Bath or Shower?

MattMattMattUK

Ultrasonic said:

TheGardener said:

daveyjp said:

Who needs 10 minutes in a shower? To save money cut it to 2 minutes and switch out the electric shower for a bath mixer tap with shower attachment.

I can reduce the time a little but I'm not a whippet and 2 mins won't do it for me. 

What matters is not the total time of the 'shower' but rather the time the water is actually on for. When I shower I just have water on for an initial rinse but then turn it off while applying soap/shampoo, and then back on to wash the soap off. I shower over a bath so I put the plug in the bath at the start and use the water that collects in the bath to lather soap. This approach saves water as well as whatever energy source is used to heat the water.

Often termed a Navy Shower, I often used to do then when wild camping as there would not be enough water in one of those solar shower bags to have a full shower. 

Ultrasonic

MattMattMattUK said:

Ultrasonic said:

TheGardener said:

daveyjp said:

Who needs 10 minutes in a shower? To save money cut it to 2 minutes and switch out the electric shower for a bath mixer tap with shower attachment.

I can reduce the time a little but I'm not a whippet and 2 mins won't do it for me. 

What matters is not the total time of the 'shower' but rather the time the water is actually on for. When I shower I just have water on for an initial rinse but then turn it off while applying soap/shampoo, and then back on to wash the soap off. I shower over a bath so I put the plug in the bath at the start and use the water that collects in the bath to lather soap. This approach saves water as well as whatever energy source is used to heat the water.

Often termed a Navy Shower, I often used to do then when wild camping as there would not be enough water in one of those solar shower bags to have a full shower. 

I think I've heard the term 'caravan shower' too? Anyway, for more than a year now to me it's simply been 'a shower', with the way I used to shower now seeming unjustifiably wasteful by comparison.

EssexHebridean

You do have to be a little careful with some electric showers when turning off then on again mid shower as some come up blazing hot when they first kick back in again in those circumstances. This is definitely about knowing your individual shower’s characteristics. 

Ultrasonic

EssexHebridean said:

You do have to be a little careful with some electric showers when turning off then on again mid shower as some come up blazing hot when they first kick back in again in those circumstances. This is definitely about knowing your individual shower’s characteristics. 

That's a fair point. I don't actually use an electric shower myself - mine is fed by my gas combi boiler.

Muppet_194

EssexHebridean said:

You do have to be a little careful with some electric showers when turning off then on again mid shower as some come up blazing hot when they first kick back in again in those circumstances. This is definitely about knowing your individual shower’s characteristics. 

This is exactly my problem, if I turn off mid shower it’ll come back on like ice then boiling hot then icy again…I’d spend even longer trying to get it right. We pop the boiler on for an hour for baths, I have a shallow one using a jug to rinse and not washing my hair then hubby tops it up for a soak. Every other day we have a strip wash at the sink and I have a basin hair wash. I much prefer showers but it’s just the way things are now, we have to make compromises, it’s no big deal. 

It works for us and has cut our energy usage right down. 

Muppet_194

Muppet_194 said:

EssexHebridean said:

You do have to be a little careful with some electric showers when turning off then on again mid shower as some come up blazing hot when they first kick back in again in those circumstances. This is definitely about knowing your individual shower’s characteristics. 

This is exactly my problem, if I turn off mid shower it’ll come back on like ice then boiling hot then icy again…I’d spend even longer trying to get it right. We pop the boiler on for an hour for baths, I have a shallow one using a jug to rinse and not washing my hair then hubby tops it up for a soak. Every other day we have a strip wash at the sink and I have a basin hair wash. I much prefer showers but it’s just the way things are now, we have to make compromises, it’s no big deal. 

It works for us and has cut our energy usage right down. 

Forgot to say our taps are a funny shape but I am searching for a shower hose thing for the taps to get the best of both worlds. 

Ultrasonic

Muppet_194 said:

 if I turn off mid shower it’ll come back on like ice then boiling hot then icy again…I’d spend even longer trying to get it right. 

If you don't stand under the water to be treated to the temperature fluctuations, how long would it take for the temperature to stabilise back where you wanted it? If this is less time than you'd have the shower off for 'mid-shower' then you've still saved energy and water. I don't stand under my shower when I first turn it on, but for the second phase I'm lucky it's back to where I want it pretty much immediately.

TheGardener

Ultrasonic said:

TheGardener said:

daveyjp said:

Who needs 10 minutes in a shower? To save money cut it to 2 minutes and switch out the electric shower for a bath mixer tap with shower attachment.

I can reduce the time a little but I'm not a whippet and 2 mins won't do it for me. 

What matters is not the total time of the 'shower' but rather the time the water is actually on for. When I shower I just have water on for an initial rinse but then turn it off while applying soap/shampoo, and then back on to wash the soap off. I shower over a bath so I put the plug in the bath at the start and use the water that collects in the bath to lather soap. This approach saves water as well as whatever energy source is used to heat the water.

When I try that  - when I turn it back on the water is stone cold and I have to dodge the water until it heats up again - I've never understood how people can do that, it can take a minute or two to run warm again. It might work with tank or combi boiler but not with our electric shower.  
I also have long thick hair and a slight mobility issue - I can't move that quickly that I can shower in less than 7 or 8 mins - that's my record. 
I'd have to change the bath taps to put a mixer hose on - or get jubilee clips on to hold the mixer on - not practical when you have to remove them when we want to use the taps for a bath. 
I've been told by a plumber I really should not put an 'eco' shower head on an electric shower - they only work for showers that use tank or combi boiler heated water. 

JGB1955

Because of the recent water shortage we've taken to having a shower, standing in one of those builders bucket things. simpahome 42L 42 Litre Large Multi Purpose Flexi Tub - BLACK - Robust Flexible Storage Container Bucket - Set of 3. : Amazon.co.uk: Grocery Astounding how much water a shower uses.  Now got it to about 15 litres per shower - our vegetable patch really appreciates it! 

SAC2334

EssexHebridean said:

You do have to be a little careful with some electric showers when turning off then on again mid shower as some come up blazing hot when they first kick back in again in those circumstances. This is definitely about knowing your individual shower’s characteristics. 

Yes I ve got round that with a little experiment to avoid all that . My method now is similar to  Ultrasonics in the rinse and rinse off method but I ve found if I switch off the shower  after the initial rinse then for final rinse a quick on and off at the main  pull switch it does not do that scalding hot water or long cold  but starts at a moderately warm temp straightaway..
Ok you have to take a step out of the shower area to reach the main pull switch but its easy enough 
No idea  why it does that ,Its just a basic £60 electric shower ., and it has to be a quick off  and on otherwise it runs approx a minute cold 

This is the new normal , no water wastage and shower on for less than 2 minutes producing hot water...Why have the shower blasting away for no reason when   I m doing my ablutions ..and NOT with awful liquid shower gel neither ..just a bar of soap which is better and cheaper and does a better job avoiding a plastic bottle