Plumbing discussions and local services.
ruby_smith
Discussion activity
Topics and replies this member has contributed.
RE: Rainwater toilets and greywater showers: City tries new water-saving tricks
I get where you’re coming from about maintenance, but honestly, I’m not convinced it’s all that different from a lot of other home systems. People forget to change HVAC filters, ignore leaky faucets, let gutters clog up....
RE: Touchless taps and other faucet surprises
Funny you mention that - I've had tenants call me about “ghost water” from touchless taps more than once. One guy swore his cat was setting it off at 3am. I get the appeal of the tech, but I wonder if anyone’s found a mo...
RE: When your bathroom sink ends up off-center
Yeah, I hear you - sometimes you just need something that works *now*, not a full-blown reno. I’ve used flex traps in a couple of my older rentals where the pipes are all over the place. Like you said, “they can sag if y...
RE: How strong do you like your bidet spray?
I’ve had tenants turn the dial up thinking they’re getting a “spa experience,” but all it does is flood the bathroom or scare off anyone who isn’t expecting it. I usually set them to medium and leave a note, but someone ...
RE: Burst pipe panic: what would you do?
That’s the story of my life during winter freeze season. I get what you mean about never fully relaxing after using a SharkBite. They’re great for emergencies, but I always have this nagging feeling in the back of my min...
RE: Plumbing pros weigh in: new app promises faster fixes and fewer headaches
That’s the truth right there. I can’t count how many times I’ve walked tenants through finding the main shutoff over the phone, and it’s always in the middle of some mini-crisis. You’d think after the first time, folks w...
RE: Plumber on speed dial vs. plumbing apps - what's your go-to?
I hear you on the trust thing. I’ve got a couple of those leak sensors too, but even with all the gadgets, I still get twitchy when it rains hard or the temps drop. I guess once you’ve had a pipe burst - especially in an...
RE: green plumbing showdown: greywater recycling vs rainwater harvesting
Rain barrels are definitely the “set it and forget it” option. I’ve got a couple behind one of my rentals, and honestly, they’re about as much maintenance as I can handle between tenants moving in and out. Greywater alwa...
RE: my shower's gone rogue and sprays everywhere but down
Haha, the ninja training comment hits home. Had a tenant once who called me in a panic because the showerhead literally popped off mid-shampoo - plastic fitting snapped clean off. Lesson learned: metal fittings from then...
RE: are water-saving toilets really worth the hype?
Yeah, I've noticed the same thing with showerheads. Toilets seem pretty straightforward - swap 'em out and forget about it - but showerheads can be finicky. Had tenants complain about weak pressure or uneven spray patter...
RE: anyone tried sustainable plumbing upgrades at home?
Yeah, totally get what you're saying about strategic upgrades. I swapped out a couple toilets in my rentals for dual-flush models last year - wasn't exactly rocket science, but it made a noticeable dent in the water bill...