Easiest way to DIY heat outdoor shower?

[VinylDelight]

I put up a shower head that simply connects to a hose bibb for rinsing off after a pool swim, and it is fantastic... but cold! Are there any very simple ways to DIY some basic hose lines for outdoor showers?
I came across camping units that use a propane tank, but they weren't clear how long the tank actually lasts, and I saw small tankless water heaters but those appear to need electricians and or plumbers to connect to gas lines (doesn't seem DIY), and then on Amazon I have seen "solar powered" bascally stick showers but they looked super gimmicky and only hold 2 or 3 gallons of water.

Obviously being right next to the hose I have access to standard 15A outlets and a hose bibb.... and I've been looking for a while and can't help but think other folks have come up with something DIY friendly. Thank you.

 

[ozone72]

I bought this heater from Amazon.ca last year.

Amazon.ca

It connects to a propane tank. One tank lasted the entire season (5 months).
It uses a standard hose connection input. For the output, I connected to the output shower hose to a different standing outdoor shower with a rainfall head that I got off Wayfair. The heater turns on/off automatically with the water knob on the shower. I couldn't be happier with the set up!

 

[VinylDelight]

I know it's going to be tough to estimate, but if you had to guess how often did you think you showered and for how long (60 second rinse offs or like 5 minute shampoo, scrub, and rinse off)?

 

[ozone72]

I know it's going to be tough to estimate, but if you had to guess how often did you think you showered and for how long (60 second rinse offs or like 5 minute shampoo, scrub, and rinse off)?

we only used it for 30-60s rinses. probably 300-400 times. see pic for set-up. excuse the bird Crud! I keep the propane tank behind that wood piece leaning against the wall just to keep it dry.

 

[VinylDelight]

That's great... very well might be what I have to do... that or quote running the house natural gasline out there.... did you consider that option? Better yet, now that you love it would you run a gasline out there to enjoy longer showers and "no maintenance"?

 

[ozone72]

I didn't consider natural gas bc I don't have a line out there. It's pretty far from the house. Also, this heater is portable so I can drain it and bring it inside for the winter....this is important where I live! I've never seen an outdoor natural gas portable water heater. The one I have checks all my boxes. IMHO for the low set up cost, plus annual cost of propane, and the flexibility to move it anywhere, this was a no brainer for me.

 

[VinylDelight]

Thanks so much for the input!

 

[zimdogg]

Is the spigot you have the cold water hooked up to accessible from inside your home? If you can, run a spigot tapped into a hot water line and hook it up the same way.

 

[VinylDelight]

Is the spigot you have the cold water hooked up to accessible from inside your home? If you can, run a spigot tapped into a hot water line and hook it up the same way.

Easily... not that I know of, but there is a sink and the clothes washer right on the other side of the wall. The power shutoff for the whole house is there too, which was odd since it was in a separate breaker from the rest. The prior house had them both in the same box. I thought maybe it is cheap to have an electrician wire into that box somehow? If there is an electric-only tankless water heater then it could literally be installed adjactent to it or up to 4 feet away.

 

[Dirk]

You're talking about running electricity, or gas, or clogging up the side of your house with hoses and gas tanks. Those are ways to go. But...

What about using your existing plumbing? I've been considering this but haven't gotten around to it yet. Is there a bathroom sink or kitchen sink, or a shower or tub, on the inside of an exterior wall where you could locate an outdoor shower?

I have an inside shower close to where I want my outside shower, and I'll either open up enough sheet rock to tap into the lines running to the indoor shower valve, or I'll find them in the attic and tap in there. Then route those new pipes to the exterior wall (inside existing walls), then punch through to the outside and mount a shower valve. From that I'll run the pipe to the shower head. From the outside I'll see a shower valve handle and a shower head, and that's all: no tanks or hoses or pipes, etc.

For me, this would be DIY. Plumbing with PEX pipe is like assembling tinker toys. Depending on what your existing plumbing is, there is likely a fitting to convert it to PEX. CPVC or copper to PEX is very easy. Old iron pipe is more complicated, but if you can't figure that part out, a plumber could do the tap and you could do the rest.

Mounting the shower head and valve is just a matter of opening sheetrock and attaching 2x4 blocks to existing studs, behind where they'll go. Punching through siding or even stucco is pretty simple. Patching up sheetrock is DIY. Taping the sheetrock and hiding the seams is easy, matching the texture can be tricky, depending on the existing texture, but even that can be learned (or sub'ed out). You can prime and paint any patches.

It sounds like a lot, but one step at a time and it's not that bad. Hire a handyman for the few things that you don't want to learn to do yourself. The end result will absolutely look and work the best: no propane tanks to deal with, unlimited showers, no unsightly outdoor plumbing, etc. I guarantee that this way is less $ than running a gas line from somewhere.

Here's a bit I wrote about doing something similar, though it's just cold water (soft water), but the steps are pretty much the same: #76
Most of that post doesn't apply, just the bit about finding a pipe in my attic and running it to a new hose bib. Your project would be two pipes and a shower valve, but the concept is similar.

If you wanted to get fancy, you could add a second outlet or sprayer for just your feet!

 

[BritDan]

an outside shower is n my long list of ‘would be nice’ items. Placement wouldn’t be near the house and I’d be using a dedicated line from my sprinkler setup so no direct hot water option. So I was investigating a solar shower setup Like This one. My intended location would be in the sun for most of the day so that certainly helps. could that work?

 

[VinylDelight]

You're talking about running electricity, or gas, or clogging up the side of your house with hoses and gas tanks. Those are ways to go. But...

What about using your existing plumbing? I've been considering this but haven't gotten around to it yet. Is there a bathroom sink or kitchen sink, or a shower or tub, on the inside of an exterior wall where you could locate an outdoor shower?

I have an inside shower close to where I want my outside shower, and I'll either open up enough sheet rock to tap into the lines running to the indoor shower valve, or I'll find them in the attic and tap in there. Then route those new pipes to the exterior wall (inside existing walls), then punch through to the outside and mount a shower valve. From that I'll run the pipe to the shower head. From the outside I'll see a shower valve handle and a shower head, and that's all: no tanks or hoses or pipes, etc.

For me, this would be DIY. Plumbing with PEX pipe is like assembling tinker toys. Depending on what your existing plumbing is, there is likely a fitting to convert it to PEX. CPVC or copper to PEX is very easy. Old iron pipe is more complicated, but if you can't figure that part out, a plumber could do the tap and you could do the rest.

Mounting the shower head and valve is just a matter of opening sheetrock and attaching 2x4 blocks to existing studs, behind where they'll go. Punching through siding or even stucco is pretty simple. Patching up sheetrock is DIY. Taping the sheetrock and hiding the seams is easy, matching the texture can be tricky, depending on the existing texture, but even that can be learned (or sub'ed out). You can prime and paint any patches.

It sounds like a lot, but one step at a time and it's not that bad. Hire a handyman for the few things that you don't want to learn to do yourself. The end result will absolutely look and work the best: no propane tanks to deal with, unlimited showers, no unsightly outdoor plumbing, etc. I guarantee that this way is less $ than running a gas line from somewhere.

Here's a bit I wrote about doing something similar, though it's just cold water (soft water), but the steps are pretty much the same: #76
Most of that post doesn't apply, just the bit about finding a pipe in my attic and running it to a new hose bib. Your project would be two pipes and a shower valve, but the concept is similar.

If you wanted to get fancy, you could add a second outlet or sprayer for just your feet!

The drier vent is right next to where I would put the shower (already have a cold/hosewater shower at the moment) and there is a sink right next to the drier... but something about putting a hole through my house wall just seemed offputting!

 

[HermanTX]

Have you considered a tankless water heater? They make them in all types of sizes. You can have a 100% electric one. These are the types that are used under sinks that give instant hot water. Although you will need a bigger one for a shower. You can search Amazon.

 

[Dirk]

The drier vent is right next to where I would put the shower (already have a cold/hosewater shower at the moment) and there is a sink right next to the drier... but something about putting a hole through my house wall just seemed offputting!

Why? Your exterior house walls are already full of holes. Some of them are massive (windows and doors!!)! Dryer vent: hole. Hose bib's: holes. Etc. It's just a matter of being careful when you drill a hole and then sealing up whatever you punch through it with the proper sealant (which is what seals up your windows and doors and every other hole in your exterior walls).

The safest MO is to open up the sheetrock on the inside so that you can see where you're drilling. That way, you won't hit anything critical. Behind a laundry wall there will likely be a vent pipe, some electrical, some plumbing, and maybe a gas line, etc. With the sheet rock opened a little, you can find a safe spot, then drill a small pilot hole from the inside to the outside, then go around to the outside to find the pilot hole and then drill the larger hole using that as your guide.

I've punched through my stucco multiple times, for that soft water hook up I referenced, and a couple other times to add electrical fixtures. Those two holes were about 4" in diameter! It really is not a big deal.

If you've got a sink right behind where you want your shower, you've already got the plumbing 90% done!

 

[superdave5599]

I recently built a nice outdoor shower for the pool area, with hot and cold water, which is away from the house. Maybe three is an idea in there you could build off of.

Plumbed my outdoor shower

We bought this house in December, because we needed a larger place, as we are in the process of adopting a 13 year old son. We also have a 2.5 year old biological son. Originally, the back door from the house went to the deck, and then steps went from the deck to the pool area, and then you'd...

www.troublefreepool.com

At my old house, I installed a second hose bib just to the left of the previous, cold water bib. Hooked that up to hot water line.

Then, I build a bit of a contraption out of copper pipes (basically the outdoor shower unit-handles and showerhead that was also self-supported by loops I made with the copper) the contraption had female hose ends attached, so I ran both hot and cold to it with short leader hoses.

 

[VinylDelight]

Why? Your exterior house walls are already full of holes. Some of them are massive (windows and doors!!)! Dryer vent: hole. Hose bib's: holes. Etc. It's just a matter of being careful when you drill a hole and then sealing up whatever you punch through it with the proper sealant (which is what seals up your windows and doors and every other hole in your exterior walls).

The safest MO is to open up the sheetrock on the inside so that you can see where you're drilling. That way, you won't hit anything critical. Behind a laundry wall there will likely be a vent pipe, some electrical, some plumbing, and maybe a gas line, etc. With the sheet rock opened a little, you can find a safe spot, then drill a small pilot hole from the inside to the outside, then go around to the outside to find the pilot hole and then drill the larger hole using that as your guide.

I've punched through my stucco multiple times, for that soft water hook up I referenced, and a couple other times to add electrical fixtures. Those two holes were about 4" in diameter! It really is not a big deal.

If you've got a sink right behind where you want your shower, you've already got the plumbing 90% done!

I think I'm really leaning towards this idea at this point... we have soldered shower copper lines in the past with success... just never broke through exterior walls. As you said though, it makes a lot of sense and the washing machine and a sink (inside wood cabinetry) are literally on the other side of this wall where the current hose bibb already exists. It would make a lot of sense to add a new frost free hose bibb with hot and cold taps right next to it. I'm going to see what a plumber might charge for it before I start youtubing the holes in the wall.

 

[Dirk]

I'm not a fan of push fittings (SharkBite and the like), and wouldn't personally use one in an interior wall in my house, but they are all the rage and supposedly just as good as sweating.

https://www.lowes.com/pl/Push-to-connect-fittings-Pipe-fittings-Plumbing/4294822035

That's what I meant by adding plumbing can be like building with tinker toys. You make a few cuts, and add your plumbing with push fittings (which, by the way, is likely all a plumber will do, unless you specify sweating only). ProPress is another technology used these days. It's very fast but requires a very expensive tool. A plumber might use that tech, as well.

Once you get a couple tees in the existing hot and cold lines, then you can use copper or pex or CPVC from there, and then it's just more tinker toys.

But I wouldn't discourage you from using a good plumber, if that's in the budget. He'll do it right and theoretically if it starts leaking he'd be on the hook to come out and make it right. He'd also know what to do to help with the freezing issue (admittedly something I didn't consider for your situation).

Anywho, I think you're on the right track.

 

[VinylDelight]

Oh I definitely would not be using Sharkbite type stuff. I dont trust it when we have had success soldering/sweating copper pipes in the past.

 

[The_Mother_Thing]

About two months after we closed on/moved into our home, we had hot & cold water pex lines run through our attic from the MBA, across the MBR & out to the lanai so I could have an outside shower (long before we decided to pull the trigger on the pool). In a previous home, I did the same thing, except was able to tap into my kitchen’s sink lines for H/C water right through the wall where I set up the outside shower.

There’s just something refreshingly soothing about taking a shower outside, surrounded by nature.

 

[ClarkW.Griswold]

an outside shower is n my long list of ‘would be nice’ items. Placement wouldn’t be near the house and I’d be using a dedicated line from my sprinkler setup so no direct hot water option. So I was investigating a solar shower setup Like This one. My intended location would be in the sun for most of the day so that certainly helps. could that work?

I'm using a simple sun heated shower connected to a garden hose. You can get them in different sizes. More then enough to get a decent warm shower before and after the pool. Water can even get hot when the sun hits the shower well for some time.