Haha, waterproof notebooks are a lifesaver—I learned that after dropping mine into a rain barrel while checking gutter runoff. Your pencil-date trick is clever, might have to borrow that one. And you're right, plumbing codes change faster than my compost pile breaks down...better safe than sorry when it comes to updates. Good call on staying ahead of it.
"plumbing codes change faster than my compost pile breaks down..."
Haha, truth! Last time I checked plumbing codes, I ended up down a rabbit hole deeper than my DIY septic tank adventure (don't ask). Waterproof notebooks sound handy, but honestly, a Ziploc baggie and scrap paper have never failed me yet...
"Waterproof notebooks sound handy, but honestly, a Ziploc baggie and scrap paper have never failed me yet..."
Haha, same here. I tried the waterproof notebook route once—ended up accidentally composting it after leaving it out in the rain for a week. Turns out "waterproof" doesn't always mean "forget-it-in-the-garden-proof."
Honestly, though, for plumbing info, I've found that bookmarking my local county's building code page saves me from those rabbit holes. They update pretty regularly, and at least it's official. Still, half the time I end up calling my neighbor Jim anyway—he's retired from plumbing and usually knows what's changed before the website does. Plus, he always has a good story about why the code changed in the first place (usually involving someone's DIY disaster...).
Anyone else have a go-to shortcut that's better than my "ask Jim" method?
I've never had a Jim next door, but I do have a similar shortcut—my brother-in-law. He's an electrician, not a plumber, but he's got the inside scoop on local code quirks and usually knows someone who knows someone...you get the idea. Still, when he's not around, my go-to is actually YouTube. Hear me out: there's this one channel run by a retired inspector who walks through common plumbing mistakes and code updates in a super clear way. Saved me from installing a vent pipe wrong once (and probably saved my marriage in the process).
"Turns out 'waterproof' doesn't always mean 'forget-it-in-the-garden-proof.'"
Haha, learned that lesson with "weatherproof" caulking that apparently wasn't "freeze-and-thaw-proof." Labels can be deceiving. Anyway, bookmarking official code pages is smart, but sometimes they're written in bureaucrat-ese. Videos or forums usually translate it into plain English for me.
Haha, I feel your pain on the "weatherproof" caulking. Reminds me of the time I trusted "heavy-duty" duct tape to hold a leaking pipe until morning... woke up at 3 AM to a mini indoor waterfall. Lesson learned: labels lie, and duct tape isn't magic after all.
YouTube's been a lifesaver for me too, especially when I'm elbow-deep in a plumbing emergency at midnight. But sometimes I get stuck in that endless rabbit hole of videos—next thing I know, I'm watching someone build a hot tub out of pallets. Entertaining, but not exactly helpful when water's spraying everywhere.
Speaking of shortcuts, has anyone tried those plumbing apps that claim to diagnose issues based on photos or short videos? Seems kinda gimmicky, but I'm curious if they're actually useful or just another way to waste precious panic-minutes when your basement's flooding...
