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low-flow shower heads vs faucet aerators - which saves more?

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martist58
martist58 Original post
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Been thinking about easy ways to cut down my water and energy bills lately, and I'm stuck between two options. Low-flow shower heads seem pretty straightforward - less water, shorter showers, makes sense. But then I read about faucet aerators being super cheap and easy to install, and apparently they cut down a ton of water waste too.

I dunno, anyone have experience with either (or both)? Which actually makes a bigger difference in your bill over time? Curious what you guys think...


50 replies

16 posts

I dunno, anyone have experience with either (or both)?

I've installed both recently, and honestly, faucet aerators surprised me more. Low-flow showerheads help, sure, but aerators are dirt cheap and took like two minutes to install - noticed the savings quicker on my bill too. Worth a shot if you're cautious about upfront costs...


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mythology_kevin
15 posts

"faucet aerators surprised me more. Low-flow showerheads help, sure, but aerators are dirt cheap and took like two minutes to install"

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing at first, but then I started wondering about actual water usage habits. Like, if you're someone who takes long showers (guilty here...), wouldn't a low-flow showerhead potentially save you more in the long run? Aerators are definitely a quick win - cheap, easy, and noticeable - but showers can use a ton of water if you're not careful.

I guess it depends on your household's routine. For instance, my roommate leaves the faucet running while brushing teeth (drives me nuts), so aerators made a noticeable difference there. But personally, I think my shower habits probably outweigh faucet usage overall. Maybe the best bet is to just do both and cover all bases? Curious if anyone's actually measured their savings over a longer period...


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electronics722
17 posts

"Maybe the best bet is to just do both and cover all bases?"

Yeah, honestly that's probably the smartest move. I installed aerators first because, like you said, they're dirt cheap and easy. But then I swapped out my showerhead a couple months later and noticed a bigger drop in my water bill. Could be because I zone out in the shower way too often...oops. Anyway, doing both definitely covers your bases without breaking the bank.


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martist58
martist58 Topic starter
21 posts

I installed aerators first because, like you said, they're dirt cheap and easy. But then I swapped out my showerhead a couple months later and noticed a bigger drop in my water bill.

I did both as well, but honestly, changing the showerhead made a more noticeable difference for me. Probably because my old one was basically a firehose...aerators helped too, but shower's where I saw the real savings.


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