"Understanding Your Home" by Building Inspector Mark Visser
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FYI
You can save even more on water and energy costs by installing a "low flow" showerhead.
US consumers: The U.S. Department of Energy stipulated back in 1992 that a showerhead delivering more than 2.5 gallons (9.5 litres) per minute at 80 PSI is illegal.
Canadian consumers: Since 2008 the same standards were adopted in BC and other jurisdictions.

TIP
Use an inexpensive shower timer to help monitor and reduce showering times and save even more water and energy.




Water Use: Shower vs. Bath


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Opinion 1: "Showering is generally faster than bathing and requires less water and energy".
Opinion 2: "Showering uses more water than bathing".
let's have a look at what the 'experts' are saying and how we, using some common sense, can find out who is right.

OPINION 1 (by non-experts)
"Showering is generally faster than bathing and requires less water and energy".
This is what we have been told for years by water and energy conservation advocates and I for one and many others have always, and still do, believe this to be right.

OPINION 2 (by experts)
"Showering uses more water than bathing".
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) says that the average shower is consuming 12 gallons (45 litres) and the average bath only 9 gallons (34 litres) of hot water. These figures are based on a 2000 study done in ten homes in Seattle (WA) over two separate two-week periods. A DOE spokeswomen said that the figures were provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who commissioned the actual study.

TAKE A TEST, YOU BE THE JUDGE
To test the amount of water used in a shower versus a bath put the plug in the bath next time you take a shower (but not a stand-alone shower as you might spill over the lower shower wall). After you are done showering, see how much water you have used and how it compares with what you would use for your bath.
Opinion 1 wins if there is not enough water to take a bath. You will save money by taking a shower instead of a bath.
Opinion 2 wins if there is more than enough water to take a bath.

THE VERDICT
Some may take a short shower and are in and out in minutes. Others may take showers that last "for hours".  So, based on the duration of the shower, both opinions are true!!





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