Reducing hot water use is a nice step to increase the efficiency of your water heating system. It saves energy (and money), reduces emissions and helps conserve precious water resources, which is a critical to preserve this precious resource and avoid straining infrastructure.

Depending on the fixture, installing a water-saving showerhead avoids wasting over half the water during a refreshing shower. You may wonder: why should I give up taking a relaxing shower with a lower flow rate? You will not! Thankfully, the industry has developed technology that enables you to have a great shower with no compromise!

In our intense routines, sometimes we do not stop to observe how our showers are operating. So, now is a great moment to see your home with fresh eyes!

• Measure the flow of your current shower head. Get a container that holds half a gallon or 2 liters. Open the shower. If it takes less than 20 seconds to fill the bucket the shower is a good candidate for a water-saving shower head.

• When shopping, look for options that have green-building or low-water flow certification. This is a common option at stores with a good selection.

• Most shower heads fit the same size of pipe and typically screw on and off with a little force. Take a look at yours to get a sense of if it is a straightforward replacement project or not before getting a new shower head.

• A quick search online will bring up tutorials and videos on how to replace a showerhead. That will either help you proceed with full confidence or make the decision to call in help!

• American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, energy saving tips: https://smarterhouse.org/water-heating/energy-saving-tips

• US Department of Energy: https://https://energy.gov/energysaver/water-heating/reduce-hot-water-use-energy-savings

• Harvard University Blog: https://https://health.harvard.edu/blog/showering-daily-is-it-necessary-2019062617193