What Uses More Water: Showers or Baths?
October 15, 2020
We all have our preferences when it comes to bathing. Some people prefer to just use the shower, some only take baths, and others use a combination such as using a shower for cleansing and a bath for relaxing. Whatever your preference is, the fact is that we all use quite a bit of water every day. If you’re conscious about the environment, you might wonder what the better choice for water conservation is—showering or taking a bath.
While many factors affect water consumption such as duration of a shower, age, and function of your shower head, and the size of your bathtub, in most cases, a bath can use less water.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a typical bathtub uses an average of 36 gallons of water to fill. Compared to a shower, which can use around 5 gallons of water a minute, you could be using much more water than using the bathtub if you take showers longer than ~7 minutes.
If you’re a devout shower user, don’t fret. There are ways you can continue using the shower while conserving water.
Tips to Cut Down on Water Usage
The average American uses an average of 88 gallons of water each day! Now that you know just how much water you use in a single day, here are some steps we can all take to cub our water usage:
- Install water-efficient fixtures and appliances. The EPA estimates that by doing this alone, you can cut down on water usage by 20%. This comes out to savings of roughly $300-$1,000 each year, depending on household size and usage.
- Shave outside of the shower. Save shaving for the sink and be sure to turn the water off when you’re not using it. Shaving at the sink uses as much water as washing your hands and if you shave in the shower, you could be wasting much more water.
- Set a timer. Sometimes we can get carried away with a nice warm shower and lose track of time. Set a timer so you don’t end up staying in the shower and using more water than you intended.
Professional Plumbing Services in South Jersey
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Pleasantville is your professional, prompt, and knowledgeable plumber. We’re always a phone call away—no matter the time of day. We offer comprehensive plumbing services in South Jersey. Whether you have a leaky shower head or need a new bathtub installed, you can count on our reliable and thorough plumbing services.