If the way your family showers drives you crazy, then installing a timer on the shower might help. How do these timers work, and what are their benefits?

How Does a Shower Timer Work?

A timer is a small electrical unit that sits on your shower's water supply. It controls how long the shower is able to run.

For example, say you set a timer at a limit of ten minutes. Anyone taking a shower will have a hot water supply for ten minutes at a time.

Once the timer hits its mark, it either shuts off the unit's hot water or both the hot and cold water at once. It then waits a pre-set time before the shower is ready to use again.

In some cases, timers give you a digital countdown of the time left. In others, you get a warning a minute or so before the timer kicks in. For example, the water may turn cold for a second or two to tell you that you need to start finishing up.

Why Use a Shower Timer?

If you only have one shower in your home and a few people who use it, then a shower timer has tangible benefits. It saves you money and streamlines the way people use your bathroom.

For example, if you have a couple of teens at home, then you might despair at how much time they waste in the shower. They're also wasting water and making your water and energy bills higher than they need to be.

This can cause friction. If some people in your house hog the shower, then you could end up with an irate queue outside the bathroom door as people try to get ready for work or school.

A shower timer solves these problems. If you restrict the time that someone can stay in the shower, you reduce their water consumption.

Cutting even a few minutes off the amount of time the unit is used every day could reduce your power and water bills. If you have shower-hogs at home, then you could see significant savings.

A timer also helps if you only have one bathroom at home and have times when everyone needs to use it. You reduce the time each person takes in the bathroom which keeps everyone moving.

If you're interested in investing in a shower timer, talk to your electrician about your options. It's generally better to hardwire a timer, and you need a professional to do this for you safely.