Yeah, photos are a lifesaver for sure. I also started using short video clips when dealing with more complicated setups—especially if there's a tricky valve arrangement or unusual fittings. A quick 10-second video can capture angles and details that even multiple photos might miss. Plus, hearing myself explain it out loud later helps jog my memory way better than scribbled notes ever did. Digital documentation definitely beats trying to decipher smudged labels in a dark basement... learned that the hard way myself.
I've definitely found videos helpful too, especially when dealing with older setups where nothing matches the diagrams anymore. Had a job last year where the homeowner had DIY'd half the plumbing—pipes going every which way, valves hidden behind drywall panels... total mess. Snapped a few photos at first, but ended up recording a quick walkthrough video instead. Saved me hours later when I had to piece it all back together. Sometimes seeing exactly how things connect beats even the clearest notes or labels.
Totally relate to the video thing—saved my sanity a couple months back. I was helping my brother-in-law redo his basement bathroom, and the previous owner had done some weird patchwork plumbing that defied logic. Took a bunch of pics first, but when we started disconnecting pipes, nothing matched the photos anymore. Ended up filming a quick clip just tracing each line and talking through connections as we went. Honestly, without that video, we'd probably still be down there trying to figure out why water was coming out in the wrong spot...
Photos and videos are helpful, sure, but honestly they're no substitute for properly labeling pipes before disconnecting. Marking each line clearly with tape or tags saves headaches later—trust me, learned that the hard way more than once...
Yeah, labeling's a lifesaver. I once relied solely on photos during a big remodel, thinking I'd be fine... ended up spending half a day tracing lines back. Never again—tags and tape every time now.
