Showers
You can halve the amount of water you use in the shower with a water-saver shower head ─ and you’ll still get very wet!
The shower can be one of life’s luxuries but long showers consume huge amounts of expensive hot water. Shorter showers are a climate smart decision and the money you save can be used for little luxuries elsewhere.
Getting the most out of your shower
- Make every drop in the shower count. You really can do everything in four minutes if you set your mind to it, and a shower timer is a great way to create new routines for getting clean and saving water.
- Normal shower heads use 13–20 litres of water per minute. Replacing your old shower head with a 3-star rated model will reduce water consumption to less than 9 litres per minute. And don’t think you won’t have a great shower; the technology in the new heads delivers a shower that doesn’t seem much different to old water wasters, while reducing water consumption by at least 30 percent.
- Changing your shower head will save water and as less water is consumed, less energy is needed to heat the water for your shower.
How to save water and energy in the shower
Installing a water-saving shower head takes a couple of minutes and most don’t need tools to install. With the tap turned off, gently unscrew the head from its supporting arm (or remove the head and arm from the wall pipe if your replacement is a complete unit).
To ensure a watertight seal when you fit the new components, wind a little thread tape, inexpensive and available from any hardware store, around the threads of the water pipe. With the rubber seals installed as supplied or instructed on the packaging, carefully wind the new shower head or arm onto the pipe by hand until you feel it resisting. Supporting the arm with your other hand so that it winds on straight. Wind the shower head or arm the rest of the turn until it sits in the correct position.
Turn on the water. If there are no leaks from the joint, you’ve successfully installed a water-efficient shower head. If there is any trace of water, try another full turn, until you achieve a seal, or start again with a little more tape on the thread.
Alternatively, a handyman or plumber will be able to install the shower head for you if required.
