PISCATAWAY, N.J., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ — There was a time when a stack of
magazines located near the commode was enough to occupy a person who intended
to spend some time in the bathroom. But according to American Standard’s 2008
Bathroom Habits Survey, today’s busy consumers have extended multitasking into
their bathrooms, making optimum use of every possible moment — whether it’s
checking their e-mail, talking on their cell phones or listening to their
iPods, while still striving to conserve water.
American Standard polled consumers across the country to determine how
they are using their time in the bathroom in order to determine what kinds of
products and amenities they might need now and in the future.
“Americans have a lot on their minds these days, from saving time and
money to escaping from the pressures of everyday life. They are not only
multitasking in the bath, but they also want multitasking fixtures that offer
beauty, comfort, reliability, and that meet their growing concerns for water
conservation,” says Jeannette Long, director of marketing communications for
American Standard.
Behind-the-door behaviors
The survey shows that people are doing a lot of things inside their
bathrooms besides the obvious. A full 88 percent use at least one electronic
device in the bathroom. More than a third read their mail — both snail mail
and e-mail, 43 percent get dressed; 20 percent sing; 19 percent listen to
music via radio or iPod; 15 percent talk on the phone, and three percent watch
TV.
Escape time: a precious commodity
According to the survey, the average amount of time people spend in the
bath every day is about 30 minutes, but one in four spends more than an hour.
Women are significantly more likely to be spending well over an hour in the
bathroom (37 percent for women versus 15 percent for men). Women also are more
likely to take significantly longer than men in the shower, with more than
half taking 10 or more minutes. Having children only increases their desire to
escape to the shower, with 58 percent of people with children taking longer
showers than those who don’t.
“The percentage of consumers who have reduced the amount of time they
spend in the shower over the past four years is minimal based on data we
collected from the 2004 Bathroom Habits Survey. With conservation being even
more top of mind with consumers today, it’s surprising that they still spend
approximately the same amount of time in the shower,” says Long.
Despite consumers’ delight in showering, water conservation is a huge
concern. Consumers can still enjoy an invigorating and satisfying shower while
reducing water usage 40 percent from code with American Standard FloWise(R)
showerheads. The FloWise showerheads use only 1.5 gallons of water per minute
(gpm) and can save consumers more than 8,000 gallons of water per year. A
small turbine-like mechanism spins the water stream through the head force
from a trio of showerheads to create a powerful, energizing spray that feels
much the same as standard 2.5 gpm showerheads.
Yet water is precious, too
Ninety-one percent of consumers say they are trying to conserve water, and
the most common way they are doing this is by not running the water while they
are brushing their teeth (71 percent). Almost half are limiting the time spent
in the shower and nearly a third are flushing the toilet less frequently or
taking fewer baths and showers.
Most consumers were surprised to learn they could be saving as much as
4,000 gallons of water per year if they used a water-conserving toilet, with
94 percent saying they would be prepared to use such a water-conserving
toilet.
Some of the newest toilets on the market allow consumers to save water and
even customize how much they use. For example, the American Standard
Dual-Flush FloWise(R) two-piece High-Efficiency toilet allows users to decide
whether to use 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) or 0.8 gpf, potentially saving 30
percent more water than 1.6 gpf toilets. Independent testing has confirmed
that the Dual-Flush FloWise performs in the best category for bulk waste
removal.
A variety of other high efficiency toilets also save water while helping
to achieve green building ratings in remodeling and new construction. The
American Standard Compact Cadet(R) 3 FloWise one-piece toilet, for instance,
uses 20 percent less water than a standard 1.6 gpf flush model while offering
superior flush performance.
To help consumers learn more about water conservation and how many dollars
they can save by converting to various water-efficient fixtures and faucets,
American Standard offers a new Water Savings Calculator and Rebate Locator,
found at http://www.americanstandard.com/waterefficiency. The Rebate Locator
lists current water conservation rebates available throughout the United
States, and will be updated regularly as new local and regional incentives
become available. “It is the most comprehensive tally of
water-saving incentives available in the industry,” says Long.
Just say “no” to plunging and repairs
One thing consumers don’t want to do in the bathroom is plunge their
toilets or repair their fixtures. About a third of consumers would not try and
fix their toilet beyond trying to plunge it and have had a plumber visit their
home in the last year. Seventeen percent even know their plumbers on a first
name basis.
OTHER SURVEY FINDINGS
Multitasking varies by region: American Standard’s 2008 Bathroom Habits
Survey looked closely at the bathroom habits of people living in Atlanta,
Boston, Miami, Minneapolis and Seattle. In Atlanta, people are more likely to
be listening to the radio; in Boston they are reading magazines and their
mail; in Miami they are more likely to be talking on their phones than any
other part of the country (22 percent in Miami claim to do this compared to a
national average of 16 percent).
Knock, knock. When are you coming out of there? People in Atlanta top the
nation in taking their sweet time in the bath, with 62 percent staying 30
minutes or more, and 28 percent spending more than an hour. Seattle comes in
second, with 60 percent taking more than 30 minutes. Go-go Miami is even
faster, with 53 percent spending fewer than 30 minutes and 22 percent most
likely using the phone, while efficient Minneapolis has 49 percent who claim
to use the bathroom less than a half hour each day.
To crumple or not to crumple: that is the toilet paper question. Almost 50
percent more people fold their toilet paper rather than crumple it.
Minnesotans crumple toilet paper more than any other part of the country;
Miami is more likely to fold. And speaking of toilet paper, let’s settle it
once and for all: three-quarters of consumers nationwide are adamant that the
toilet paper must come out over the top of the holder, versus below it.
Toilet troubles, trials and tribulations: Top toilet frustrations for
consumers include fixtures that don’t flush all the way (19 percent),
appearance (18 percent), running water or needing to jiggle the handle
(18 percent); and not conserving water (17 percent). Not surprisingly, almost
half (46 percent) said the most important feature when purchasing a toilet was
reliability.
The Cleanliness Quotient: Americans like to feel clean. Nearly half
(47 percent) clean their bathroom weekly, and 88 percent change the cloth hand
towels at least once a week or more, especially if they have children. Boston
is the cleanest city in the nation, with 78 percent claiming to shower every
day.
Concerns for water conservation: When shopping for toilets, Miami and
Atlanta consider water conservation significantly higher in importance than in
other parts of the country.
For more information on the 2008 Bathroom Habits Survey and American
Standard products, visit http://www.americanstandard.com or call
(800) 899-2614.
Methodology
These results are based upon online surveys conducted by Opinion Research
Corporation among a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,001
homeowners 18 and older living in the continental United States. The survey
was conducted May 1-12 2008. Completed interviews were weighted by three
variables: age, sex and race, to ensure reliable and accurate representation
of the total population of the DMA.
For more information:
Consumer Media:
Lindsey Rose
Carmichael Lynch Spong
(612) 375-8516
lindsey.rose@clynch.com
Trade Media:
Nora DePalma
Building Profits Inc.
(770) 772-4726
ndepalma@building-profits.com
SOURCE American Standard