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How Does A Low-Flow Showerhead Help You Save Money And Water?

Examining the cost and benefits of this easy and impactful addition to your home

The typical U.S. home wastes an extraordinary amount of water. According to the EPA, indoor water leaks and inefficient use alone account for more than 10,000 gallons in water waste each year in every home! That's the equivalent of the water it takes to wash more than 270 loads of laundry. There are a number of ways to save water and money that most Americans avoid. As a result, they are also unnecessarily paying more on multiple utility bills every single month. Let's look at the difference adding one or more low-flow showerheads will make.

Why buy an efficient showerhead?

Fixing water waste in your home starts with making your bathroom more efficient . The easiest way to cut back on your water and energy usage is by swapping out your wasterful showerhead. Install an energy efficient showerhead with a flow rate less than 2.5gpm (gallons per minute), also known as a low-flow fixture. These low-flow showerheads can cut water waste in your home by up to 50 percent.

In fact, according to HGTV , the average US household can save about 2,900 gallons of water every year by adding just one low-flow showerhead. How many showerheads do you have in your home? Multiply that number by 2,900 gallons of water. That's how much water you are able to save annually just by adding this simple fixture. It's an incredible change that you can make in minutes and it will save you money for years.

How much money will a low-flow showerhead save you?

Adding a low-flow showerhead means you start saving money almost immediately. "Simply stated, a new low-flow showerhead will pay for itself several times over in its first year of use alone," HGTV writes . Subtracting 20-40 percent off your average water bill is an easy way to see the potential range of savings you are likely to enjoy each month alone. But that's not where the savings stops.

How does a low-flow showerhead save you electricity?

Saving water also reduces how much electricity is needed to power your water heater during your showers. In fact, according to the EPA , the average family could save more than 330 kilowatt hours of electricity every year. That's the equivalent of 11 day free days of electricity! The EPA also states that if every home in the United States added low-flow showerheads, we'd save 260 billions of water each year and avoid $2.5 billion in energy costs for heating water.

Check for the WaterSense label first

It's easy to know if you are buying a low-flow showerhead. Just look for the WaterSense label. Under EPA rules, a showerhead with a WaterSense label must demonstrate that it uses no more than 2.0 gpm of water. To receive a WaterSense label, a low-flow showerhead must also provide a satisfactory shower that is equal to or better than conventional showerheads on the market. The EPA developed the criteria for the WaterSense label by undergoing consumer testing and working with a variety of stakeholders to determine both proper water coverage and spray intensity. To get the WaterSense label , showerheads must be third-party certified to ensure it meets the EPA's water efficiency and performance criteria.

How to buy and install the low-flow showerhead you need

If you'd like to purchase a low-fl ow showerhead now, Hero Power offers Niagara's Earth Showerhead for just $7.81 here (retail price $8.75). At 1.25 gpm, this showerhead uses up to 75% less water than traditional "low-flow" showerheads typically found on the market.

How do you install it? It's easy. Here's how to learn how to do it in this 45-second video .