6 On Your Side: Consumer Confidence, Take a Smarter Shower

(ABC 6 News) – Do you take a shower in the morning to get energized, or maybe at night to relax?

Either way, Consumer Reports shares tips to help you take a smarter shower. Smarter for the planet, smarter for your skin, and smarter for your water bill.

Did you know that the average family uses up to nearly 40 gallons of water a day while showering, accounting for nearly 17% of residential indoor water use!

“You can save a lot of water and energy just by limiting your shower time to about 5 minutes,” says Consumer Reports’ Paul Hope.

If you’re up for an easy DIY project, install a water saving showerhead! Look for the EPA’s WaterSense label which limits your shower’s output to no more than two gallons a minute.

It can help save 2,700 gallons of water per year, and it also reduces demands on water heaters, which also saves energy.

If you have an electric water heater, that can add up to enough savings to power a house for 11 days.

Worried that the water-saving flow won’t get the job done? “In many cases you really may not be able to tell the difference,” says Hope. “To qualify for the WaterSense label, a showerhead has to have certain spray patterns and feel, and meet criteria that is at least as good if not better than other showerheads in the market.”

Hot showers might be good for your mind but warm water is better for dry skin, eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis. And after your shower, don’t forget to add a cream moisturizer!