Bathing is important. It keeps us feeling clean and fresh, wakes us up in the morning and purifies our bodies after a hard day’s work. In a recent survey, taking a bath ranked first among the top five most effective bodily cleaning methods, but today we’re talk about showering.
Dictionary.com defines a shower like this, “Also called shower bath. A bath in which water is sprayed on the body, usually from an overhead perforated nozzle (showerhead).”
This definition captures the raw essence of what showering is all about.
Water temperature during a shower is one of the main concerns for unincarcerated citizens and it can easily become a source of great frustration, spoiling an experience that should be full of soothing relaxation. Some prefer their showers to be refreshing and cool, others enjoy a warm and mild experience and some like it hot. Now we all love showers, but every time you shower it costs you money; heating that water ain’t free. But what if you were told that you could increase your shower temperature and save money by making one simple change to your shower experience?
Excited? Yes.
The North American Shower Society, which produced the well-received Shower Principles for a Clean Future, has great insight into the area of shower temperature. Through extensive testing they have discovered that water temperature in a shower drops dramatically once it has left the nozzle. The following graph illustrates this phenomenon.
As you can see, by the time the water reaches the shower floor it has cooled by several degrees. You can test this for yourself by crouching or sitting next time you shower or by plugging the drain; you will notice the difference in temperature. Even in the first twelve inches, significant heat loss has begun. Ideally, you would want your shoulders to be as close to the showerhead as possible; if there is any distance between the nozzle and your shoulders, you are wasting precious heat. To combat this, it is recommended that you install a small stool with a non-slip surface. If you are a taller person and your shoulders are already near the nozzle, congratulate yourself, you are already doing your part to save the planet.
Short people are ruining the Earth.
Sorry it would be terrible for me to ask you to leave the water running if I was having a shower after you, because I’d be entering the water at a different heighttemperature.