In fact, you can purchase this type of showerhead for around $10 to $15 and the savings on an annual basis in water would be as much as $50!

The interesting thing about shower heads that a number of states have actually enacted laws that now require people to use toilets and shower heads designed to use less water for all new construction. When buying showerheads, you have two primary types. First, there is the handheld design, which attaches to a hose. Second, there is the stationary type of showerhead, which is just that, stationary. Both types of shower heads are good choices, just different. The stationary style allows you to have both hands free whereas the handheld model actually saves water since water can be directed more accurately and with closer distance to the body and head.

As mentioned, low-flow shower heads are very affordable. Although inexpensive models work just fine, you could spend upwards of $100 for a designer model. However, the features of the showerhead are what matter, not necessarily the material or price. For instance, one of the most important features of a showerhead is the spray adjustment. With this, you could choose just a spray, pulsating spray, narrow or wide spray, and so on. The benefit here is that each person using the shower would need or want something different.

Shower heads considered the easiest are those with a lever or ring that can be adjusted from the outside of the head. This way, if you want to change the flow of the water, you do not have to reach into the center of the spray. Then, you might consider a water-saving feature in the form of a shutoff. This special feature is designed to cut the water flow down to a small dribble during the time you are lathering up. When looking at new shower heads, you might also think about a flow control insert and control valve, both that help cut back the flow of water and therefore, save water.