Water saving shower heads
By Tom Drake | 19th July 2023 | 4 min read
As droughts become more common and water supplies become more scarce, it's going to be increasingly important for all of us to look for ways to save water at home. One of the biggest water usages in a UK household comes from showering, which makes it a great place to start trying to save water.
In this guide, we outline how you can reduce the amount of water you're using everyday by simply swapping out your shower head.
Aerator shower heads
Aerator shower heads mix the water flowing through them with air. This makes the water droplets coming out of the shower head larger, which in turn makes it feel as though there's more water coming out of it than there is. This can help you reduce your water consumption as you'll be able to enjoy the same shower experience whilst using less water.
These shower heads require the same simple installation as a standard shower head, which makes them one of the easiest ways to reduce your water consumption.
Low flow shower heads
Choosing a shower head with a built in regulator can also help you save water. Regulators are designed to limit the flow of water through your shower head without having a noticeable impact on the water flow.
As boiler technology has moved away from gravity fed systems, many of us now have a level of water pressure that's higher than what's needed for a quality shower. Shower heads with regulators can help reduce the water wastage that comes with these higher pressures, whilst still giving you a pleasant shower experience.
Adjustable shower heads
Although adjustable shower heads won't directly help you save water, they will allow you to enjoy a more intense water flow without the need to increase the amount of water being used.
Much like putting your finger over the end of your hose to make it more powerful, adjustable shower heads can direct water through a smaller number of nozzles to increase the water flow. This will help you enjoy a more intense shower experience without using more water.
Other shower water saving tips
Once you've changed your shower head, there's no need to stop the water saving there. Here are a few of our top water saving tips.
Keep your shower head clean
If you allow grime and dirt to build up on your shower head, they will eventually cause blockages in the nozzles. This will start to impact the flow of water coming out of your shower head, which means you'll need to turn up the water flow to acheive the same performance. As a result, keeping your shower head clean is vital if you want to save as much water as possible.
Keeping your shower head clean is as easy as leaving it to soak in a bag of vinegar then giving it a quick scrub. For more information, take a look at our shower head cleaning guide.
It's also important to keep in mind that if you live in a hard water area, you'll need to clean your shower head more regularly.
Shower timer
One of the biggest causes of water wastage in our showers is time. A 5 minute shower can use up to 75 litres of water and the more time you spend in the shower, the more water you'll be using. As a result, if you're looking to reduce your water usage it's important to keep track of the amount of time you're spending in the shower.
Showers are a place where we relax and let our minds wander, so it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of time. That's where the shower timer comes in.
Using a timer can help you keep track of how long you've been in the shower, which will in turn keep your water usage at the forefront of your mind. If you don't want to use a timer, why not use your favourite music instead?
Fix a dripping shower
It's one thing trying to reduce the water you're using while you're showering, but if your shower is using water while you're not in it, that's an area you need to address.
A leaking shower can be caused by a number of issues. If your shower head is dripping water from areas other than the nozzles while it's switched on, you'll need to replace the shower head. If your shower is dripping water once you've switched it off, it's likely the problem is originating from the valves and you may need to replace them.
Use a bucket to catch waste water
Many of us will need to leave our shower running until it gets up to the desired temperature and usually, this water would go to waste straight down the drain. However, if you place a bucket in the shower while you're waiting for it to warm up, you can then use this water in other areas around the home such as for watering plants.
That concludes our guide to water saving shower heads. As you can see with just a few small changes you can start saving water every time you shower.
