Tell me about shower heads

wdinc01 · #1 08-09-2010, 08:32 PM

I'm moving into an apartment in Pensacola at the end of this week. Pensacola is known for having the worse water in the nation. When I was living in a dorm last year, I noticed my hair was a little dried out or whatever. The campus uses their own well, but its full of chlorine, so I'm basically showering in pool water.

My girlfriend mentioned something about changing the shower head, which I never thought about. Does it really make that much of a difference? If so, what should I look for?

Thanks in advance

jp58 · #2 08-09-2010, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdinc01

I'm moving into an apartment in Pensacola at the end of this week. Pensacola is known for having the worse water in the nation. When I was living in a dorm last year, I noticed my hair was a little dried out or whatever. The campus uses their own well, but its full of chlorine, so I'm basically showering in pool water.

My girlfriend mentioned something about changing the shower head, which I never thought about. Does it really make that much of a difference? If so, what should I look for?

Thanks in advance

As far as purifying the water?

wdinc01 · #3 08-09-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp58

As far as purifying the water?

I guess that's what I'm getting at, yeah. I'm not trying to drink water while I shower (although I'm totally cool with doing that). I just don't like my hair and skin drying out because of whatever's in my water

jp58 · #4 08-09-2010, 08:53 PM

http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CEgQ8wIwAg#

Something like a shower filter may be what you want. We had one for water when we were on the well, but now I live in an apartment and we are on city water.

wdinc01 · #5 08-09-2010, 08:58 PM

Thanks. So I'm guessing I can use my original shower head with it? Also, would the water pressure be the same?

jp58 · #6 08-09-2010, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdinc01

Thanks. So I'm guessing I can use my original shower head with it? Also, would the water pressure be the same?

Well there are different makes an models, some have built in heads and massagers and things. They have a little delay when you turn it on and off, but I never really noticed a pressure difference at all.

Pilgrim · #7 08-09-2010, 09:46 PM

a) Hair conditioner
b) Skin lotion

The shower head makes no difference in how the water's composition or how it works. Use appropriate conditioners and you'll have no problem.

Most shower heads have flow restrictors in them to provide pressure in the shower but reduce water use. If you take a minute to look in the shower head's water inlet, on most you can either remove the restrictor or temporarily remove it and drill its orifice out slightly to allow more water flow. OTOH, if you're a dedicated green type, don't mess with the flow restrictor.

Sonic_Death · #8 08-09-2010, 11:31 PM

Avoid the low flow.

Pilgrim · #9 08-10-2010, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonic_Death

Avoid the low flow.

I agree, but most are low flow. My email above contains the info needed to "modify" them.

MatticusMania · #10 08-10-2010, 11:06 AM

Get one of those really big wide ones, that make you fee like youre showering in the rain.

Absentia · #11 08-10-2010, 11:22 AM

Ehh something tells me that's not the only reason she wants a new shower head he..he..he.
Head out of the gutter now, look into installing a water softener in the line that goes to the shower.... wait... apartment...might want to ask them about it.

PSPookie · #12 08-10-2010, 11:42 AM

^
Yeah, in college my gf asked me to install a new showerhead for her . . . I believe it was called The Jackhammer . . . she dumped me a week later

joeyl · #13 08-10-2010, 12:28 PM

get the Commando 450.

pmkelly · #14 08-10-2010, 06:49 PM

If the filter isn't a POS then you might have a solution... Make sure you follow the directions to change it out, a water filter that has been in place for 6 months will get really funky. If you have excessive amounts of scale and other dissolved solids in your water this filter may not do much for you. You can always contact your local water department and get some sort of water test report, or you can pick up a test kit at Home Depot to test it yourself...

Give a low flow showerhead a chance... once you get used to it, you will save water everytime you shower. I installed a big showering type of head (low flow) and changed out the guts on toilets and did low flow sinks in our bathrooms. We have seen a significant drop in the water bill...

Thanks,

P@

Absentia · #15 08-11-2010, 06:08 AM

OH OH I got it you can put a briita filter on it just use some JB weld if the threads don;t match up.

wdinc01 · #16 08-11-2010, 08:16 AM

Dirty jokes aside (which were quite funny), I suppose its something I should just hold off on. I don't know if my apartment has a water softener, although I quite hope they do. However, the water on campus is still chock full of chlorine, so I'll look into that.

On a side note, water is included in my rent, so no need for low flow. In fact, I'm going to look for the shower head that uses the most water. I'll be taking showers in a waterfall

funkydjembe · #17 08-11-2010, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeyl

get the Commando 450.

be careful with that one though, it's used for washing elephants

**line6man** · #18 08-11-2010, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdinc01

On a side note, water is included in my rent, so no need for low flow. In fact, I'm going to look for the shower head that uses the most water. I'll be taking showers in a waterfall

A bit dishonest, don't you think?

PSPookie · #19 08-11-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

A bit dishonest, don't you think?

Opportunistic, petty, or even selfish perhaps, but not dishonest.

MatticusMania · #20 08-11-2010, 11:16 AM

Water is included in my rent as well, so to maximize what I get for my rent, I leave at least one faucet on all day long.