Outdoor Showers for Idaho Homes: Pros & Cons

Embracing the rugged beauty and active lifestyle of Idaho often means bringing a bit of the outdoors back home with you. Whether it’s after a day of hiking in the foothills, swimming in a nearby lake, or simply working in the garden, having a place to rinse off before stepping inside is a practical luxury. An outdoor shower, once a feature reserved for beach houses, is becoming an increasingly popular addition for Idaho homes, offering convenience, style, and a unique way to connect with nature.

However, with Idaho’s distinct four-season climate, is an outdoor shower a sensible investment? The idea of showering under the open sky is appealing, but it’s important to weigh the benefits against the potential challenges. At Eliezer Custom Homes, we help homeowners make informed decisions about features that enhance their living experience. This guide explores the pros and cons of installing an outdoor shower in an Idaho home, so you can decide if it’s the right addition for your property.

The Pros: Why an Outdoor Shower is a Great Idaho Addition

The benefits of an outdoor shower extend far beyond simple convenience. They can add a touch of resort-style living to your backyard, keep your home cleaner, and provide a unique daily experience.

Pro 1: Unmatched Convenience for an Active Lifestyle

Idahoans are an active bunch. An outdoor shower is the perfect solution for rinsing off after any number of outdoor activities, preventing dirt, mud, grass, and chlorine from being tracked into your home.

• Post-Swim Rinse: If you have a swimming pool or hot tub, an outdoor shower is almost essential. It allows for a quick rinse before jumping in, which helps keep the pool water cleaner, and a comfortable way to wash off chlorine afterward.
• Gardening and Yard Work: After a long day of digging in the garden or mowing the lawn, you can wash off soil and grass clippings outside instead of leaving a trail to the indoor bathroom.
• Outdoor Sports and Recreation: For those who love trail running, mountain biking, or playing sports in the yard, an outdoor shower offers an immediate place to cool down and clean up.
• Washing Pets: Bathing a muddy dog indoors can be a messy ordeal. An outdoor shower provides a convenient and contained space to wash your four-legged family members without soaking your bathroom.

Pro 2: Keeping Your Home Cleaner

One of the most significant practical benefits is the reduction in indoor mess. By creating a transition zone between the outdoors and indoors, you can contain dirt, sand, and grime before it ever crosses your threshold. This means less time spent sweeping, mopping, and cleaning floors and carpets, especially in high-traffic areas like mudrooms and entryways. Over time, this can also reduce wear and tear on your interior flooring.

Pro 3: A Unique, Spa-Like Experience

There is something uniquely refreshing and luxurious about showering outdoors. The feeling of warm water mixed with a cool breeze, surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature, can be incredibly therapeutic. It’s a simple pleasure that can turn a routine daily task into a mindful, rejuvenating experience. An outdoor shower can become your personal escape—a place to de-stress after a long day or start your morning with a refreshing connection to the natural world.

Pro 4: Adds Value and “Wow” Factor

A well-designed and professionally installed outdoor shower is a desirable feature that can enhance your property’s appeal and value. It’s a touch of luxury that sets a home apart. When integrated thoughtfully into a backyard design, such as near a pool, deck, or as part of a larger outdoor living space, it signals a high-end, lifestyle-focused property. This can be a significant selling point for future buyers looking for homes with unique, resort-style amenities. It’s a key element in many of our custom additions and outdoor living projects.

Pro 5: A Second Shower for Guests

During the summer when you have guests over, especially for pool parties or barbecues, an outdoor shower can function as an extra bathroom. It eases the demand on your indoor facilities and gives visitors a convenient place to change and rinse off without having to go through your private living spaces. When designed as part of a pool house or cabana, it contributes to creating a self-sufficient guest and entertainment zone.

The Cons: Challenges of Outdoor Showers in a Four-Season Climate

While the benefits are compelling, installing an outdoor shower in Idaho requires careful planning to address the challenges posed by its climate, particularly the freezing winter temperatures.

Con 1: The Challenge of Freezing Temperatures

This is the most significant hurdle for Idaho homeowners. Water left in pipes during the winter will freeze, expand, and can cause the pipes to burst, leading to costly damage.

• Required Winterization: An outdoor shower in Idaho is not a “set it and forget it” feature. It must be properly winterized every fall. This involves completely draining the water from the supply lines and the fixture itself. The process usually requires shutting off the water supply to the shower and using compressed air to blow out any remaining water from the pipes.
• Potential for Damage: Forgetting to winterize the shower, or doing it improperly, can lead to burst pipes, damaged valves, and broken showerheads. The repairs can be expensive and inconvenient. This is a critical consideration in any of our remodeling and renovations projects that involve exterior plumbing.

Con 2: Limited Seasonal Use

Unlike in warmer climates, an outdoor shower in Idaho is primarily a seasonal amenity. Its use is generally limited to the late spring, summer, and early fall months. For roughly half the year, the shower will be winterized and unusable. You must decide if the investment is worthwhile for a feature that can only be enjoyed for a portion of the year.

Con 3: Privacy Concerns

An outdoor shower needs to be placed in a location that offers adequate privacy from neighbors and public view. Achieving this can be a design challenge.

• Enclosure Costs: Creating a private space often requires building an enclosure. The cost of materials for this enclosure—whether it’s wood, composite, stone, or metal—adds to the overall project budget. The design of the enclosure also needs to be aesthetically pleasing and match the style of your home.
• Location Constraints: Finding a spot that is both private and conveniently located near the necessary plumbing connections can be difficult on some properties. Poor placement can result in a shower that feels too exposed to be used comfortably.

Con 4: Drainage and Water Management

Proper drainage is crucial for an outdoor shower to prevent creating a muddy mess, damaging plant life, or causing water to pool against your home’s foundation.

• Drainage Solutions: Options range from a simple gravel-filled dry well (French drain) to a more complex system that connects directly to your home’s sanitary sewer line. Connecting to the sewer line is the most robust solution but is also more expensive and may not be feasible in all locations.
• Soap and Shampoo Runoff: If you plan to use soaps and shampoos, you need to consider where the greywater is going. Using biodegradable, plant-safe soaps is recommended if the water will be draining into your lawn or garden. If connected to the sewer, this is less of a concern, but it adds to the project’s complexity.

Con 5: Maintenance and Upkeep

Like any outdoor feature, an outdoor shower and its enclosure require regular maintenance. The materials are constantly exposed to sun, rain, and temperature fluctuations.

• Material Durability: Wood enclosures will need to be periodically stained or sealed to prevent rot and weathering. Metal fixtures can tarnish, and shower surfaces can develop mold or mildew if not cleaned regularly.
• Pest Control: The enclosure can become a home for spiders and other insects, requiring occasional cleaning and pest management.

Designing the Perfect Outdoor Shower for Your Idaho Home

If you decide the pros outweigh the cons, the next step is thoughtful design. A well-planned outdoor shower can mitigate many of the challenges. As a company dedicated to quality craftsmanship, we believe great design is the foundation of any successful project. You can learn more about us and our design-build philosophy.

Key Design and Installation Considerations

• Plumbing for a Cold Climate: The most critical design element is plumbing that allows for easy winterization. This typically involves installing shutoff valves inside the heated portion of your home, with a drain port to allow the exterior pipes to be fully emptied. Using PEX tubing for supply lines can offer some flexibility against freezing, but it does not eliminate the need for proper draining.
• Choosing the Right Location: Select a spot that gets plenty of sun to help it dry out quickly and naturally warm the space. Proximity to an existing exterior wall with plumbing can reduce installation costs. Most importantly, choose a location that feels private and secluded.
• Material Selection: Opt for durable, weather-resistant materials. For fixtures, choose high-quality brass, bronze, or stainless steel that can withstand the elements. For the enclosure and flooring, consider rot-resistant woods like cedar or teak, composite decking, or stone for maximum longevity and minimal maintenance.
• Enclosure Design: The enclosure can be as simple as a decorative screen or as elaborate as a fully walled structure with a door. A good design provides privacy while still allowing for air circulation to prevent mildew. Incorporating a bench, hooks for towels, and a shelf for soap adds to the functionality.
• Hot and Cold Water: While a cold-water-only shower is the simplest to install, a hot-and-cold mixer provides far more comfort and usability. This allows you to enjoy a warm shower on cooler evenings and extends the usable season of the shower.

Is an Outdoor Shower Right for You?

An outdoor shower is a fantastic addition for many Idaho homeowners. If you have a pool, are an avid gardener, or simply love the idea of a spa-like experience in your own backyard, the benefits can be immense. It can be a key feature when you decide to build your dream home or a valuable upgrade to your current one.

The decision ultimately comes down to a willingness to perform the necessary annual maintenance (winterization) and an acceptance of its seasonal limitations. With professional design and installation that specifically addresses the challenges of Idaho’s climate, an outdoor shower can be a durable, functional, and deeply enjoyable feature for years to come.

Ready to explore the possibility of adding an outdoor shower or another custom outdoor living feature to your home? The team at Eliezer Custom Homes has the expertise to design and build beautiful, durable outdoor spaces tailored to the Idaho lifestyle.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and discuss how we can enhance your home and your connection to the great outdoors.