Totally relate to the masking tape and sharpie labels—been there myself. I remember one job where the homeowner had labeled everything meticulously...but with abbreviations only he understood. "KT VLV" and "BTH RM LN" had me scratching my head for hours. Ended up calling him, and even he couldn't remember what half of them meant!
And yeah, humidity is rough on zip ties. I switched to velcro straps a while back, and they're honestly a lifesaver. Easy to adjust, reusable, and way less likely to snap in the middle of the night. Pictures are also a great idea—I started snapping quick photos whenever I open up walls or ceilings, and it's saved me from guessing games more times than I'd like to admit.
Glad to see I'm not the only one who's felt like Indiana Jones chasing down mystery pipes. DIY plumbing definitely has its adventures...and misadventures.
Reading this thread reminds me of the time I moved into my current place. The previous owner had scribbled labels on all the plumbing with some kind of code that looked like ancient runes. One pipe just said "H2O???" with three question marks—I mean, if he didn't know, how was I supposed to? After months of ignoring it, curiosity got the better of me and I decided to trace it myself. Turns out, it was a random capped-off line leading nowhere. Mystery solved... sort of.
I'm liking the velcro strap suggestion though. Zip ties snapping in humid weather is annoyingly familiar—I once had one break at 2 AM and thought someone was breaking in. Nope, just gravity and moisture teaming up to scare me half to death.
Taking photos sounds like a good habit too. I always think I'll remember exactly how things were connected, but then reality kicks in a week later and it's back to square one. Guess it's time to finally start documenting properly before another mysterious pipe adventure pops up.
Haha, the "H2O???" pipe cracked me up—sounds like my daily life. Honestly, documenting plumbing connections doesn't have to be a nightmare if you keep it simple. Photos are great, but pairing them with quick notes helps even more. Something like: "blue valve under sink = cold main," or "pipe behind dryer = mystery pipe #3." Trust me, future-you will thank past-you when you're not crawling around at midnight trying to decode ancient plumbing hieroglyphs... again.
Haha, "mystery pipe #3" hits home... I've got at least two of those lurking behind my washer. Good call on pairing pics with notes—might finally save me from midnight plumbing puzzles. Thanks for the tip!
Honestly, photos and notes are great, but I've found they're not always foolproof. Had a tenant once who diligently labeled everything, but when a pipe burst at 2 AM, those neat notes didn't help much in the chaos. Sometimes the labels get outdated fast, especially if repairs or upgrades happen later. I prefer color-coded zip ties or tape—easy to spot even when you're half-asleep and soaking wet. Plus, they're less likely to fade or fall off over time. Documentation is good, but simplicity and durability win out for me...especially when you're fumbling around in the dark.
