A water and energy saving showerhead saves energy and money for homesteaders.
A Water and Energy Saving Showerhead
In their never-ending pursuit of energy savings, Buck Valle
and the other good folks at SEE, Inc. recently tested a
unique new shower head called the “SaverShower”. And the
gadget, they found, immediately reduced their hot water
consumption so dramatically . . . that SEE, Inc. has
acquired a dealership for the whole line of “Saver”
fixtures and is now pushing them just as zestfully as the
firm promotes its energy-conserving houses.
In fact, Buck Valle made a special trip all the way from
SEE, Inc.’s home base of Columbus, Ohio to MOTHER’S offices
in Hendersonville, North Carolina a few days ago . . . just
to tell this magazine’s editors about this rather amazing
energy- and water-saving (and sewage-reducing) device.
As Buck pointed out: “Few families yet realize the almost
unbelievable amount of money the typical household shells
out every year for hot water. Which, in turn, makes it a
little difficult sometimes to understand just how much one
of these simple $12.95 shower heads can shave off the
average annual electric bill. Believe it or not, though,
our tests have shown us that those savings can easily add
up to $120 a year. That’s nearly a 1,000 return on your
investment every 12 months!”
Buck then went on to explain how this rather incredible
savings is made possible. “Water typically flows from a
conventional shower head at the rate of eight to ten
gallons per minute. Leave that shower running for 10
minutes or more, and you’ve just used 100 gallons of water
. . . much of it heated. The average rate of flow from a
SaverShower head, on the other hand, is only 2.2 gallons
per minute. Let it run for the same length of time . . .
and you’ve cut your water and water-heating bill for the
bath by at least 60 %.”
“Yes, but . . . ” we immediately yes-butted, “it looks to
us as if you’ll also cut your skintingling enjoyment of the
shower by at least the same 60%. And it also seems logical
to suppose that — to get clean — you’ll probably
have to stay under the spray at least 60% longer.”
Well sir, there was only one way Buck could cap the
discussion . . . and he had it at his fingertips. Digging
into his pocket, he pulled out two SaverShowers and said.
“Here. Test ’em yourself. Get a gallon container and a
watch or clock with a second hand and see how quickly your
present shower head fills the bucket. Next, install a
SaverShower and time it. Then bathe with the thing and you
tell me whether or not you find the bath satisfying and how
long it takes you to get clean.”
Two of MOTHER’s people — Emerson Smyers and Roger
Hoffmann (sweaty Roger, the guy who runs 12 miles a
day) — accepted the challenge. Both took a SaverShower
home, both tried the gizmo, and both reported: The shower
felt great . . . every bit as refreshing as before the
installation. And, while it took the same amount of time as
usual to get clean, the SaverShower bath definitely
consumed a lot less water.”
But don’t take Roger’s and Emerson’s word for it: Get your
own SaverShower and see for yourself. A deluxe head is
available for $12.95, a standard model for $9.95, and a
sink aerator (which will allow you to save in the kitchen
too) sells for $1.95 from Solar-Earth Energy, Inc., Dept.
TMEN, 1695 Kenny Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43212. Include an
additional 75¢ (shipping and handling) for each shower
head or aerator you order and tell ’em MOTHER sent you.
And Roger and Emerson, you can bring back the test
SaverShowers now. Roger . . . Emerson. Hey, you guys!
Remember those shower heads that we gave you to test? Roger
. . . Emerson?
Read more about passively heated underground homes: The Beauty of Passively Heated Underground Houses.
