Euro type handheld shower more cost effective?

[larry]

Do the Europeans have a more water conserving shower system
with their handheld shower? They seem to have a built in
valve as well. I think it would save water, even over the
low-flow shower heads, if you only put the water you need,
where you want it.

Anyone using these in the US? Pros / Cons?

Thanks-

-- larry/dallas

[Goomba38]

The fact that it is hand held has nothing to do with water savings. A
water restricter is necessary to save water.
I personally love adjustable wall mount/hand held showerheads. You can
get them everywhere now.

[Frank]

"Goomba38" <Goom...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:ecydnZGndYfn9Wva...@comcast.com...

I use both fixed and a handheld switching form one to the other with a
diverter. Its nice to have the option to use either but see no difference in
water conservation. What save the water is a recirculating pump with a trade
off of in more energy usage.

[Logan Shaw]

I'm in the US and have one. I like it. I do my stretching exercises
and everything, but I'm only so flexible, and it's nice not to have to
attempt unnatural contortions just to get some part of you rinsed off.
Also, it makes it a lot easier to clean the shower: when you've
scrubbed the tile (or whatever) and it's time to rinse, you just point
the thing at it.

Mine has a valve in it to stop the flow when you're not using it. In
theory this is great, but in practice the control is the same one that
changes the spray pattern and is awkward to operate, so I basically
never use it. I searched for one where the shut-off had a separate,
easy to use control, but I couldn't find one made that way. You can,
by the way, buy a separate quick shut-off valve that will attach between
the shower head and the pipe. They're not very expensive.

About the only negative with the handheld shower head is that in the
morning, I am usually in a complete, and I'm not coordinated enough
to get the thing back into the bracket that holds it as quick as you
think an adult human being would be able to do a simple task like that.
But until they invent the Jetsons-style machine that can shower and
dress someone who is a complete zombie, I will have to make do with
that awkwardness.

- Logan

[Brian Elfert]

larry <f...@foobar.com> writes:

I made my own shutoff for a fixed showerhead, but it could be a handheld
as well. I took a shower faucet that has the two valves for water and a
third dirverter valve to select shower or tub and plugged the tub
connection. Now when the third valve is changed to tub no water comes out
of the showerhead and the temperature settings remain.

This will only work if you have a shower only (no tub faucet) and want an
old style two valve faucet instead of the single valve faucet. I had a
reason to use the two valve faucet so it worked great for me.