Rainwater barrels are definitely less hassle, but I’ve had my share of surprises with them too—last fall, a squirrel managed to wedge itself into one of the downspout screens. Not pretty. Here’s what’s worked for me:
- Gutter guards help a lot with leaf buildup, but you still need to check after storms.
- For greywater, I learned the hard way that even “biodegradable” soaps can gum up the works over time.
- If you’re managing multiple units, rainwater’s just easier to explain to tenants. Less risk of someone dumping something weird down the drain.
Maintenance is always the kicker. Whichever route, you’ll end up on a ladder more often than you’d expect...
Maintenance is always the kicker. Whichever route, you’ll end up on a ladder more often than you’d expect...
That’s the truth. I thought rainwater barrels would be a set-it-and-forget-it thing, but nope—every storm brings another round of debris and weird surprises. Last spring, I found a bird’s nest wedged in the diverter. Didn’t even realize birds would go for a spot like that.
I’ve tried both setups and honestly, greywater was a headache with tenants. Someone dumped paint water down the sink once, and that was a nightmare to clear out of the system. Rainwater is less risky for accidental contamination, but it does mean more time cleaning out gutters and checking for critters.
I do wonder if there’s an easier way to keep animals out of the downspouts. Squirrels are relentless... maybe there’s a better screen or cover I haven’t tried yet? Either way, you’re right—there’s always another ladder day around the corner.
Honestly, I don’t think rainwater is that much less hassle than greywater. I get what you’re saying about the paint water—yikes—but I’ve had my share of headaches with rain barrels too. Last month, I had a wasp nest inside the overflow pipe. Not fun. I kinda feel like whichever system you pick, there’s always some weird maintenance curveball. Maybe it’s just part of the deal with “green” plumbing... nothing’s ever as low-maintenance as it sounds on paper.
I’ve had my share of headaches with rain barrels too. Last month, I had a wasp nest inside the overflow pipe.
Wasp nests, yikes. I once found a frog living in my greywater filter—talk about surprise guests. But honestly, I’ll take critters over the endless lint clogs from laundry water. At least you can evict a wasp... lint just keeps coming back. I still think rainwater’s a bit less fussy, but maybe that’s just because my luck with pipes is weirdly bad.
Lint is the bane of my existence, honestly. I tried one of those mesh traps on my greywater line and it helped... for about a week, then it was just another thing to clean. At least with rainwater, the worst I’ve had is a mosquito invasion—nothing a bit of screen and vinegar can’t handle. Still, I get the appeal of using every drop from the house. Just wish laundry water didn’t come with so much maintenance. Maybe I’m just lazy, but rain barrels feel like less hassle in the long run.
