Tankless heaters are great in theory, but has anyone else had the "cold sandwich" experience? You know, hot water... then suddenly cold... then hot again? Happened to me mid-shower once—talk about a rude awakening. 😂
Rainwater harvesting sounded awesome too, until I realized my area gets either drought or monsoon-level rain, nothing in between. Tried setting up a basic barrel system, and let's just say my DIY skills were seriously tested. Overflow everywhere, mosquitoes thinking I'd built them a luxury resort... total mess.
Low-flow fixtures though—those were a win. Swapped out showerheads and faucets last year, and honestly didn't even notice the difference in water pressure. My water bill sure did, though.
Anyone else have plumbing upgrades that seemed genius at first but ended up being more comedy than eco-friendly?
Had the same tankless heater issue at first—turns out it was undersized for our house. Upgraded to a bigger unit, problem solved. Rain barrels though...yeah, still figuring that one out. Mosquitoes are loving my eco-friendly intentions way too much.
I had a similar mosquito issue with my rain barrels. Thought I was doing the right thing by capturing rainwater, but it quickly turned into a mosquito breeding paradise. Have you tried those mosquito dunks yet? They're basically little disks that float in the water and contain a bacteria harmless to people and pets but deadly for mosquito larvae. Worked pretty well for me.
As for tankless water heaters, yeah, sizing is key. I lucked out because the plumber who installed mine made sure to calculate our household's peak demand. No cold showers yet, so fingers crossed it stays that way! I'm curious though—did anyone here try greywater systems yet? I've been looking into them as another sustainable plumbing upgrade, but I'm a bit hesitant. Seems like they could be complicated to set up properly and safely...especially with local codes being all over the place.
Also wondering about maintenance—does anyone find that these sustainable plumbing upgrades end up requiring more upkeep or troubleshooting than traditional setups? I love the idea of going greener, but practicality is important too.
I totally get what you're saying about the mosquitoes—I learned that lesson the hard way too. Those dunks were a lifesaver for me as well, but I also found that adding some fine mesh screening over the openings of my rain barrels helped keep mosquitoes from laying eggs in the first place. It's a bit of extra work initially, but maintenance afterward is pretty minimal.
Regarding greywater systems, I've been researching them myself because I love the idea of reusing water from showers or laundry. But honestly...the complexity and local code restrictions have put me off a bit too. My neighbor installed one recently and mentioned it took him months to get approval from the city. He also said cleaning filters regularly became part of his routine, more than he initially expected.
On the plus side, he's definitely saving water and feels good about it—but it's not exactly "set it and forget it." So yeah, sustainable plumbing upgrades can be rewarding but do seem to come with their own quirks and upkeep. Guess it's all about finding your comfort zone between eco-friendly goals and practicality.
Mesh screening is definitely a solid idea—I've seen it work well for clients who collect rainwater. Greywater systems, though...they're great in theory, but I've noticed they often become more hassle than homeowners anticipate. Between the permits, inspections, and ongoing maintenance, it's not always practical for everyone. Has anyone here tried simpler alternatives, like low-flow fixtures or dual-flush toilets? Curious how those stack up in terms of ease and actual water savings.
