Honestly, the distance thing is important, but species selection matters just as much. I've had good luck planting smaller ornamental trees like dogwo...

You're definitely on the right track with the tank shading thing—I did something similar and noticed a big difference in algae growth. As for drinking...

PVC is pretty reliable, agreed, but I've seen roots sneak into even properly sealed joints after a decade or so—nature finds a way eventually. One ext...

I installed thermostatic valves last spring after years of dealing with the dreaded cold-water surprise myself. Honestly, I was skeptical they'd make ...

Been there, done that—definitely stings a bit when you realize how much effort went into hauling around worthless metal. Good call on stripping off pl...

Totally get the hesitation about heat tape—I've heard some sketchy stuff too. If you're looking for something safer and eco-friendly, you might wanna ...

Yeah, I totally get that hesitation. My place was built around the same time (early 70s), and when we looked into greywater reuse, we ran into similar...

Glad things worked out for you, but honestly, inspectors can be a mixed bag. Sitting down beforehand might help sometimes, sure, but I've had experien...