"washing machine still makes it dip a bit... plumbing joys, right?"
Haha, plumbing joys indeed. Had a similar issue here—shower would turn icy whenever someone flushed upstairs. Ended up installing low-flow toilets and showerheads, which surprisingly helped a lot. Less water demand at once means less sudden temp drops. Plus, bonus eco-points for saving water... win-win. Might be worth giving it a shot before diving into a full pipe overhaul.
Same here, had the dreaded ice-shower surprise whenever someone flushed downstairs. Thought about low-flow fixtures too, but honestly I was skeptical they'd make a difference. Eventually gave in, swapped just the showerhead at first (baby steps on a budget, right?), and surprisingly it did help a bit. Still not perfect, but at least now it's more like a quick chill instead of a polar plunge. Worth trying before throwing cash at a plumber, imo.
Yeah, swapping the showerhead can definitely help ease the shock factor a bit. Had a similar issue in one of my older rentals—tenants complained about the same icy surprise whenever someone flushed or ran the kitchen sink. I tried low-flow fixtures too, and like you said, it wasn't perfect but did make things noticeably better.
One thing I found that helped even more was installing a pressure-balancing valve. It's not exactly dirt cheap, but still way less expensive than calling in a plumber to redo pipes or anything drastic. Basically, it keeps the water temperature steadier by balancing hot and cold water pressure automatically. After putting one in, tenants told me the problem pretty much disappeared completely.
If you're comfortable with basic plumbing DIY, it's not too tough to install yourself. Took me about an afternoon (and a couple YouTube tutorials). But even if you're not handy, hiring someone for just this job is usually affordable and worth the peace of mind.
Just thought I'd throw that out there as another option if the showerhead alone doesn't quite cut it.
Yeah, totally agree on the pressure-balancing valve. Had the same icy blast issue when I first moved into my place—nothing wakes you up faster than a sudden cold shower, lol. I swapped the showerhead first, and it helped a bit, but honestly...
"After putting one in, tenants told me the problem pretty much disappeared completely."
...this was exactly my experience too. Took me a Saturday afternoon and a few YouTube vids, but it was worth every minute. Highly recommend it if you're tired of the surprise chills.
Yeah, pressure-balancing valves are usually the fix. Showerheads can help a little, but they're more of a band-aid solution. Installed a bunch for clients—honestly, it's one of those upgrades you never regret doing...especially in winter, haha.
