Title: Anyone Tried Sustainable Plumbing Upgrades At Home?
I’m still figuring out how to keep my house from falling apart, so “sustainable plumbing” sounds like something I should probably look into before the next disaster strikes. Leak sensors are on my list, but I had no idea you had to check the batteries that often—guess I was hoping for a set-it-and-forget-it situation. Is there a sensor out there that just plugs in? Or is that wishful thinking and I’ll be crawling behind appliances forever?
The greywater thing is wild to me. I watched a YouTube video where someone tried to use their laundry water for the garden, but it turned into a swampy mess because they skipped the filter cleaning. I’m not sure if I trust myself to remember one more maintenance task... My brain can barely handle remembering trash day.
Has anyone tried those dual-flush toilets or low-flow showerheads? Do they actually save money, or do you just end up taking longer showers because the water pressure is sad? Also, what’s the deal with those tankless water heaters—are they worth the hype, or just another gadget waiting to break at 2am?
I’m all for saving water (and money), but every time I try to upgrade something, it feels like there’s a hidden catch. Like, “Congrats on your eco-friendly sink! Now enjoy cleaning out this weird filter every week.” Maybe I’m just paranoid after unclogging my bathroom drain with a coat hanger last month...
Anyway, if anyone’s got tips for upgrades that don’t require an engineering degree—or a reminder app for every little thing—I’m all ears.
I get where you’re coming from with the “hidden catch” thing—every time I’ve tried to make a place more efficient, there’s always some tradeoff. I’ve managed a few rentals over the years, and honestly, I’m a bit wary of some of these upgrades, especially when it comes to stuff like greywater systems. The idea sounds great on paper, but in practice? If you’re not on top of the maintenance, you can end up with way bigger headaches than you started with. I had one tenant who tried to DIY a laundry-to-landscape setup and, long story short, we had to dig up half the backyard to fix a moldy mess. Not fun.
Leak sensors are another one. I’ve tried both battery and plug-in types. The plug-in ones are nice if you’ve got an outlet nearby, but that’s rarely the case behind a washing machine or under a sink. Extension cords aren’t really safe in those spots either. I ended up going with battery ones and just set a calendar reminder to check them every six months. Not perfect, but better than nothing.
Dual-flush toilets are hit or miss in my experience. Some models work great and save water, but others just don’t have enough oomph to clear everything in one go—then you’re flushing twice, which kind of defeats the purpose. Low-flow showerheads have come a long way though. The newer ones don’t feel like you’re showering under a leaky faucet anymore, but if you’ve got old plumbing or low pressure to begin with, it can be underwhelming.
Tankless water heaters... I’m cautious about those. They’re efficient and save space, but they’re also more complicated than the old tank style. When they break, it’s usually not something you can fix yourself at 2am with a wrench and some YouTube videos. Plus, if your water is hard, they need regular descaling or they’ll clog up fast.
Honestly, sometimes the “simple” upgrades—like fixing leaks right away and insulating pipes—end up saving more hassle (and money) than the fancy gadgets. Not as flashy, but less likely to leave you with a flooded kitchen at midnight.
Yeah, you nailed it—simple fixes often get you further than the fancy stuff. I’ve seen way too many “green” upgrades go sideways just because nobody wants to deal with the extra upkeep. Greywater is a good example; if you’re not ready to babysit that system, it’s a mold farm waiting to happen. I’ve also had to rip out more than one DIY job where someone thought they could save a buck and ended up causing way more damage.
Leak sensors are decent, but like you said, batteries die and people forget. I’ve actually started using those old-school water alarms with the loud beeper—no apps, no WiFi, just noise when something leaks. Not high-tech, but at least tenants notice.
Curious if anyone here has actually seen long-term savings from tankless heaters? Every time I go out for an emergency call on one, it’s either a clogged heat exchanger or some electronics issue. Wondering if the maintenance costs really offset the energy savings in the long run.
Tankless heaters are one of those things that sound great on paper, but in practice… I’m with you, they’re a mixed bag. I’ve seen a few setups where the homeowner was super diligent about flushing them every year, water quality was decent, and the units lasted a decade or more. But that’s rare. Most folks skip the maintenance, and then you’re dealing with scale, sensors throwing errors, or the whole thing just refusing to fire up. The cost of replacement parts isn’t cheap either.
I do think in some cases they save money, but only if you’re comparing to an ancient, inefficient tank heater and you actually keep up with the descaling and filter changes. Otherwise, I’ve seen people regret the switch, especially if they’re in an area with hard water. Not to mention, if you have a big family or simultaneous showers, sometimes the “endless hot water” claim doesn’t hold up.
Props for sticking with the tried-and-true water alarms, by the way. Sometimes the low-tech route just works better—at least you know when there’s a problem, no app updates required.
Had a customer with a tankless who thought “maintenance free” meant just that. Four years in, thing was caked with scale and the heat exchanger was toast. Ended up replacing it with a standard tank. Sometimes the old-school stuff just takes more abuse, you know?
