The green gunk is just copper oxidizing, nothing too scary unless it builds up. I wouldn’t overthink it unless you’re seeing leaks or weird taste in the water.
Yeah, that green stuff freaked me out the first time I saw it, but after a quick Google spiral and a chat with my neighbor (who’s basically the unofficial mayor of our block), I realized it’s just part of the “charm” of old copper pipes. Still, I keep an eye on it—if it starts looking like a science experiment gone wrong, I’ll break out the vinegar and give it a scrub.
On the tag front, I’m with you on plastic. Metal tags look all official but they’re like trying to thread a needle in a closet sometimes. Plus, if you drop one behind the water heater... good luck fishing that out. Sharpie and plastic tags are my go-to too—bonus points if you use those neon ones so you can actually see what’s what when you’re crawling around in the dark.
As for avoiding water contamination, I’ve learned (the hard way) to always double-check backflow preventers, especially if you’ve got any kind of irrigation or garden hose setup. One summer I left a hose submerged in a kiddie pool and next thing I know, my tap water tasted like rubber ducky for a week. Not my proudest moment.
Also, if you’re doing any plumbing work yourself, don’t forget to flush the lines after you’re done. It’s tempting to just pack up and call it a day, but all those little bits of solder or pipe shavings can end up in your glass if you’re not careful. Learned that one from my dad—he used to say “better to waste five minutes than drink five cents worth of copper.”
And about those key tags... mine have survived everything except my dog’s puppy phase. She thought they were chew toys for about six months. Still finding little bits under the basement stairs.
Anyway, as long as your pipes aren’t leaking and your water doesn’t taste like pennies or pond water, you’re probably fine. Just keep an eye out for anything weird and don’t be afraid to call in backup if something seems off.
One summer I left a hose submerged in a kiddie pool and next thing I know, my tap water tasted like rubber ducky for a week.
That’s hilarious—been there, except mine was a garden hose in the rain barrel. Took me ages to figure out why my tea had a weird aftertaste. I’m with you on the neon plastic tags too. They’re like little beacons when you’re crawling around in the crawlspace. And yeah, flushing pipes is one of those “future me will thank me” chores... even if present me grumbles about it.
Honestly, I get why people flush their pipes after stuff like that, but I think it’s more of a band-aid than a real fix. If you’re dealing with hoses or rain barrels, the bigger issue is backflow—water from outside getting sucked back into your house lines. That’s where those little vacuum breakers or backflow preventers come in handy. They’re cheap and just screw onto your hose bib. No more worrying about weird tastes or mystery floaties in your tea.
I used to just let the hose sit in buckets all summer too, until my mentor showed me how easy it is for stuff to siphon back if there’s a pressure drop. Now I’m kind of paranoid about it... but at least my coffee doesn’t taste like pool toys anymore. Flushing helps, sure, but stopping the contamination in the first place saves way more hassle down the line.
Yeah, the backflow thing is way more common than folks realize. I’ve had tenants call me about “funny-tasting” tap water, and nine times out of ten it’s traced back to a hose left in a kiddie pool or a fertilizer sprayer. Those little vacuum breakers are a lifesaver—cheap insurance, really. I started putting them on every outdoor spigot after dealing with one too many headaches.
I get the urge to just flush the lines, but like you said, that’s treating the symptom, not the cause. It’s wild how quickly stuff can get sucked back in if there’s a pressure drop—like when they’re working on the main down the street or during a fire hydrant test. I’ve even seen weird stuff happen just from someone running a bath and using the hose at the same time.
Honestly, for anyone with rain barrels or garden hoses, those screw-on preventers are about as easy as it gets. Not foolproof, but way better than nothing. And yeah, your coffee will thank you...
Couldn’t agree more on the vacuum breakers—those little guys have saved me from some major “what’s that smell?” calls. Here’s my quick hit list from the trenches:
- Always double-check hoses after yard work. People forget, and next thing you know, garden soup in the tap.
- If you use a sprayer for fertilizer, mark it and keep it away from the drinking water hose. Seen too many folks mix ’em up.
- Those cheap screw-on preventers are solid, but if you’re doing any irrigation or have a rain barrel setup, consider a permanent backflow device. Not glamorous, but neither is explaining to your neighbor why their tea tastes like pond water.
- And yeah, flushing the lines might make you feel better, but if you don’t fix the root problem, you’re just playing whack-a-mole.
Funny how the smallest gadgets can save you from the biggest headaches... and weirdest flavors.
