Haha, the "plumbing disasters" folder is genius... wish I'd thought of that sooner. I've definitely had those moments where I'm squinting at my phone, scrolling through hundreds of random pics trying to find that one angle I desperately need. It's funny how confident we are until reality hits and we're left scratching our heads. Glad I'm not alone in this!
The folder idea's clever, but honestly, relying on phone pics mid-job can be risky. I've seen guys get too confident with a quick glance at their phones and miss critical details—like pipe corrosion or hidden wiring. Instead, I keep a small notebook handy with quick sketches and notes. Old-school, yeah, but it's saved me from some nasty surprises. Phones are great, but they're no substitute for thorough prep and safety checks... learned that the hard way myself.
"Phones are great, but they're no substitute for thorough prep and safety checks... learned that the hard way myself."
Fair point, but honestly, notebooks can get lost or damaged too—I've had mine soaked more than once. I prefer laminated reference cards clipped to my toolbox. Waterproof, durable, and always handy.
Good call on the laminated cards, they're definitely handy. I've got a few myself clipped inside my toolbox lid—mostly quick reference stuff like pipe sizing charts and torque specs. But honestly, I still keep a small notebook tucked away in a waterproof pouch. Phones are great until you drop one in a crawlspace puddle (been there, done that), and laminated cards can't cover everything.
One thing I'd add is to regularly update whatever reference you're using. Codes and standards change more often than you'd think, and relying on outdated info can lead to some sketchy situations. Every couple months, I double-check my cards and notes against the latest guidelines online or from our local inspector's office. Takes maybe half an hour tops, but it's worth it for peace of mind.
Bottom line: redundancy is your friend when it comes to safety and accuracy... better safe than sorry.
You're spot on about redundancy being key. I learned that lesson the hard way a few years back when I was working on a remodel. Had my trusty laminated cards, but didn't realize one of my pipe sizing charts was outdated until the inspector pointed it out. Thankfully, he was cool about it and gave me a heads-up instead of a citation, but it was a wake-up call for sure.
Ever since then, I've been pretty obsessive about double-checking my references every few months. I also started jotting down notes in a small waterproof notebook like you mentioned—it's saved me more than once when my phone decided to take an unexpected swim. Laminated cards are great for quick checks, but there's always those oddball situations or newer code changes that don't fit neatly onto a card.
One thing I've found helpful is to pencil in the date I last updated each card or note. That way, at a glance, I can see if something might be getting stale. It only takes a second, and it gives me peace of mind knowing I'm not accidentally relying on outdated info.
Anyway, good advice all around. It's easy to get complacent when you've been doing this a while, but plumbing codes and standards definitely aren't something to mess around with. Better to spend a few extra minutes double-checking than to deal with the headache of redoing work later—or worse, dealing with a safety issue.
