Embedded Files
Low Flow or Shut Off Shower Head
Low Flow or Shut Off Shower Head
One of the little known misconceptions about "shut off" and "low flow" shower heads is that although they may save hot water in some single-family residential applications, if applied in the wrong application i.e. a hotel room, multi-family or dormitory application they will actually waste more water and they will cause additional heart ache for the management/maintenance of the property.
Explanation
In a residential application, hot water is created at a water heater and plumbed to a shower or sank and that is the "end use" of the supply. If flow is restricted at the end use point there is no impact and the water simply shuts off or is reduced and waits to be consumed. in this type of application water is clearly saved because it is not being wasted and run down the drain without being used.
Example of a
"Shut Off" shower head
In a centralized hot water system the hot water is heated at a boiler and circulated to the individual dwelling units so that they have hot water available upon need. This is the most efficient and least costly way of distributing hot water to facilities with multi-dwelling units. As hot water in the circulation loop is consumed it is replaced with cold water that is then heated up at the boiler for replacement. If a low flow or shut off shower head is applied to this environment what it does is "mix" or causes "crossover" at the shower head. In other words the hot and cold water will mix, and because its not being consumed, it will flow down stream onto the next dwelling unit and so on, this can have significantadverse impact on how the boiler environment works. Instead of making hot water for replacement of supply that has been consumed you are now making hot water to replace hot water that has simply been mixed or diluted (because of the implementation of the shut off or low flow shower head).
True, the end result is that you will save hot water at the point of use perhaps several gallons but conversely you will consume several more gallons through reheating and correction of the delusion that you're creating at the point of use. An additional problem that often happens in multiuse environments is that, as the water is diluted it moves down the loop for further dilution. For example in the first point of use it might be 130° through dilution the second point of use might receive water at 128° vs 130°, than 124° etc. we've seen numerous examples were the water goes out at the prescribed temperature only to come back 20° to 30° less through the use of various mechanisms that cause crossover. The end result is unhappy guests or tenants headaches for maintenance dramatically increased natural gas consumption and additional water waste which is ironic because is the complete opposite goal of what was intended.
Report abuse