Cutting into old plaster is always a wild card—never know if you’ll find a pipe, a nest, or just a mess of old wiring someone forgot about. I’ve had dual-flush kits work fine on newer toilets, but on the old ones? Sometimes you end up chasing leaks for weeks. Ever tried one of those “universal fit” kits that promise the moon? Half the time they barely fit at all. Low-flow showerheads are definitely the least stressful upgrade in my book. Curious if anyone’s actually had a dual-flush retrofit last longer than a couple years...
I put in a dual-flush kit on my ‘70s toilet last year. It worked okay for a bit, but then the flapper started leaking and I had to keep messing with it. Honestly, felt like more hassle than it was worth. Low-flow showerhead swap was way easier—just screwed it on and done.
Low-flow showerhead swap was way easier—just screwed it on and done.
Funny, I had the opposite experience. The showerhead swap should’ve been a breeze, but the old one was basically welded on from years of mineral buildup. Ended up wrestling with it for an hour and nearly snapped the pipe. Dual-flush kits can be finicky though, especially on older toilets where the tank parts aren’t quite standard. Ever tried replacing the whole toilet with a newer efficient model instead of retrofitting? Sometimes that’s less headache in the long run, weirdly enough.
Ever tried replacing the whole toilet with a newer efficient model instead of retrofitting? Sometimes that’s less headache in the long run, weirdly enough.
Replacing the whole toilet can definitely be less of a headache, especially if you’re dealing with older hardware that doesn’t play nice with modern retrofit kits. I’ve run into that “nearly snapped the pipe” situation more than once—mineral buildup is no joke. If anyone else is stuck with a stubborn showerhead, a little white vinegar soak (or even wrapping a vinegar-soaked rag around it for an hour) can help loosen things up before you start wrenching. Saves the threads and your sanity.
On the dual-flush kits, I’ve found they’re hit or miss on older tanks. Sometimes the flush valve just won’t seal right, or the handle mechanism doesn’t fit without some creative tinkering. In those cases, swapping out for a WaterSense-rated toilet is usually smoother in the long run. Plus, you get better performance and fewer leaks down the line.
One thing I always tell folks: double-check your shutoff valves before starting any plumbing job. Those old angle stops under the toilet or sink can seize up or leak when you try to close them after years of sitting untouched. I had one snap off in my hand once—turned a simple swap into an emergency call to the plumber.
Curious if anyone’s tried greywater systems for laundry or irrigation? I’ve looked into it but haven’t pulled the trigger yet—seems like there’s a lot of code hoops to jump through depending on where you live. Wondering if it’s worth it for water savings, or just more hassle than it’s worth...
I hear you on the shutoff valves—mine looked fine until I actually tried to use one, then it started dripping and wouldn’t stop. Ended up replacing all the old ones with quarter-turns just for peace of mind. It’s one of those things you don’t think about until you’re ankle-deep in water.
On the greywater thing, I’ve been tempted too. My neighbor set up a basic laundry-to-landscape system, but he had to jump through a bunch of hoops with the city. He swears it’s worth it for his garden, but honestly, I’m not sure I want to deal with the permits and inspections. Plus, I’ve heard you have to be careful about what detergents you use or it can mess up your plants.
I did swap out all my faucets and showerheads for low-flow ones, though. Didn’t notice much difference in pressure, but my water bill dropped a bit. Sometimes the simple stuff is less hassle than the big upgrades...
