Honestly, I’ve wondered about those silicone bands too. They seem like a good idea, but I’d worry about them slipping off or melting if things get too hot. I just use a Sharpie on masking tape for now—easy, cheap, and at least it’s not more plastic floating around. If I ever find a labeling method that doesn’t leave sticky residue everywhere, I’ll be all over it...
Masking tape and Sharpies are hard to beat for quick fixes, honestly. I’ve tried a few things—those silicone bands looked promising, but I had the same concerns about heat. In one of my older buildings, the utility room gets so warm that I worry about anything synthetic warping or getting brittle over time. I’ve also run into that sticky residue problem with some labels, especially if you ever have to swap out pipes or valves.
Have you ever tried the painter’s tape instead of regular masking tape? It seems to peel off cleaner, at least in my experience. Not perfect, but less gunk left behind. For anything permanent, I’ve actually used those metal tag ties (like for luggage)—they’re not cheap, but they survive the heat and don’t leave any mess. Curious if anyone else has found something better that doesn’t involve scraping off old glue...
Metal tag ties are solid, but I’ve actually had a few go missing over the years—someone must have thought they looked too much like free hardware. Not sure if you’ve run into that, but it’s a pain when you go to check a valve and the tag’s wandered off.
Painter’s tape is definitely cleaner than masking tape, but in my experience, it still gets a bit crusty in the boiler room after a summer or two. I’ve started using those plastic cable ID tags with a zip tie. They’re not perfect, but they hold up to heat and don’t leave any sticky mess. You can write on them with a Sharpie, and if you need to swap them out, just snip and replace.
Honestly, nothing’s perfect—if someone invents a label that survives heat, doesn’t walk away, and never leaves gunk, I’ll buy stock in it...
I’ve wondered if the tags just fall off or if someone’s actually pocketing them—guess I’m not the only one missing a few. Those plastic cable tags sound interesting, but do they ever get brittle from the heat? I’ve had zip ties snap on me before, which was a pain. Has anyone tried those metal wire twist ties with a label? Or is that just asking for more stuff to disappear?
I tried those metal wire twist ties once, but honestly, they scratched up the pipes and looked messy. The plastic tags I used got brittle after a year near the boiler—guess the heat does a number on them. Haven’t found a perfect solution yet... maybe laminated paper tags with string? At least if those go missing, it’s not sharp metal left behind.
