Should you take a shower or a bath? It’s an age-old debate spanning centuries. From a plumbing standpoint, the answer is clear. One option clearly saves money on your water bill and is eco-friendlier – the shower. Here’s why.
The Showerhead
A big part of the debate regarding shower vs bath depends on your shower head. A low-flow, or restricted, shower head typically uses about 50% less water than a traditional shower head. If construction of your home happened prior to 1992 and the shower head is the original, you probably have a traditional flow. Replacing a traditional with a restricted shower head can save hundreds of dollars on your water bill each year.
Water Usage
A typical bath uses about 36 gallons of water. A four-minute shower with a low-flow shower head typically uses about 10 gallons. The time spent in the shower will determine the total amount of water usage. If each person in a family of four took a four-minute shower daily, the yearly water cost in The Woodlands would be $165. If that same family of four each took a daily bath, the yearly water cost would be $267.
Better for Your Skin
Prolonged exposure to water can be harmful to your skin. The National Eczema Association recommends limiting your exposure to water to shorter periods of time to avoid drying out skin cells. Showers expose the skin to water for a much shorter period, which means less breakdown of natural oils.
Eco-Friendly
Saving water is better for the planet. Water conservation efforts all point to short showers as one way to help save the planet. Not only does it preserve water for our environment, but it also cuts down on energy costs for processing and delivering water to your home.
More Expensive to Replace
While the plumbing is basically the same for a shower and a bathtub, the cost of replacing a bathtub is significantly more. Bathtubs are larger and require more materials, making the end cost more expensive. Custom tile jobs and luxury features such as jets or lights will also increase the cost. If you are looking to replace on a budget, consider the efficiency and lower cost of a shower.