Honestly, I’d skip the laminated paper tags near anything hot. Even with string, the heat and humidity will mess them up pretty quick—seen it happen in a few basements I’ve worked in. If you want something that won’t scratch or get brittle, have you tried those silicone cable labels? They’re soft, flexible, and seem to handle heat way better than plastic or paper. You just write on them with a marker and loop them around the pipe. Not the cheapest, but I’ve seen them last a couple years without getting nasty or falling off.
Metal ties are a pain, agreed. Scratched up a copper line once and my boss was not impressed... lesson learned. The silicone ones aren’t perfect, but they’re less hassle than redoing paper tags every year. Just my two cents.
If you want something that won’t scratch or get brittle, have you tried those silicone cable labels?
I tried the silicone ones after melting a couple of “heavy-duty” plastic tags—didn’t even know that was possible until my boiler decided to run a sauna down there. Silicone’s been holding up, but my handwriting on them looks like a toddler’s art project. Still, beats crawling around every year re-tagging pipes.
Yeah, those silicone tags are about the only thing that’s survived my boiler room too. I just use a paint pen—still looks rough, but at least it doesn’t smear or fade. Tried printed labels once, but the heat just cooked ’em right off.
- Same here, silicone tags are the only ones that last in that heat.
- I’ve tried metal tags too, but they get too hot to touch and sometimes the engraving fades over time.
- Paint pens work, but I always double-check for any fumes—some brands stink up the place.
- One thing I do is keep a diagram taped up outside the boiler room, just in case the tags get messed up or unreadable.
- Not the prettiest setup, but at least it’s safe and clear for anyone coming in after me.
One thing I do is keep a diagram taped up outside the boiler room, just in case the tags get messed up or unreadable.
- That diagram trick has saved me more than once, especially after someone “helpfully” rearranged my tags.
- Silicone tags are solid, but I’ve had a few melt a bit if they’re too close to the pipes—guess nothing’s totally foolproof.
- Metal tags... yeah, those things are like mini frying pans in July.
- Tried color-coded zip ties once, but they get brittle and snap after a few months.
- Honestly, as long as it’s clear and nobody gets lost in the spaghetti, I call it a win.