It’s often said that having a shower rather than a bath is a good way to save water (and therefore money). This is sometimes true but not necessarily always as it depends on the water flow rate of your shower head. If it’s slow, which some electric showers can be, you could run a bath far quicker and with less water.

This is why it’s beneficial to consider switching to a low-flow shower head. These are also known as eco, or water-saving, shower heads.

The benefits of a low-flow shower head

There are a variety of ways to save water in your bathroom but as showering accounts for around 20-30% of household water usage, it’s a good first step to take. A low-flow shower head can be a great addition to a mixer, and power shower, giving the feeling of higher pressure without actually using more water – meaning you can turn the dial down and save water. 

To give you an idea of how much water can be saved, a few years ago, shower heads delivered about 5 to 8 gallons per minute. The current standard today is a shower head that dispenses 2.5 gallons of water each minute. A low-flow shower head which disperses 2 gallons or less of water per minute.

The reduction in water consumption also cuts down on energy usage (less water to heat), which creates further savings for your household. The combination of cost savings each year, a new model will pay for itself a few times over in the first year alone.

Low-flow doesn’t mean lower quality

Some people may still assume that low-flow equates to a lower quality shower. This was true as older models of low-flow shower heads were less effective as they slowed the water pressure down to a trickle. How miserable!

Fortunately, newer models have fixed these types of issues. They now use a mix of smaller apertures and air. By doing this, these showerheads aerate and increase the velocity of the water, creating a very fine but “wet” feeling spray pattern.

The result is a high-quality shower experience with reduced water and energy usage, saving you money.

If you’re thinking about replacing more than just the shower head in your bathroom, use our free bathroom planner to try some ideas.

You’re also welcome to contact us or pop along to our Coventry showroom for some personalised advice and planning.