I really love to save money, but sometimes frugality can feel like a lot of work. It can be fatigue-inducing, to think about money all the time. When your head starts spinning, it’s time to take a break.
That’s why I love this project. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it DIY activity that doesn’t cost much more than a few dollars and an hour of your time, but it will swing into action and save you money every single day.
Get out your tool belts, kids. I’m talking about playing plumber and replacing your shower head.
How Much Money Are You Sending Down the Drain?
If you have no idea when you bought your shower head — and I certainly don’t blame you if that tidbit of information didn’t make the cut in your long-term memory banks — you could be sending a whole lot of excess water down the drain every time you shower.
In 1992, the EPA created regulations limiting the flow of water in all new shower heads to 2.5 gpm (that’s gallons per minute) to cut down on waste and, you know, help the planet.
As usual, what’s good for the Earth is good for your pocketbook. Frugality is all about cutting waste and using less to save money, so of course you’re going to save a wad of cash if you can use less water.
Before you run out and buy a new shower head, you need to test your old one to see how much water it spits out in a minute. To do this, grab a bucket and set it up in the tub to catch the water from your shower. If you have to hold the bucket up to make sure you nab all the drops, do it. Set a timer or stopwatch for one minute as the water flows, then turn off the tap.
How much water do you have in the bucket? Find out by pouring the water into a measuring cup (slow), Mason jar (better) or marked pitcher (best) to see how many gallons you’ve got. That number will tell you the gpm rating of your shower head.
If there’s more than two gallons of water in the bucket, you can do better! In fact, I traded my old 2.5 gpm shower head in for an eco-friendly 1.5 gpm model, and it saved us $300 a year.
Not too shabby for an $11 shower head!
If you want to do the math for your situation, the Department of Energy has a nerd-tastic online calculator you can use to estimate your savings. I recommend taking the time to play with it if you need some additional motivation for our project.
How to Replace Your Shower Head — and Save a Ton of Money in the Process
It couldn’t be easier to switch out your old, wasteful shower head for a nice new one that saves you both agua and time. Here’s how to do it:
1. Gather Your Materials
First thing’s first: Round up your materials. You’ll definitely need the following to get the job done:
- Your new shower head
- Teflon tape
- 15 minutes of your time
You might also need a few extra tools if your old shower head is on the stubborn side:
- An adjustable wrench
- Pliers
- An old washcloth or rag
- Paint thinner
2. Remove the Old Shower Head
Make sure the water is off (duh) and unscrew the old shower head by turning it counterclockwise. Remember: Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. We’re going loosey here.
Nine times out of 10, the power of your bare hands will be enough to take care of this. If your old shower head is a little corroded or stuck for some other reason, break out those optional tools and give it a one-two punch:
Wrap the shower arm (the pipe that comes out of the wall) with your old washcloth to protect it, then use the pliers to get a good grip on it with one hand.
With your other hand, use the wrench to pinch the shower head where it attaches to the pipe and twist again. You’ll have way more torque with the tools, and it should give way without giving you any guff.
3. Remove Any Old Teflon Tape
Take a look at the threads — those ridges at the end of your shower pipe — to make sure they’re clean. Use your rag to scrub away any corrosion, old Teflon tape or plumber’s putty. If you’re having trouble, try using a little paint thinner to cut through any sticky gunk. Wipe it clean and make sure the threads are dry.
4. Wrap the Threads
Use your new Teflon tape to wrap the threads. Go around two or three times in a clockwise direction and press the tape into the threads when you’re done. It should be secure — no loose ends!
5. Screw in Your New Shower Head
Open the package and screw your new shower head on over the Teflon tape. You can easily do this with your hands — in fact, over-tightening is something you actually want to avoid, so it’s unlikely you’ll need to use the your tools again. Righty-tighty this time!
6. Test It Out
Turn on the water and see what happens. (Pro tip: Don’t forget to flip the switch that diverts the water up into your shower head.) Water should come streaming out of your shower head, and you shouldn’t see any leaks or weird drips coming from the joint where you screwed it together. If you do, wrap a little more Teflon tape around the pipe right at the base of the shower head and tighten it, this time using the rag and wrench to get a better grip. Once your shower head is on tight, there should be no more leaks.
And that’s all there is to it! Now you can enjoy the same showers you did before, but you’ll use 25 to 40 percent less water — without ever lifting another finger. Today’s low-flow shower heads are designed really well, so you should barely notice the difference in water pressure.
What you will notice is the extra cash in your checking account at the end of each month. What will you do with yours?
