Yeah, I hear you on the indoor rainwater setup—tried it myself and the maintenance just wasn’t worth the savings. Here’s what worked for me:
- Rainwater for the garden: super low-maintenance, just clean the gutters and tank every few months.
- Tried a basic greywater diverter from the laundry, but even with a lint filter, the lines gunked up fast. Smelled like wet socks after a month.
- Pumps are a pain—if you go that route, look for ones rated for quiet operation and easy cleaning. Otherwise, gravity-fed is way less hassle.
- Overflow is no joke. I ended up running an extra pipe straight to the storm drain just in case.
Honestly, unless you’re ready to tinker and clean filters all the time, rainwater for outdoor use is the sweet spot. Indoors? Not unless you’re really into plumbing projects...
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had better luck with indoor rainwater for toilet flushing. The trick was using a first-flush diverter and a decent sediment filter—maintenance dropped way down. Greywater’s always been more finicky for me, especially with lint and soap buildup. Maybe it’s just the setup, but I wouldn’t write off indoor rainwater entirely if you’re up for a bit of upfront work.
The trick was using a first-flush diverter and a decent sediment filter—maintenance dropped way down.
That’s spot on. I’ve set up both systems for clients, and rainwater with a proper diverter/filter combo is usually less hassle long-term. Greywater’s great in theory, but like you said, lint and soap can gum up valves fast. Had one setup where the washing machine greywater kept clogging the solenoid—ended up switching them to rainwater for toilets and it’s been smooth sailing since. It really does come down to how much maintenance you want to deal with.
Rainwater’s definitely the easier route in my experience, especially if you’re not keen on fiddling with filters every other week. I’ve had a few clients get really excited about greywater setups—usually after reading some article or seeing a YouTube video—but the reality hits when they’re pulling hair and lint out of the diverter basket for the third time that month. The soap scum is no joke either. Even with those “eco” detergents, you still get buildup over time.
One job sticks out where we tried to run laundry greywater to the garden. Looked great on paper, but after a couple months, the lines were half-blocked and starting to smell funky. Ended up having to flush everything and swap in a better filter, but even then it was just more hassle than most folks want to deal with. Rainwater, on the other hand, as long as you’ve got that first-flush sorted and keep an eye on your tank, it’s pretty much set-and-forget.
I will say though, if someone’s really committed to greywater and willing to stay on top of maintenance, it can work out—just not for everyone. I’m always a bit cautious about recommending it unless they’re ready for the upkeep. Rainwater’s just less likely to cause headaches down the line...and less likely to end up with a call at 8pm because something’s backed up again.
Funny thing is, most people don’t realize how much gunk comes out of their washing machines until they try reusing that water. It’s kind of eye-opening (and a little gross). For most folks looking for green plumbing without too much fuss, rainwater wins by a mile.
Yeah, you nailed it—rainwater’s just way less drama. I’ve had to snake out greywater lines more times than I care to remember, and it’s never a fun job. Folks get excited about saving water until they’re elbow-deep in sludge. Rainwater setups are a breeze by comparison. As long as you keep leaves out of the gutters and check the tank now and then, you’re golden. Greywater’s doable, but only if you’re ready for some regular hands-on work...and maybe a strong stomach.