Q: Which one uses less water- taking a bath or a shower? Paula R.
A: You can Google all kinds of fun facts about showers versus baths but, the answer to that faboo question is... it depends. It depends on a few variables like the kind of shower head you have, how long you shower, and much water you put in your bathtub. I bet you just thought I was gonna say baths, right? Or maybe you thought I was gonna say showers? Well, here's the thing...
The truth about baths...
The average American bathtub (five feet by 30 inch) holds 50 gallons of water. That's filled to the tippy top. No one fills their bathtub to the tippy top because of a little thing called water displacement.
For example: I fill the tub a less than halfway for my little-Little and about halfway for me. Although I haven't measured the amount of water, I am guesstimating that we use about 15 gallons of water when she bathes and 25 when I bathe.
Now, my personal bathing habits are I take a bath when I want to relax or have aches and pains. I spend a ton of time in that water and usually refill the tub with steaming hot water at least once. When I do take a bath, I usually use 50 gallons of water... unless I'm using our garden tub and then... well... I'm ashamed to say those numbers are significantly higher.
Figure out how much water you're using when you bathe.
For example: I fill the tub a less than halfway for my little-Little and about halfway for me. Although I haven't measured the amount of water, I am guesstimating that we use about 15 gallons of water when she bathes and 25 when I bathe.
Now, my personal bathing habits are I take a bath when I want to relax or have aches and pains. I spend a ton of time in that water and usually refill the tub with steaming hot water at least once. When I do take a bath, I usually use 50 gallons of water... unless I'm using our garden tub and then... well... I'm ashamed to say those numbers are significantly higher.
Figure out how much water you're using when you bathe.
The truth about showers...
If you live in an older home that hasn't needed many fixes, you're most likely dealing with a shower head without a flow restrictor. That means your shower head is putting out close to or more than five gallons of water per minute. If you take a three minute shower, you're using 15 gallons of water. I don't know anyone (who isn't in the military) who takes a three minute shower.
I take on average a ten minute shower. My shower head was installed in 2005 and has a flow restrictor that allows for 2.5 gallons of water per minute. My ten minute shower uses 25 gallons of water. That's the same amount of water I would draw for a bath (if I only filled my bath once and didn't soak like a prima donna).
If you don't know how many gallons of water your shower head is providing per minute, find out. The older the shower head, the more likely you're using closer to that five gallon per minute mark. (I read that some older shower heads may even allow for eight gallons of water per minute!) Consider that you may be doubling your water usage PLUS the energy it takes to heat the water by not updating your shower head.
I take on average a ten minute shower. My shower head was installed in 2005 and has a flow restrictor that allows for 2.5 gallons of water per minute. My ten minute shower uses 25 gallons of water. That's the same amount of water I would draw for a bath (if I only filled my bath once and didn't soak like a prima donna).
If you don't know how many gallons of water your shower head is providing per minute, find out. The older the shower head, the more likely you're using closer to that five gallon per minute mark. (I read that some older shower heads may even allow for eight gallons of water per minute!) Consider that you may be doubling your water usage PLUS the energy it takes to heat the water by not updating your shower head.
So what does all of that mean?
It depends.
If you take ten minute showers using a shower head that has a 2.5 gallon flow per minute or a bath with the tub filled halfway, you're looking at about the same amount of water usage.
If you take really long showers using an older shower head, you are using a lot more water than you would use if you are bathing in a standard size tub.
If you take a bath in garden size tub rather than a regular size tub or if you refill the tub with hot water, then you're using a lot more water.
If you take ten minute showers using a shower head that has a 2.5 gallon flow per minute or a bath with the tub filled halfway, you're looking at about the same amount of water usage.
If you take really long showers using an older shower head, you are using a lot more water than you would use if you are bathing in a standard size tub.
If you take a bath in garden size tub rather than a regular size tub or if you refill the tub with hot water, then you're using a lot more water.
But what does all of that mean?
It means, friends, that you can save money by taking shorter showers, filling the bathtub halfway, and updating your shower heads.
My family uses about 3,750 gallons of water each month just on baths and showers. That number would be closer to 7,500 if we had older shower heads. The cost of that water (as well as the cost of heating it) depends on where you live.
Here is a really great website that will help you see how much water you use. My Littles and I used it during some lessons once and it was eye opening.
My family uses about 3,750 gallons of water each month just on baths and showers. That number would be closer to 7,500 if we had older shower heads. The cost of that water (as well as the cost of heating it) depends on where you live.
Here is a really great website that will help you see how much water you use. My Littles and I used it during some lessons once and it was eye opening.
Do you have a question that needs answering? Just email OFM at mamabee@OneFabulousMama.com! For more Magical Monday Q&A fabulousness, go here!
