10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know about Your Shower

Showering is something most people do every day. Most of us take the act of showering for granted.

But how much do you really know about your shower?

Florida Shower Doors — Water Usage

For example, did you know that the typical shower in the US uses about 25 to 75 gallons of water? Compare that to only 2 gallons of water you typically use to brush your teeth.

In 1992, the standards for showerheads was changed to help cut water usage while showering. Prior to that year, most showers used between 5 and 7 gallons of water per minute.

But post-1992 showerheads use no more than 2.5 gallons per minute at a pressure of 80 pounds per square inch. These low-flow showerheads are now the standard in US homes.

Florida Shower Doors — Showers Use More Water than Baths

On average, baths use between 30 and 50 gallons of water. But showers lasting at least 10 minutes use at least 50 gallons of water, and often more.

If you want to see how much water you use when you shower, try plugging the drain before you begin. Then at the end of your shower, compare the amount of water remaining in the tub to the amount you use when you take a bath. Don’t forget to account for the water displacement of your body.

Florida Shower Doors — Drinking Shower Water

Moms throughout the US warn their children not to drink the shower water. But is this actually bad for you? Or is it simply a myth?

The truth is that the water that comes out of your shower head comes from the same water source that feeds the faucets that supply drinking water.

But because hot water heaters and shower heads have the potential for bacterial growth, drinking shower water isn’t advisable. Hot water tends to corrode pipes faster than cold water, so there also could be more dissolved metals in the hot shower water than there are in your tap water.

Once again, it turns out moms were right all along!