Author Topic: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction  (Read 6185 times)

brandonbrews

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 41
Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« on: February 02, 2016, 12:48:01 PM »
I searched the forum and didn't get any hits for this product.  It's a new type of shower head that atomizes the water in multiple mists, creating 10x water surface area but at a fraction of the water usage.  It's not cheap ($350 down to ~$300 depending if you buy one to three units) but if it saves a couple hundred dollars per year, it would be well worth it.  This started as a Kickstarter and is still in the pre-order phase, but I thought I'd share it in case it could help anyone else.  The feedback I've seen is that it's a different kind of shower, but, well, it's still a shower and gets the job done. 

https://nebia.com/

dandarc

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5454
  • Age: 41
  • Pronouns: he/him/his
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2016, 01:02:05 PM »
I'm skeptical - and not just because showering via cloud seems a little weird.  Back of the napkin math says we might save $70 / year - that would be 2 showers of 20 gallons each per day.  Not $200.  Maybe in places where water / sewer is more expensive, or where you've got more people in the house, but the variable cost of water and sewer for us is a shade under $0.70 per 100 gallons, so for our 2 adults X 1 shower per day per adult household, I'm thinking not worth it.

So yeah, do the math for your specific situation.

dycker1978

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 768
  • Age: 45
  • Location: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2016, 01:06:48 PM »
I'm skeptical - and not just because showering via cloud seems a little weird.  Back of the napkin math says we might save $70 / year - that would be 2 showers of 20 gallons each per day.  Not $200.  Maybe in places where water / sewer is more expensive, or where you've got more people in the house, but the variable cost of water and sewer for us is a shade under $0.70 per 100 gallons, so for our 2 adults X 1 shower per day per adult household, I'm thinking not worth it.

So yeah, do the math for your specific situation.

This may not be worth it finically for what looks to be 4 or 5 years, but I would argue that there is also a large environmental factor here.  The world is becoming short on fresh water and the fact that you can reduce it, and save back the purchase price over time(given that the faucet would not need to be replaced often, contributing more to environmental damage) then I think if it can be afforded, it should not just be looked at like a investment.  If you have FIRED it is not going to mean anything if the world does not survive us.

soupcxan

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 181
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2016, 05:59:57 PM »
Life is too short to take showers with poor water pressure. I would give up a lot of other things before I give up my hot showers with lots of water. If you need me to save water I will pave my lawn first.

nereo

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17497
  • Location: Just south of Canada
    • Here's how you can support science today:
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2016, 06:22:42 PM »
I searched the forum and didn't get any hits for this product.  It's a new type of shower head that atomizes the water in multiple mists, creating 10x water surface area but at a fraction of the water usage.  It's not cheap ($350 down to ~$300 depending if you buy one to three units) but if it saves a couple hundred dollars per year, it would be well worth it.  This started as a Kickstarter and is still in the pre-order phase, but I thought I'd share it in case it could help anyone else.  The feedback I've seen is that it's a different kind of shower, but, well, it's still a shower and gets the job done. 

https://nebia.com/
very skeptical.  There are some good low-flow shower heads on the market for ~$50, so this model would have to be compared to them as well.  I'm trying to find exact specs (someone post if they find them, please) but shower-heads pre 1992 could be as high as 5.5 gpm.  Since then shower heads could put out 2.2 gpm.  Low flow showerheads are between 1.1-1.4gpm.

So - 10min shower with our low-flow shower head uses 12gal of water per shower.  at $0.08/kwh, a 92% efficiency water heater X 2 showers per day (24 gallons total) = $110/year.  So - there's absolutely no way to pay for a $350 shower head in one year.  Assuming the nebia is 70% more efficient than a normal shower head, that puts it at 0.66gpm.  Same calculation = $70/yr, or a savings of about $40.  ROI = 8.75 years.  Not horrible, but not reason enough to buy the product.

Also of concern - the fact that they recommend "running the bathroom fan" longer to clear out the added moisture.  Mold/mildew issues would negate any savings IMO. 

PeaceMeal

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 22
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2016, 07:39:00 AM »
I'll just throw in that I am one of the Kickstarter backers.  We received an email the other day that the original fullfillment date is moving from April/May timeframe to the end of the year due to various challenges in development.  While it's not totally unusual for a Kickstarter fullfillment to delayed, it is bothershome that it's moved that much, already.  It's the longest delay I've personally been involved with in my, admittedly, limited pledging activity over the last two years. 

I'm not sure I agree with the comments on poor water pressure.  If you look at the videos, they look like they get very well soaked, quickly, while trying it out.  It appears to me that it would be as effective as a high pressure showerhead for the basic principles of showering. If you were referring to the massaging capabilities of a high pressure shower head, then that I understand.  Personally that is not something I use the shower for. 

nereo

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17497
  • Location: Just south of Canada
    • Here's how you can support science today:
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2016, 07:52:03 AM »
I'll just throw in that I am one of the Kickstarter backers.  We received an email the other day that the original fullfillment date is moving from April/May timeframe to the end of the year due to various challenges in development.  While it's not totally unusual for a Kickstarter fullfillment to delayed, it is bothershome that it's moved that much, already.  It's the longest delay I've personally been involved with in my, admittedly, limited pledging activity over the last two years. 

I'm not sure I agree with the comments on poor water pressure.  If you look at the videos, they look like they get very well soaked, quickly, while trying it out.  It appears to me that it would be as effective as a high pressure showerhead for the basic principles of showering. If you were referring to the massaging capabilities of a high pressure shower head, then that I understand.  Personally that is not something I use the shower for.
Please report back to us once you get the shower head and let us know what you think of it.
My skepticism comes form the economical arguments.  I simply can't repay a $350 shower head in "about a year" when currently our total 'shower bill' comes to well under $100/yr (my own calculation).  Maybe if we were a large household that took 5 showers a day, but water and electricity are both cheap where I live and we don't shower every day (gym and travel).

If the shower 'experience' is somehow better, well that might pique my interest.  I'm concerned about the added moisture to the air. 

Joggernot

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 510
  • Age: 78
  • Location: Gulf Coast, TX
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2016, 08:14:00 AM »
Here's my skepticism: We have very hard water and the shower clogs on a regular basis (like now).  The fine mist would possibly clog faster and be harder to clean out.  I'm not going to buy one for that reason alone.

PeaceMeal

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 22
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2016, 02:59:39 PM »
I'll just throw in that I am one of the Kickstarter backers.  We received an email the other day that the original fullfillment date is moving from April/May timeframe to the end of the year due to various challenges in development.  While it's not totally unusual for a Kickstarter fullfillment to delayed, it is bothershome that it's moved that much, already.  It's the longest delay I've personally been involved with in my, admittedly, limited pledging activity over the last two years. 

I'm not sure I agree with the comments on poor water pressure.  If you look at the videos, they look like they get very well soaked, quickly, while trying it out.  It appears to me that it would be as effective as a high pressure showerhead for the basic principles of showering. If you were referring to the massaging capabilities of a high pressure shower head, then that I understand.  Personally that is not something I use the shower for.
Please report back to us once you get the shower head and let us know what you think of it.
My skepticism comes form the economical arguments.  I simply can't repay a $350 shower head in "about a year" when currently our total 'shower bill' comes to well under $100/yr (my own calculation).  Maybe if we were a large household that took 5 showers a day, but water and electricity are both cheap where I live and we don't shower every day (gym and travel).

If the shower 'experience' is somehow better, well that might pique my interest.  I'm concerned about the added moisture to the air.

Happy to do so, if I remember this thread come end of year, when I expect to get the Nevia.  I will say that it is less about economical for me than environmental.  We've been looking to replace the showerheads (2)that came with the house anyway as they look to be quite old (20 years?).  On the Kids' tub, there actually is no showerhead, but since they are so young, we are still in bath mode.  Triplets, I just throw them in the bath all at once usually, and do assembly line.  I have a family of 5 and our water bill averages $130 a quarter; my electric bill about $72 a month.  I consider these pretty low bills.

I do share your concern about the extra moisture.  I have a feeling my bath fan is not vented properly and I wind up opening the window sometimes, to let the steam out.

Gone Fishing

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2916
  • So Close went fishing on April 1, 2016
    • Journal
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2016, 03:19:55 PM »
All that steam is heat as well.  I've noticed the finer mist shower heads require hotter water for the same feel as the water cools faster in the foot or two it travels before it hits your body.

robartsd

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3342
  • Location: Sacramento, CA
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2016, 04:01:31 PM »
I'm skeptical that this would even save much water - while smaller droplets have more surface area as they travel through the air (losing more heat and water as vapor) surface tension will cause them to combine into larger drops on whatever surface they hit.

More practical solutions to save water while showering for me: separate controls for temperature and water pressure (making it easier to turn the water on only when needed), recirculating or point of use hot water heater (eliminate running water to warm up), using shower greywater for landscape irrigation. Of course all these solutions do require more renovation to retrofit than simply changing a showerhead.

brandonbrews

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 41
Re: Nebia Shower Head Markets A 70% Water Usage Reduction
« Reply #11 on: February 18, 2016, 10:00:13 AM »
@PeaceMeal, I'm definitely curious to hear first-hand feedback when this finally gets to you.  It's disappointing that they pushed the product launch back but hopefully they're making improvements. 

I'm leaning toward skepticism myself but will definitely follow this product and see how it goes.  As for the "hundreds of dollars" of savings they estimate on their site, that's with high usage of a 2.5+gpm shower head.  The Nebia apparently uses ~.75gpm so if you already have a 1.25-1.5gpm head, and/or don't take long showers, it's going to take a while to pay off the heavy up-front cost of the Nebia. 

Coincidentally, I came across this MMM post on the topic so I thought I'd tie this thread back to it: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/11/30/an-800-gift-from-me-to-you/