Engraved tags are definitely solid, especially in damp or humid areas. I've had decent luck with labels under tape too, but you're right—condensation can be sneaky. One thing that helped me was wiping down the pipe with rubbing alcohol first. Seems to give the tape a better grip and keeps moisture out longer. Still, nothing beats engraved tags if you're looking for long-term reliability...
I've tried the alcohol trick too, and it definitely helps. Another thing that's worked for me is using paint markers directly on the pipe—especially if it's PVC or copper. It holds up surprisingly well, even in humid spots. Still, engraved tags are probably the gold standard. Learned that the hard way after a few labels turned into unreadable mush under my kitchen sink...
"Still, engraved tags are probably the gold standard. Learned that the hard way after a few labels turned into unreadable mush under my kitchen sink..."
Haha, been there myself! I once spent an entire Saturday meticulously labeling pipes with those fancy adhesive labels that promised to be "waterproof." Fast-forward a couple months, and it looked like I'd stuck soggy cereal to my plumbing... lesson learned.
Paint markers sound like a decent middle ground, especially on PVC. I've had pretty good luck using colored electrical tape—cheap, easy to apply, and you can color-code everything. Just wrap it tightly and leave a small tab to write on with permanent marker. It's not as elegant as engraved tags, but it gets the job done without breaking the bank.
And yeah, documenting plumbing connections is always trickier than it seems. Every time I think I've got it figured out, some new pipe or valve pops up outta nowhere. Keeps things interesting at least...
Colored electrical tape is my go-to as well—cheap and easy enough to redo when it inevitably fades or peels. But honestly, does anyone else feel like plumbing diagrams turn into cryptic treasure maps after a year or two?
Totally agree, colored tape's handy but fades fast. A few tips from experience:
- Snap quick phone pics of setups—saved me more than once.
- Label pipes with permanent marker underneath the tape... lasts longer.
- Keep diagrams simple; overly detailed ones become puzzles later.
