As temperatures decrease and heating becomes indispensable, households have to prepare for an all-time high in water and heating costs. Showers make up a huge share of water and energy consumption. In fact, showering for one minute consumes more energy than using the lights in a 3-person household for an entire day.
Longer showers mean more hot water and more energy to heat that water resulting in a higher utility bill. If you notice an increase in your energy usage, consider if any of these three conservation tips are the cause.
It's easy to underestimate how much water you use daily, but small habits can add up. Factors contributing to high water usage may include: Long Showers: Spending extra minutes under a warm shower might be relaxing, but it can also substantially increase your water bill.
Optimize Your Shower
Take shorter showers: Cutting down on shower time by just a few minutes can lead to substantial energy savings over time. Use cold water when possible: Heating water accounts for a large portion of energy consumption in the bathroom.
Extra showers, more lights, and adjusting the thermostat even just a couple degrees can all add up to a higher electric bill.
Most dermatologists say that your shower should last between five and 10 minutes to cleanse and hydrate your skin, but no longer than 15 minutes to avoid drying it out. You can still benefit from the shower length you prefer, whether long and luxurious, quick and efficient or somewhere in the middle.
What costs the most on your electric bill? Heating and cooling are by far the greatest energy users in the home, making up around 40% of your electric bill. Other big users are washers, dryers, ovens, and stoves. Electronic devices like laptops and TVs are usually pretty cheap to run, but of course, it can all add up.
Keep it short
Water exposure can lead to dry skin and hair. A longer shower also “gives the water a chance to allow any cleansers to be more damaging,” Krant adds. Krant and Dr. Lauren Ploch, a board-certified dermatologist with the American Academy of Dermatology, both say the shorter the shower, the better.
Look for a shower with a lower power rating, as this will use less energy to heat the water. While higher-wattage showers may provide a stronger water flow, they can also consume more electricity. 2. Thermostatic temperature control: Opt for a shower with thermostatic temperature control.
However, despite being a fantastic way to relax after (or ahead of) a long day, taking a long shower also means using up a tremendous amount of water and energy (to heat it) as well as increasing your average price of water bill.
An unusually high water bill is most often caused by a leak or change in water use. Some common causes of high water bills include: A leaking toilet, or a toilet that continues to run after being flushed, most common. A dripping faucet; a faucet drip can waster 20 gallons or more of water a day.
Bathing. Showering accounts for roughly 17 percent of the water Americans use in their homes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Your steamy showers also consume energy: Nearly half of a home's hot water is used for bathing. A cold shower uses less energy than a hot one.
The average shower head flows 2.1 gallons per minute. 30 × 1000 gallons = 30,000 gallons. SO: If they showered for 30 minutes a day it would take them approximately 470 days to use up $45 of water.
Heating and cooling: 45-50%
The largest electricity consumer in the average household is your heating and cooling appliance. By a long shot. Central air conditioners and heaters use tons of energy in order to keep your home set to the right temperature.
The bottom line. While it's hard to determine exactly how much you'll save per year, on average showering is both more environmentally friendly and economical than bathing.
What makes an optimal shower then? Ideally, it should be about 5 to 7 minutes and no longer than 15 minutes, says Yousuf Mohammed, PhD, a senior research fellow in dermatology at the Frazer Institute of the University of Queensland in Australia.
Showers make up a huge share of water and energy consumption. In fact, showering for one minute consumes more energy than using the lights in a 3-person household for an entire day. For example, an average European household requires 2,6 kWh to heat up the water to a pleasant temperature.
If each person reduced his or her shower time by one minute, we could save a com- bined 170 billion gallons each year! Energy we use at home is mea- sured in something called kilo- watt-hours, or kWh. On average, your home's television uses 18.5 kWh of electricity per month.
Dermatologists recommend keeping your showers between 5 and 10 minutes. This time period gives you enough time to properly clean your body without overdoing it. If you have certain skin conditions, staying in the shower too long could have negative effects.
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Many doctors say a daily shower is fine for most people. (More than that could start to cause skin problems.) But for many people, two to three times a week is enough and may be even better to maintain good health.
Greater Use of Home & Devices
Working from home increases energy usage. You may run your air conditioner more or keep your heat higher to be comfortable. Your computer, printer and other electronics will draw energy all day. You may need brighter lighting, too.
Did you know that when your appliances or electronic devices are plugged in, they're draining energy – even if they're not in use? Phantom power, also called standby power, refers to the energy that's wasted around your home when devices are plugged in and using power, but you're not actively using them.