What's a reasonable length of time for a shower?

[UltimateWednesday]

And how do you make teens/young adults comply.

DS1 is 19yo, works FT and pays his way at home.

He can spend up to an hour in the shower everyday. I dread to think what it costs, but also, it's destroying the bathroom because it's so wet and never gets time to dry out properly. There are three others using it, for shorter times, daily too.

He'd happily contribute more to the cost, so that's no incentive. I've talked to him many times about it, he agrees and for a day ir to the showers will be shorter but then revert.

I understand a young man is probably doing things in the shower his mother doesn't want to think about and honestly, in every other aspect he's the perfect housemate, so I don't want to be unreasonable but the ceiling was only painted a few months ago and now it's black again.

Has anyone solved this issue successfully?

Urgh well I hope you do get him to understand that regardless of the cost him ruining your bathroom just because he likes long showers is selfish. I might be projecting a bit as I had a very selfish ex who 30 mins was a quick shower but usually it was 45 or a hour. We lived in a place with metered hot water and the bills were crazy (but split 50/50) then we moved somewhere with a tank so he just drained it and left cold water for everyone else. Every time. However he was selfish on many levels lol

I take 20-30 minutes in the shower. I shampoo and condition my long hair every day though so that takes time. We have a water resistant clock/timer next to the shower so I can keep an eye on the time especially when getting ready for work.
DH takes 15-20 minutes.

Would a timer help with your son so he realises how long he is taking?
Also if he has to get involved with cleaning and repainting the ceiling maybe that would make him stop taking so long.
Also is your extractor fan good? Maybe you need to invest in a better one to help with the condensation.

That is a shocking waste of water. Does he know or care that water is a finite resource?

15 mins is what I allow my older teen - then I’m banging on the door saying out now!

On a side note, neat sterilising fluid (milton etc) in a spray bottle will sort the black ceiling mold. One day when in is dry-ish, take all your towels out of the bathroom and give it a liberal spray. 15 minutes later it will be gone. It will still need repainting, but won't come through the new paint. Wear old clothes though because it will bleach cloths, and leave the window open for ventilation.

3 mins thorough body wash
6 mins wash hair too
10 mins both above + shave legs/pits

Our shower stopped working due to DS 45 minute sessions. It would cut out aft

.. after 5 minutes. When we got it fixed we didn't tell him

I give my son about 8 minutes and then run the water quickly downstairs. He then gets another 2 minutes and I run the water downstairs to fill the kettle,top up the chilled water in the fridge, fill the bird bath etc etc. He gets out pretty quick after that!

An hour??! I though my brother, dh, and step father were bad at 20 minutes. Why does it take guys so long? Does wanking really take so long?

He's a teen. He doesn't need ages for a wank or two. 15 minutes is normal at our house, 5 minutes to get clean, 10 minutes to sooth aching middle-aged muscles in the hot water.

How do people shower so fast? Ours takes at least 10 minutes to reach an acceptable temperature and my hair takes at least half hour to wash. Ffs its just a shower. As long as the other people aren't waiting to use it, just open the window and leave him alone.

Ha, you couldn’t do this in my house growing up as we had a power shower coupled with an immersion heater. That’s a 6 minute shower, MAX.

In all seriousness I would point out the mould and bills and say that it’s not acceptable.

I feel your pain, but my DS doesn't work, he's 16. Mine runs the shower then will sit in his room watching a YouTube video for 10mins before he even gets in shower! Neighbours must think I'm insane screaming up the stairs to turn it off/get in.
Running tap downstairs is a great idea, will be trying that one!

I’m usually in the shower for 20-30 minutes, I hate baths so it’s my time to relax but also includes deep conditioning my hair, facial treatment, shaving etc.

If I’m in a hurry then it’s about 10 to 15 mins max.

When I was younger I used to have two showers a day, drove my parents nuts! Then I had children and realised a just a shower in the morning is fine 😂

For comparison my DH only ever takes about 5/10 minutes to shower though.

That's special paint, made by Ronseal I think, that you can paint the ceiling with to stop it going mouldy.
We open the window, have an extractor but we still used to get mould round the edge of the ceiling. We painted it over a year ago and never had the problem since. Google anti mould paint.

Summer2003, that reminds me...My son also used to do that, switch the shower on and walk away back to his room. How many times I have told him that we have an electric shower and the water heats up immediately I really do not know. I hated being the shower police.

longest I take is 20 mins but only if Iv got to do the 5min stand with stuff in my hair! And full shave.

Even with waist length hair and being disabled I can do a shower in 15 mins normally.

Does he actually stand under the water doing whatever for the hour or can he have the water off for some of it?

I'm asking because I knew someone who was in there for ages with water running (not my home so not my problem) but the first 10-20 mins she wasn't actually in the shower yet. Just in the bathroom doing whatever else first.

The fact that others shower in 5 minutes doesn't mean that some of us don't enjoy relaxing in the shower. It does seem quite a micromanagement. Do you have a bath he could use some days? Does he remember to open the window? A shower being used shouldn't cause damp. People bollock on about showers costing money, but personally if I'm not on the breadline, it is worth it!
If he really can't open a window or fix an extractor fan, could your son do the repainting? Then you won't be seething and he can have his showers!

I'd say he can have max an hour every 3 days. Or 20 minutes a day.

The thing about the money is it really adds up. 10kW at 15p/unit is easily £1 per 40 min extra time in the shower, that's £30 per month on your electricity bill. Plus the water.