Shower vs bath. The age old debate about which is better. Kids tend to have baths but then as we get older showers suddenly seem more efficient, quicker and less work.
How much water does a shower use vs bath? I also wondered what is more prevalent these days so I did some research to see what I could find out particularly how it relates to total water consumption in the home.
A shower tends to use between 15 and 25 gallons of water depending on shower length and shower head water flow whereas a bath will typically use between 24 and 30 gallons of water. Adults tend to take significantly more showers than baths so showers use more water in total in a home.
For a shower, the length of time is of course key but so is the type of shower head you have installed and how much water it uses per minute. A bath is solely dependent on how much you fill the bathtub. Let’s take a closer look at specifics.
Estimated water consumption by method and time
The table below compares taking a shower of between 5 and 10 minutes in duration using a shower head that uses 1.5, 2.5 and 5.0 gallons per minute (gpm) to a bathtub that is filled half way and one that is full with water. 1.5 gpm shower heads are widely available today and since the mid 1990s, shower heads sold in the US can have a maximum flow rate of 2.5 gpm. Previously 5.0 gpm shower heads were fairly typical so you can see how water efficiency has improved over the years.
When it comes to a bath, a half full bathtub is self explanatory but “full” isn’t necessarily what we think it is since bathtubs have overflows to prevent flooding. Plus, when a person enters the bath, water is displaced and the water level increases due to our body mass. Typical small bathtubs may hold around 40 gallons whereas larger ones can hold up to 80 gallons.
| Method | 5 minutes | 8 minutes | 10 minutes |
| 1.5 gpm shower head | 7.5 gallons | 12 gallons | 15 gallons |
| 2.5 gpm shower head | 12.5 gallons | 20 gallons | 25 gallons |
| 5.0 gpm shower head | 25 gallons | 40 gallons | 50 gallons |
| Bathtub half full | 20-40 gallons | 20-40 gallons | 20-40 gallons |
| Bathtub full | 30-50 gallons | 30-50 gallons | 30-50 gallons |
Showers vs baths popularity
People consume more total water with showers than baths because research shows that people shower more frequently than they bathe. So while the average shower uses less water than the average bath, the fact is that people take more showers so the total water consumed is greater.
Americans overwhelmingly prefer showers to baths if research from Angie’s List is to be believed. Their research shows that showers are preferred to baths by a wide 90% to 10% margin. Americans tend to take showers that last 5 – 10 minutes in length to give an idea of water consumption. Most men and women both prefer showers and both shower daily.
If you have a low flow shower head that uses as little as 1.5 gallons per minute, that results in water consumption of 7.5 – 15 gallons for the 5 – 10 minute shower quoted above.
British company Victorian Plumbing did a survey that showed that Brits also prefer showering to bathing by a closer 57% to 32% margin. They also found that respondents showered 20 times per month and bathed an additional 8 times monthly. Respondents suggested that they showered for 9 minutes and 20 seconds on average to give an indication of the water used.
Where can you save money by reducing water consumption based on the type of water usage including showers and baths?
Other benefits of showers over baths
- A hot shower produces steam and warmth which has benefits for shaving, body soreness and tight muscles and also helps to open pores for better cleaning.
- A cold shower can help with sunburned or irritated skin, helps to burn fat, boosts your immunity system and closes pores after cleaning.
- Showers get you cleaner since water is more evenly distributed and the water and soap are better able to remove contaminants from your skin than sitting in a bath.
- Showers tend to be quicker than baths given their nature. While a bath tends to be something relaxing and therefore more time-consuming, showers tend to be kept shorter in duration.
- Some studies
show that showers may offer health benefits to people such as helping to stimulate the nervous system which may in turn improve symptoms of depression.
Major sources of water consumption in a home
Where do showers and baths fit in terms of how much water they consume?
Estimates vary but a widely quoted range suggests that the average American uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water per day for all uses combined. For the average household the major uses of water inside the home in order from most to least are:
- Toilet flushing
- Showers
- Faucets and taps
- Washing machine
- Leaks
- Bathing
- Dishwasher
- Other
So showers and baths are among the major uses of water but why are showers ranked ahead of baths if showers use less water?
As we mentioned above, a single shower tends to use less water than a single bath. But since people tend to take more showers than baths, the total amount of water used by showers exceeds baths.
Reduce water consumption and save money on major uses of water
While showers and baths use significant water in the home, you can reduce water consumption and thus water costs and energy (heating) costs in other ways too. Here are the big ones:
| Water use | Water reduction methods |
| Toilet flushing | Switch to low flow dual flush toilets. I was amazed at how quickly and dramatically my water bill dropped when I replaced three toilets to dual flush low flow ones. I only use the single flush option each time which reduces water usage even more than expected. |
| Shower | Switch to low flow shower heads which you can install yourself and can use as little as 1.5 gallons per minute. Take shorter showers and set up a timer to see how long you typically take. Any time you reduce hot water usage, you will also reduce energy costs since water is heated and that costs significant money, too. Switching to a tankless water heater may further lower energy costs. |
| Faucets and taps | Don’t run faucets continuously full blast. Turn them off in between shaving, etc and open the tap halfway or less rather than running them wide open. Ensure your faucets have aerators which will further limit water flow. |
| Washing machine | Replace your water hogging top loading washing machine to a front load washing machine. Also consider adding a water softener not just for the pleasure of softer water but the potential of reduced detergent usage and stain removers as well as cleaner, softer clothes. |
| Leaks | Fix leaking toilets and dripping taps. You may be surprised to know much water is wasted. |
| Bath | Use your bath less frequently and take showers instead. |
| Dishwasher | Fill your dishwasher up and don’t run it half empty if possible. Learn about how much water you use from hand washing dishes as you might be surprised that dishwashers are more efficient. Click here to learn more. |
| Other | Do an inventory to see how else you consume water and reduce use where possible. Invest in water collection barrels to collect runoff rain water that you can use to water your lawn and garden. |
