clawfoot tub - 2 knob system and water usage

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01-13-2009, 12:52 PM
drezboston

clawfoot tub - 2 knob system and water usage

We have an issue where we are running out of hot water very quickly. I think it is due to the 2 knob (hot/cold) system in our clawfoot tub as well as our shower head.

The question is how can we reduce our water usage and thus not run out of water? we have a 40 gallon hot water heater and have enough for a bath but our shower quickly runs out of water.

Is there a system to change it to a single knob and is there an adaptor to be able to install a low flow showerhead? and if we do that will it cause leaking somewhere else?

thanks
01-13-2009, 02:37 PM
jadnashua

All modern showerheads sold in the US have a maximum flow rate of 2.5gpm. You can only get about 70% of the water out of a WH before it gets noticably cooler. You might want to just run it into a bucket and see how much it is actually flowing.
01-16-2009, 07:59 AM
drezboston

4 Attachment(s)

update - what next

so I tested the water heater (40 gallons) by using a 5 gallon bucket and got about 27 or 28 gallons before it started to get cold so I think the water heater is fine. then I saw how much water was coming out and I think my current shower head is using like 5 gallons a minute as in 15 seconds we were over 1/4 of the bucket full and it was starting to get heavy.

I am attaching some pictures. what do you guys recommend? putting a bushing to attach the shower head or do I need something more drastic?
01-16-2009, 03:04 PM
jadnashua

The showerhead probably unscrews, and you can replace it with a new one. You might be able to get creative and (if you can find one) maybe insert a washer in it to restrict the flow some. If you raise the WH temp setting, you'll functionally get more hot since you'll dillute it with more cold. For safety, you may want to install a tempering valve at the WH. This would limit the max outlet temperature so you'd not have an accident at the shower, but still get the benefit of a larger amount of hot water available.
01-17-2009, 03:56 PM
drezboston

plans - any swivelling attachments?

bought a 3/8x1/2 CP brass bushing and a kohler low flow CP k-8544 2.0gpm showerhead. I hope it has a ball bearing showerhead...

just in case it doesn't. Is there an attachment that serves only as a swiveling piece of pipe that can be used with any showerhead?

thanks!
01-17-2009, 04:21 PM
C NUMB

Quote:

Originally Posted by drezboston

bought a 3/8x1/2 CP brass bushing and a kohler low flow CP k-8544 2.0gpm showerhead. I hope it has a ball bearing showerhead...

just in case it doesn't. Is there an attachment that serves only as a swiveling piece of pipe that can be used with any showerhead?

thanks!

That kohler head adjusts, you will be fine