Honestly, I tried the QR code thing once too. Looked cool until I realized my phone hated basements as much as I do. Ended up just squinting at faded marker anyway. I keep thinking there’s gotta be a better way, but nothing beats just writing on the pipe. Maybe if Sharpie made a “never fades, never smudges” version, we’d all be set. Until then, it’s old school for me—at least I know it’ll be there at 2am when I’m half-asleep and covered in cobwebs.
I hear you on the QR codes. Tried sticking one on a valve once, only to find out my phone camera just reflected the flashlight glare off the condensation. Ended up crawling back to the trusty paint pen. At least that mess sticks around, even if my handwriting’s a crime scene.
Honestly, I still worry about using paint pens near anything that could get hot or leak—never sure if it’ll mess with the valve or not. Ever had issues with markings fading or causing confusion later on? I’ve had tenants mistake my notes for warnings more than once...
Yeah, I get what you mean—paint pens are handy, but they’re not exactly foolproof. I’ve had markings fade or just get smeared if there’s any condensation, and then you’re left guessing what you wrote in the first place. Plus, tenants see a red mark and suddenly think it’s a hazard warning or something. Honestly, half the time I end up using zip ties with tags instead. Not perfect, but at least they don’t melt or confuse anyone... usually.
