excessive showering/water usage - USA

[Tara134]

I am a new host.  We rent out our guest room and the bathroom is next to our master bedroom.  I'm trying to get over timing our guests shower's but it's really hard.  Would I be in line to ask guests to keep their showers to 1 per day per guest and under 10 minutes?  5 minutes would be preferable :). 

This morning, my guest (a college student) was in the shower for 20 minutes. And before she even got in, she started the shower, than walked back and forth between the bathroom and bedroom for a couple minutes. Urrgghh!

I also had a guest who would shower at night, run in the morning and take another shower after his run.... then shower again that night.

How do you handle these situations?  Just chalk up to renting woes and get on with things?  I am so aware of how much water we waste on a daily basis and would like to encourage my guests to be aware, also. 

Thanks!

[Linda108]

@Tara134  I live in the desert near Palm Springs, CA.  Water consumption is a big issue in an area with less than 3 inches of rain so most residents are water conservationists.  Showers, especially long showers, seem like a lot of water use.  However, most households use more water on the outside than on the inside of the house.  Reducing your garden watering is more effective than short showers according to my water district.

If you are advocating for "green" living, including water conservation, that would be attractive to many travelers so you could use that as part of your marketing.

If you are just an aware consumer, I think you might want to dial down the concern for your guest showering habits and invest in the low flow shower head.  While I agree with host having rules, but bullying and intimidating guests as some have suggested wouldn't be my first choice 😛

[Tara134]

@Linda0I didn't say anything about bullying or intimidation, so not sure why you went there.  I'm just looking to see how how other people relax and go with the flow, so to speak.  I think the solution, as someone said is to take a chill pill and put in a low-flow shower head.  

Thanks to all that submitted helpful advice.  

[Susie5]

Hi @Tara134, I recently had occasion to shower in my airbnb unit and the shower was awful - I felt like I had to dance around to get wet.  I replaced that old showerhead with a new Speakman and it is amazing - it gives the feeling of a luxurious shower but it's actually low flow. Is it possible your guests are not feeling "wet" enough so staying longer in the shower??

This is the one I got from Amazon --

Speakman S-2005-H Hotel Anystream High Pressure 2.5 gpm Multi-Function Shower Head

They also offer a 2 gpm and a 1.75 gpm version but I went for the 2.5. It's $35 and in my opinion it's quite wonderful!

Good luck! Susie

[Pete28]

I believe you can get it down to 1.5gpm. Water costs about 1c a gallon so 20min shower is approx 30c.

The hot water side is a bigger problem - most tanks are 50gallon so they just used up most of the tank for a single shower 😞 If you have a gas water heater that is ok, since recovery time is fast - electric not so good...

On the other hand, if you start commenting etc you will not get good reviews, so no easy answers...

[Paul154]

2.5 gpm! 2gpm! 1.75 gpm!

I have a 1gpm and it is fine. I did try other 1gpm models, but found this good one (wish I knew the brand...)

1gpm is fine, but definitely not luxurious. It says, "this shower is for getting clean - but not for spa treatment."

In Seattle, we have the highest priced water in the country.

I would love to spoil myself at Susie's wonderful spa.

[Clara116]

@Tara134 I get the concern Tara - and I am so glad I am in our house and not within hearing distance

of the cottage and the bathroom which are in the back of the property. I'm afraid we can do almost nothing about the horrid excesses unless we are in restricted areas. 

After serving as a missionary in many lands  for many years where there is NO running water - no drinkable water- such disease and health issue - partly due to the water shortage and poor hygeine.  I find long showers and the waste of our most precious water really tough to even think about. I can't even let the water just run while brushing my teeth. WHY WASTE it???  And we just do it cause we always have and our consciousness has never been challenged. 

JUST BECAUSE WE CAN DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD  (I am referring to wasting water, excessive use, etc. 

And so the problem is our consciousness and what we believe in.

I do know that if we are suddenly without our unlimited supply of water we learn all about people and our entitledness and consciousness and whats important. 

The part of this that is almost amusing to me is all this scrubbing as if we are all digging ditches or loading garbage all day and heaven forbid the fear of germs in our culture. I just had to do a short rant dance or something like that. Happy Hosting, Clara

[Rosemarie9]

Clara, I live in Ireland now but I am originally from Australia, and I still cannot let the tap run while brushing my teeth, after being raised not to for so long. I was in shock when a house I was renting here had a leaking tap buried in the under growth that we calculated must have been leaking for years! I tried to turn it off but the landlord could care less. They tried to bring in water rates here in Ireland and they all kicked up a stink with most not paying. They stopped them within 12 months. The Irish hate to be told what to do, and think water is an infinite resource. It frustrated the hell out of me and they fought I was mad whenever I stated that most countries have been paying them for decades. If you want good infrastructure someone has to pay for it. It is the same with litter here, it is disgraceful how much rubbish lies everywhere, but they won't provide enough bins, council workers and no rangers, so as usual everyone whines but no one does anything here.

[Sarah977]

@Rosemarie9   I'm the same, and it doesn't have as much to do with the fact that I do not have a constant, unlimited supply of water, as it does to do with wasted resource consciousness. As I live alone, and only host for one guest, I even turn the propane water heater off for most of the day- I don't see any good reason for a tank to be constantly maintaining a hot temperature for 8 hours a day when no one is actually using it- I'm at work and the guest is at the beach. I ask my guests what their showering habits are- morning shower person, before bed, twice a day? Then I make sure there's plenty of hot water to accomodate their showers when it's needed. The water stays hot enough even when the tank is turned off to have warm enough water for hand, face and dishwashing.

I was staying with a friend in Denver, where there are definitely water restrictions. I noticed that all of her faucets dripped constantly. When I remarked on this, she said she knew, but she had been procrastinating getting them fixed as it cost $300 to get a plumber in Denver to even walk through the door (she may have been exaggerating, I don't know). I told her all they needed was new washers and if she had a screwdriver and a wrench, I'd do it, it isn't rocket science. She took me out for dinner- win-win and no more water waste .

[Rosemarie9]

Sarah, I too am getting quite good at diy, being a solo female host. I have been updating my house part time while hosting the rest of the year, and put in a new large water tank boiler, but I turn it right down when I am alone. There was a huge storm here last October and the power was out for four days but i still had enough warm water to shower and get by on! Cold showers in Ireland are not recommended! I am glad that your friend shouted you dinner, and it wouldn't surprise me about the plumbers call out fee, I remember plumbers in Sydney being quite expensive also. If I had a child I would tell them to take up a trade and forget university!

Your place looks wonderful! I would love to see it in person one day and soak up some sun!

[Sarah977]

@Rosemarie9  Thank you, you are welcome anytime (well, if it's not already booked 😄 ). 

We once had a huge deluge of rain here that washed out the road to my place so badly that the water main was broken. I didn't receive water for 3 weeks until they got it fixed! Luckily, that was before I started hosting, and it was rainy season, so I could catch rainwater and I showered in a bathing suit under my water spouts! (couldn't do that in a cold climate of course, but it was about 90 degrees F. here)

[Sarah977]

@Tara134   I actually do have issues with not getting a constant supply of water where I live, as well, the whole town runs low on water near the end of the dry season. So I let my guests know this when they arrive, asking them to please try to be conservative with the water as far as not just letting the water run when brushing teeth, washing dishes, that 20 minute showers might mean we'll run out of water, as well as saying that it's not necessary to flush the toilet every time they have a little wiz (which to me is a criminal waste of water- imagine how much water gets used in a family of four when each person flushes the toilet every time they pee, even if they have a low-flush toilet). So far all my guests have been quite understanding and most say they try to conserve water at home as well. 

I don't feel we can dictate how often a guest showers- people have their own bathing habits. But even though you don't actually have water restrictions where you live, I don't see anything wrong with mentioning to guests that you try to be conservative with water usage. @Clara116's suggestion of an attractive, framed notice to this effect in the bathroom is good (I have this as well, in addition to mentioning verbally).

As far as low flow shower heads-I have long, thick hair and I can tell you that if a shower has a low-flow head, I have to stand in the shower 5 times as long to rinse the shampoo and conditioner out- if there is a strong hard flow of water, it takes less than a minute. 

[Clara116]

@Sarah977 good for you.....nice ideas Sarah - and since you do have issues truly with the water you can make it much larger deal and make a platform. I would if we had the shortage here. It gives you a kinda blank card to do so. 

I think it would be a battle I am not at all ready to take on bringing consciousness up about the world and our waste and small ways to change things.  Just the toilet and holding off on flushing - so much of our lives is asleep and unconscious I don't think we could change things unless folks had to pay per flush. that's an idea!!! LOL.... The attention of so many is so focused on phones and digital devices and so I would be wasting my own time, effort and strength.  I digress and so happy hosting, Clara

[Sarah977]

@Clara116  I predict that the 30 minute shower people whose consciousness does not include conservation of the planets resources, and assume that all will be infinite, will be the first to freak out when they one day find that there are necessary restrictions in the area where they live. 

[Rebecca160]

@Tara134I did as Susie suggested and installed a high quality, showerhead for the guests. Mine has an adjustable flowrate (all low to ultra low flow)  and is easy to figure out. Plus, they have the option of type of flow (pulse, rain, rotating, etc.) With the exception of only one guest, showers do not seem to be outrageously long. I ordered mine from Costco, and there are several nice ones on Amazon. All of my guests have been happy with the shower. Some say it is great!

The one guest was a water baby and took multiple showers and long hot tubs a day. It made him happy and he left a great review.

[Fred13]

Americans - 5% of the people, using 50%+ of the Earth's resources. Last statistics I remember on the subject.

So, since I run an island (limited water/power) I have intalled water/power conservation features AND do ask/beg/tell/order and even threaten to beat them up about being concious of both, without apology or hesitation, and shockingly all my American guests (I am one and they are 95% of my guests) really are great about getting with the 'conservation program' when explained. 

I just make it fun ("Whatever you do don't get the 'Chibangee Award") and only have a few Reminders posted (my version of House Rules). They all take great pride in being cooperative. I really do like my guests.