Going With The (Low) Flow – Facts And Information

Thanks to the Energy Policy Conservation Act of 1992, we now have low flow shower heads that are designed to conserve water. Conserving water, conserves energy.

• Prior to these new regulations the average shower head used between 3 and 5 GPM (gallons/minute).
• The newly passed regulations required the maximum flow to be 2.5 GPM—reduction in both the water used and the energy required to heat the water.

(See: Low Flow Shower Heads—More Than Just Saving Water)

How Do They Work?

In general, a low flow shower head does exactly what it says. It allows less water to flow out of your shower, conserving water. It's as simple as that, except that less flow could mean lower water pressure. Early on in the history of these low flow show heads, that was exactly what the problem was. By reducing the flow, the quality of your shower just went down the drain (pun intended). The solution:

• [caption id="attachment_123" align="alignright" width="275"] Image http://www.low-e.co.uk/inside_oxygenics[/caption] Aerating shower heads. By mixing air with the water, the shower will maintain a constant pressure (the pressure we were used to) while using less water. The only drawback can be a drop in water temperature.
• Non-Aerating shower heads. As noted in the name, there's no air used with this shower head. Instead, it uses a pulse to maintain pressure while not loosing temperature. The water is more focused, another method used to increase the water pressure.

In order to be considered a low flow, or efficiency fixture, the shower head must, at least, meet the government standards of 2.5 GPM. Most low flow shower heads on the market go far beyond what is required, offering flow options between 1 and 1.5 GPM. It's important to note that not all low flow shower heads will work for everybody. Aerating shower heads are not recommended in humid climates since they tend to make more steam. If you're not getting the necessary pressure to rinse off completely, you could end up using more water by taking more time in the shower than usual.

Wrapping Up

Change isn't without a little trial and error. Perhaps the technology wasn't there back in 1992 to fully meet the requirements of the consumer as well as the new regulations. But innovation prevailed. Today we have shower heads that not only conserve water but also allows for you to enjoy the shower the way it was meant to be enjoyed—in blissful tranquility.

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