How long do YOU shower?

[Watchmaker]

I love taking long hot showers, but I've largely replaced them with long, hot steam sauna sessions followed by a quick cool shower. It's much more energy and water efficient--45 minutes in the steam shower uses less than a gallon of water.

Eventually we may add a steam shower to a bathroom, but right now we are using a portable sauna set up in the basement. It doesn't look great, but it's incredibly relaxing.

[Villanelle]

Because of this thread, I timed my last shower (no hair wash, no shaving).  I forgot to check the timer when I turned off the water so I'd grabbed my towel and wrapped myself in it, and I was at just under 3 minutes, which means actually shower was probably about 2.5-2.75min.  In the hot, humid summer, it's not even refreshing to be in the shower.  In the winter, I might be in there 4-5 minutes since the hot water isn't unpleasant.  (Note that in the summer I generally also take showers that are somewhere in between tepid and warm. 

[okisok]

Now I want to know how long I shower. I'm guessing 5-8 minutes on quick no shampoo and no shave days and maybe 10 on those days? I take tepid or cool showers in the summer because it's so humid here.

I do a navy shower for the shaving part. Get in, turn on water and scrub body, turn of water and shave, then turn water back on to rinse off. Our water is metered. I got a letter from the city recently that said my water meter was broken and they replaced it. That explains why my water bill was always exactly the same amount...then the next bill was almost $20 more. I guess I've been getting a bargain the past few months.

[Dicey]

This is a genuine question stemming from my ignorance -- can anyone explain how long showers is "wasting water"? Where does the water go after it goes down the drain? It's not like it ceases to exist.

edit: I realize that that water may have to be treated to be potable again, but it's not like it's "gone" or anything right? So how do arguments like drought make sense?

Seriously? Hmmm, maybe try Googling Lake Mead?

To stay on topic: usually about 5 minutes, every other day. DH and I are sick with Covid. We've only managed one shower each this week. We have no lawn and out plants are on a drip system which runs at 9:00 pm.

[stoaX]

<5 minutes.  It helps having no hair on my head.

[nereo]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

[RetiredAt63]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

Frequency is so situation dependent.  There have been times in summer I showered twice or even 3 times a day - hot and grubby from gardening -  and times in winter when every second or third day was fine - never did anything to get dirty, never broke a sweat.

[nereo]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

Frequency is so situation dependent.  There have been times in summer I showered twice or even 3 times a day - hot and grubby from gardening -  and times in winter when every second or third day was fine - never did anything to get dirty, never broke a sweat.

I feel like duration has the same variability.  If you’re particularly grimy, or freezing cold - doesn’t your shower last much longer than a other times?  Or do other people take basically the same length shower regardless? 

[nlsantamaria25]

I take showers that are no longer than 5-10 minutes at the longest. My wife maybe 10-15 max? The kids? Probably 5-10 mins max as we shower them together still to try to maximize. My BIL? Well, he's the king - his showers have got to be at least 20-30 mins and he's in the bathroom for at least another 20-30 before or after prepping (he's OCD about his appearance and hygiene I suppose you could say). I guess as a homeowner w/ guests you notice these things a little more. But we're also in CA aka drought-land (what's irritating is that he lives in San Francisco... his water consumption must be off the table - I guess the whole drought thing just goes over his head). Anyway, does anyone else think 20-30 minute showers are excessive, especially every time you shower? I also don't like taking baths, so there's that. Heck, I guess I just don't like being in the water for prolonged periods of time. Although, I have no problem snorkeling and diving for hours - at least that isn't wasteful. I guess this Flume device came in handy for something else besides leak detection hahahaha.

I take a shower for 10- 15 minutes at the longest


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[RetiredAt63]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

Frequency is so situation dependent.  There have been times in summer I showered twice or even 3 times a day - hot and grubby from gardening -  and times in winter when every second or third day was fine - never did anything to get dirty, never broke a sweat.

I feel like duration has the same variability.  If you’re particularly grimy, or freezing cold - doesn’t your shower last much longer than a other times?  Or do other people take basically the same length shower regardless?

If I'm just taking a shower I'm fast.  Washing my hair adds time.  If I have really sore shoulders from heavy work or I'm really chilled in winter I'll take longer.

[NorCal]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

I'll add a third variable.  What's the flow rate on your showerhead?

A 10 minute shower with a 1.5gpm head is 15 gallons a day, or 105 gallons a week if you shower daily.  A 2.5gpm showerhead is 175 gallons per week in the same situation.



On a semi-related topic, I've been reading a lot more about water in the west now that we're watching lake Mead and lake Powell dry up.  I've recently learned that our intuitive mental model of how water is "wasted" is pretty incorrect.

Taking a shower is considered a non-consumptive use of water.  The water goes down the drain into a water treatment plant, and goes back into the water system.  I recently read a number that on average, every drop of water in the Colorado river flowing into Utah has already been used seven times before it gets there.  While I can't vouch for the accuracy of that specific number, I can say that the topic of water usage gets infinitely more interesting the more you learn about it.

[GuitarStv]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

Frequency is so situation dependent.  There have been times in summer I showered twice or even 3 times a day - hot and grubby from gardening -  and times in winter when every second or third day was fine - never did anything to get dirty, never broke a sweat.

I feel like duration has the same variability.  If you’re particularly grimy, or freezing cold - doesn’t your shower last much longer than a other times?  Or do other people take basically the same length shower regardless?

When I come in from a 4 hr bike ride I'm pretty grimy between the sweat and sunscreen.  After 2-3 minutes I've rubbed soap on body and hair and rinsed it clear . . . so I don't stink any more, which is the gold standard for post shower cleanliness in my eyes.

I could maybe see needing more time if you have black grease soaked into your skin or something.  What are you guys doing to get dirty that won't come off quickly in the shower?

[pasadenafr]

I'll add a third variable.  What's the flow rate on your showerhead?

A 10 minute shower with a 1.5gpm head is 15 gallons a day, or 105 gallons a week if you shower daily.  A 2.5gpm showerhead is 175 gallons per week in the same situation.

Well, yeah, but if I use a low-flow showerhead, I'm going to spend a lot more time in the shower to achieve the same result, especially if I'm washing my hair. I'm also going to curse a lot more, but that's free.

[Adventine]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

I'll add a third variable.  What's the flow rate on your showerhead?

A 10 minute shower with a 1.5gpm head is 15 gallons a day, or 105 gallons a week if you shower daily.  A 2.5gpm showerhead is 175 gallons per week in the same situation.



On a semi-related topic, I've been reading a lot more about water in the west now that we're watching lake Mead and lake Powell dry up.  I've recently learned that our intuitive mental model of how water is "wasted" is pretty incorrect.

Taking a shower is considered a non-consumptive use of water.  The water goes down the drain into a water treatment plant, and goes back into the water system.  I recently read a number that on average, every drop of water in the Colorado river flowing into Utah has already been used seven times before it gets there.  While I can't vouch for the accuracy of that specific number, I can say that the topic of water usage gets infinitely more interesting the more you learn about it.

So what are the main ways water is being wasted in your area? Agriculture? Landscaping?

[stoaX]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

Usually 4x per week. I have no idea what the flow rate is for my showerhead but it's just a single showerhead and I've certainly been in showers that spit out more water than mine.

[NorCal]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

I'll add a third variable.  What's the flow rate on your showerhead?

A 10 minute shower with a 1.5gpm head is 15 gallons a day, or 105 gallons a week if you shower daily.  A 2.5gpm showerhead is 175 gallons per week in the same situation.



On a semi-related topic, I've been reading a lot more about water in the west now that we're watching lake Mead and lake Powell dry up.  I've recently learned that our intuitive mental model of how water is "wasted" is pretty incorrect.

Taking a shower is considered a non-consumptive use of water.  The water goes down the drain into a water treatment plant, and goes back into the water system.  I recently read a number that on average, every drop of water in the Colorado river flowing into Utah has already been used seven times before it gets there.  While I can't vouch for the accuracy of that specific number, I can say that the topic of water usage gets infinitely more interesting the more you learn about it.

So what are the main ways water is being wasted in your area? Agriculture? Landscaping?

I've come to realize how connected it all is, and how "waste" is subjective.  Roughly 80% of the water in the Colorado river basin goes to agriculture.  But I can't consider ag as wasteful.  That's literally the food we eat.  Something like 50% of the leafy green vegetables eaten in the entire US come out of the Imperial Valley, as they can grow them year round.  Without the Imperial Valley, the simple idea of having a salad year-round would become a thing of the past.

A lot of people complain about the river being used to grow low-value crops like alfalfa.  Which I kinda get, but we don't get any dairy or beef product without alfalfa.  And while we could probably do with a bit less of both (as a society), I still struggle to call cheese and ground beef as wasteful.

Flood irrigation for crops is also widely considered wasteful, but that's not to say it doesn't exist for a reason.  Converting farming to drip irrigation does massively reduce the amount of water used to grow the plants.  But flood irrigation is also the process by which the underground aquifers are recharged, which the farmers rely on in the off-season, and some municipalities rely on year round.  Drip irrigation also increases salinity in the soil over the long term, which will eventually destroy the lands ability to grow anything. 

Where I live in Denver, it's a little more interesting.  About 2/3 of our water comes from the Western Slope (the Colorado River basin), but our wastewater gets put into the Platte River basin.  So my shower usage is pulling water from the Colorado and moving it into the Platte river.  And while the Platte river is a little less drought-struck than the Colorado, it's not exactly overflowing as it is.  Nebraska is already making noise about their rights on the Platte as Colorado continues to grow.

Personally, I think we could do with a lot less lawns (particularly Kentucky Bluegrass) and I think golf is stupid.  I'd be happy getting rid of a huge chunk of both.  But that alone won't be enough.  The federal government is about to announce some major restrictions on Colorado River usage.  It sounds like they're talking about something in the range of magnitude of 25%.  But there are fixed treaty commitments to Mexico and Native American tribes that can't be touched, so it will have to impact everyone else even more.  And with ~80% of the water going to ag, it's mathematically impossible to solve this with irrigation alone.

I'll recommend two books on the topic if you're interested.  "Where the Water Goes" follows the Colorado River from its headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park, and traces its usage all the way to Mexico.  The writing style is a little annoying, but it is incredibly informative.  "Cadillac Desert" is considered the classic book on the topic, and I'm about 1/3 of the way through it now.  It's a little dated, but it is the history of the American West, as told by the water infrastructure we built.  It's an amazing take on history that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to know why things are the way they are.

Links to both:

https://www.amazon.com/Where-Water-Goes-Death-Colorado-ebook/dp/B01K1ATYGO/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1660652341&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Cadillac-Desert-American-Disappearing-Revised-ebook/dp/B001RTKIUA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1660652561&sr=8-1

[Adventine]

@NorCal thanks for the recommendations!

[NorCal]

Seems there’s a big component missing from this question:  how long do you shower AND how frequently?

With regards to frequency, I see a pretty broad range, from once or twice per week all the way up to twice daily.

I'll add a third variable.  What's the flow rate on your showerhead?

A 10 minute shower with a 1.5gpm head is 15 gallons a day, or 105 gallons a week if you shower daily.  A 2.5gpm showerhead is 175 gallons per week in the same situation.



On a semi-related topic, I've been reading a lot more about water in the west now that we're watching lake Mead and lake Powell dry up.  I've recently learned that our intuitive mental model of how water is "wasted" is pretty incorrect.

Taking a shower is considered a non-consumptive use of water.  The water goes down the drain into a water treatment plant, and goes back into the water system.  I recently read a number that on average, every drop of water in the Colorado river flowing into Utah has already been used seven times before it gets there.  While I can't vouch for the accuracy of that specific number, I can say that the topic of water usage gets infinitely more interesting the more you learn about it.

I posted this upthread:
From the EPA: "Water reuse (also commonly known as water recycling or water reclamation) reclaims water from a variety of sources then treats and reuses it for beneficial purposes such as agriculture and irrigation, potable water supplies, groundwater replenishment, industrial processes, and environmental restoration."

“Thirty-two billion gallons of municipal wastewater are produced everyday in the United States but less than 10 percent of that is intentionally reused.”

Yep, this is a fascinating topic the more you get into it.  And "Reuse" and "efficiency" can mean a lot of different things depending on the scale you're looking at it.

As an example, a system that turns greywater into irrigation water would save a ton of usage from your household.  But it's really taking water that would be returned to the municipal wastewater plant and putting it into the ground.  So it's saving water for you, but not for your municipality.

In my personal case, I just replaced a section of lawn with native plants and put in high-efficiency rotary sprinklers.  I expect this will save my household about 5,000 gallons per year in irrigation.  But this doesn't mean Denver Water will relinquish 5,000 gallons of their water rights to flow downstream.  This will just allow Denver Water to allow more growth in their system before they have to acquire more water rights.  It's not really savings at the Colorado River basin area. 

This is just so different from how I normally think about savings and efficiency in other areas of life that I'm still trying to internalize it.

And then you can start reading up on how water rights in the Western US work if you really want to break your brain. 

[EchoStache]

For me, frugality has naturally spilled over into water usage.  When I shower, I wet my hair, shampoo, rinse, water off.  Probably less than a minute.  Lather up, water back on, rinse, done.  So maybe three minutes of water usage total?  I shower daily.  My thought is that I not only pay for the water, but for the accompanying sewer and electricity to heat the water.  Multiply this x a family of five and I don't think the total energy/resource cost/savings is insignificant.

[Zikoris]

It's about 20 minutes from me staggering out of bed towards the bathroom to being dressed and packed for work (lunch and e-reader), just sitting down to eat breakfast. I'm note the breakdown by task because I'm mostly asleep.

[chasingsnow]

I think I probably shower twice a week for 5 minutes a time. I excercise everyday (climbing, running, weighlifting, skiing etc) and dont really feel the need to shower after. I play mens league hockey once a week and that warrants a shower and then another time during a particularly strenuous activity.

[snic]

In Reykjavik, Iceland, the guide for the free walking tour told us that hot water in Iceland is practically free in many homes because it's geothermally heated - it comes straight from the hot spring to your house. (And indeed we stayed in a vacation rental that had sulfur-smelling hot water that was scaldingly hot.) He said that when he was growing up, it was not unheard of for someone to turn the hot water tap on, get distracted while waiting for the water to warm up, and leave the tap running for an hour - and not get yelled at by parents.

[ATtiny85]

Anyone need to update their answer now that northern hemisphere is in winter? I may be a little shorter now, less post run heat.

I think I probably shower twice a week for 5 minutes a time. I excercise everyday (climbing, running, weighlifting, skiing etc) and dont really feel the need to shower after. I play mens league hockey once a week and that warrants a shower and then another time during a particularly strenuous activity.

Uh, you don’t get to make this call, assuming you are around others on a regular basis.

[RetireOrDieTrying]

The water is on long enough to get wet, then off. Soap and scrub. Water back on to rinse.

Water running time 45-50 seconds altogether. Perhaps 2 gallons used.

[GilesMM]

If our BIL (or others) are taking such long showers you might consider downsizing your water heater to give them no more than 10-15 minutes before it turns cold.

[Gronnie]

It takes a good several minutes for me to even get warm water out of the shower head.

I looked into a water circulator (we had one at our old house where every faucet got instant hot water) but apparently they would have had to literally rip open ceilings and walls to install it with how our house is setup.

[Dicey]

It takes a good several minutes for me to even get warm water out of the shower head.

I looked into a water circulator (we had one at our old house where every faucet got instant hot water) but apparently they would have had to literally rip open ceilings and walls to install it with how our house is setup.

Ours was plumbed and installed when the house was built. They don't last forever and are expensive to replace. We've been here ten years and we're on our second one. Even with DH doing the plumbing, it adds up.

Here's something I figured out when the pump went out. If there's a tap at the midpoint, run it there first. Once it's hot, shut it off and turn on the shower. It seemed to get hot faster and with less water waste. There's also the time honored catch the cold water in a bucket and water the plants method.

[Gronnie]

I'll try the midpoint strategy sometime. Shower is on 2nd story and water heater is in basement so the hot water has a long way to travel.

[Dicey]

I'll try the midpoint strategy sometime. Shower is on 2nd story and water heater is in basement so the hot water has a long way to travel.

Our house is a single story, and it's L-shaped, with the kitchen sink and the water heater being at opposite ends. Who designs houses so stupidly? When the WH (and pump) went out earlier this year, DH seriously considered switching to an on-demand system, but it required too many structural changes, so we just replaced like for like. One advantage of a recirc pump is that it keeps sediment from settling to the bottom of the WH tank, so it theoretically lasts longer.

[Malossi792]

I'll try the midpoint strategy sometime. Shower is on 2nd story and water heater is in basement so the hot water has a long way to travel.

Our house is a single story, and it's L-shaped, with the kitchen sink and the water heater being at opposite ends. Who designs houses so stupidly? When the WH (and pump) went out earlier this year, DH seriously considered switching to an on-demand system, but it required too many structural changes, so we just replaced like for like. One advantage of a recirc pump is that it keeps sediment from settling to the bottom of the WH tank, so it theoretically lasts longer.

You can buy a miniature WH containing only 2-3 gallons of water for around a 100 bucks.
They are made for this specific situation I think (main heater too far from a single outlet).
Tucks away nicely under the sink.

[GuitarStv]

Or you can just get into the cold shower and tolerate it until the temperature warms up.  Some people pay big money for fancy ice baths . . . supposed to be really good for your health.

[Gronnie]

Or you can just get into the cold shower and tolerate it until the temperature warms up.  Some people pay big money for fancy ice baths . . . supposed to be really good for your health.

Fair point for many. I have thyroid issues and have been advised against cold showers / baths unfortunately.

[Malossi792]

Or you can just get into the cold shower and tolerate it until the temperature warms up.  Some people pay big money for fancy ice baths . . . supposed to be really good for your health.

I was actually talking about the kitchen tap ...

[Dicey]

I'll try the midpoint strategy sometime. Shower is on 2nd story and water heater is in basement so the hot water has a long way to travel.

Our house is a single story, and it's L-shaped, with the kitchen sink and the water heater being at opposite ends. Who designs houses so stupidly? When the WH (and pump) went out earlier this year, DH seriously considered switching to an on-demand system, but it required too many structural changes, so we just replaced like for like. One advantage of a recirc pump is that it keeps sediment from settling to the bottom of the WH tank, so it theoretically lasts longer.

You can buy a miniature WH containing only 2-3 gallons of water for around a 100 bucks.
They are made for this specific situation I think (main heater too far from a single outlet).
Tucks away nicely under the sink.

Or you can just get into the cold shower and tolerate it until the temperature warms up.  Some people pay big money for fancy ice baths . . . supposed to be really good for your health.

I was actually talking about the kitchen tap ...

Hee hee, you guys are hilarious. I was actually picturing the cupboard under the sink and wondering how the hell you'd plumb it neatly. Since we already have a recirc pump, we fixed it by installing Google Something or Other and we just tell it to turn on the water. It saved us a ton of money, because we just told Bonus Kid to install it for us and didn't pay him back.

[NorCal]

I'll try the midpoint strategy sometime. Shower is on 2nd story and water heater is in basement so the hot water has a long way to travel.

Our house is a single story, and it's L-shaped, with the kitchen sink and the water heater being at opposite ends. Who designs houses so stupidly? When the WH (and pump) went out earlier this year, DH seriously considered switching to an on-demand system, but it required too many structural changes, so we just replaced like for like. One advantage of a recirc pump is that it keeps sediment from settling to the bottom of the WH tank, so it theoretically lasts longer.

I found an easy solution for this.  I put the recirc pump on a smart switch, and trigger it with a Flic button.  I just push the button and it turns on the recirc pump for 10 minutes before the smart switch turns itself off.  It uses significantly less energy this way. 

Also, with the recirc pump, make sure you replace the check-valve every so often.  The spring types wear out every 7-10 years.  This can cause a thermosiphon that will put hot water in the pipes 24x7.  It took me about 6 months to troubleshoot this, and I had several professional plumbers that couldn't figure it out. 

https://flic.io/