Go-with-the-low-flow

Everyone loves a good, long shower to start the day or to relax while winding down in the evening. Admit it, you linger in the shower from time to time. We're all guilty of it. Several members of your family probably do the same thing, maybe on a daily basis much to your annoyance. And that can add up to not only higher water bills, but also higher energy bills because of the extra energy used for water heating.

An obvious solution is to set a time limit on showers. But sometimes you really need that 10 minutes of zen in your day. Consider a low-flow showerhead as a way to balance the feeling of a great shower with the satisfaction of not letting money go down the drain along with it.

You may be worried that a low-flow showerhead means a low quality shower. That may have been true in the past, but modern low-flow showerheads are designed to offer the high pressure you enjoy while limiting water usage.

Some showerheads even have a clever feature that saves even more water if you're like most people who wait for the shower to warm up before getting in. Let's say you turn on the shower as you're brushing your teeth. A thermostatic shutoff valve (TSV) can sense when the water reaches your desired temperature and slows the flow down to a trickle to save water. Once you've finished brushing your teeth, you can get in the shower, pull the cord on the valve and you're ready to go.

Let's talk numbers. A conventional showerhead uses 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm). Low-flow showerheads use 1.5 gpm. That adds up to 3,650 gallons of water per person per year you can save with a low-flow showerhead. In addition, you can save up to $145 in energy costs per showerhead.

Ready to save? Mass Save offers special discounts on low-flow showerheads through our online store. Shop now.