I've done the laminated tag thing too, and yeah, it's solid. But honestly, after a couple years, some of mine started fading or peeling around the edges—probably my own fault for cheaping out on laminate sheets. Anyway, I ended up just writing directly on the pipes with a Sharpie. Sounds kinda sloppy, I know, but it's been surprisingly durable. Only downside is it's not as easy to see in dark corners, so your photo trick might actually pair well with it.
Speaking of photos...I started doing something similar after we renovated our basement. Took pics of the plumbing layout before drywall went up, and I can't tell you how handy that's been when trying to troubleshoot later. Saved me from blindly poking holes in the wall at least once or twice. Just gotta remember where you saved those photos months down the line—ask me how I know, lol.
I feel ya on the Sharpie thing—been there myself. Funny enough, I tried something similar, but instead of writing directly on the pipes, I scribbled notes on masking tape and wrapped it around. Worked great for a while, but eventually the adhesive dried out and they started falling off. Found a few random labels on the basement floor months later, had no clue what pipe they belonged to anymore...lesson learned, haha.
The photo idea is smart though. Wish I'd thought of that before we redid our kitchen. Now every time something acts up, I'm just guessing what's behind the cabinets or walls. Curious if anyone's tried using those paint markers instead of Sharpies? Heard they're brighter and last longer, but no idea if that's actually true or just marketing hype.
I've messed around with those paint markers a few times, and honestly, they're not bad...but they can smear if the pipe sweats or gets damp. Personally, I stick with zip-tie tags—cheap, durable, and you can move 'em around easily if you mess up.
"Personally, I stick with zip-tie tags—cheap, durable, and you can move 'em around easily if you mess up."
Zip-tie tags sound handy, never thought of that. Do you find they hold up well over time, like in humid basements or crawl spaces? I've had some labels fade pretty badly after a year or two...
Zip-tie tags are pretty solid overall, but yeah, humidity can be a pain. Couple things I've noticed:
- The plastic itself holds up great, no worries there.
- Sharpie ink fades quicker than you'd think—especially in damp spots or direct sunlight.
- I started using paint markers instead; they're way tougher against fading.
- Also, quick tip: snap a pic of your labeled pipes on your phone. Saved me more than once when labels got messed up or unreadable...
