Pipe insulation sleeves are definitely the way to go if you want something that'll last. Foam weather stripping tends to degrade pretty fast, especially if there's any moisture around. Learned that the hard way after a quick fix turned into a soggy mess under my sink... Speaking of rattling pipes though, anyone ever tried those plastic pipe clamps with rubber inserts? Curious if they're worth it or just another gimmick.
Yeah, foam weather stripping is pretty much useless if there's even a hint of moisture around. Good call switching to insulation sleeves—definitely worth the extra effort. As for those clamps with rubber inserts, they're actually pretty decent. I've used them on a few jobs where pipes rattled like crazy, and they did cut down on noise noticeably. Not a miracle fix or anything, but way better than basic plastic clamps alone. Worth giving a shot if your pipes are still giving you trouble.
Good move ditching the foam stuff—I've been there, and moisture just wrecks it in no time. Insulation sleeves are definitely a sturdier choice, especially if you're thinking long-term. The rubber-insert clamps do help, though I've noticed they're not always a complete fix depending on pipe placement and how much vibration you've got. Still, sounds like you're on the right track... nice work getting that sorted out.
Did you notice any difference in noise levels depending on how tightly you secured those rubber-insert clamps? I've found that overtightening can sometimes transfer vibrations right into the framing, making things louder instead of quieter. Curious if you ran into anything similar or if your setup worked differently... always interesting how these little details can change the outcome.
"I've found that overtightening can sometimes transfer vibrations right into the framing, making things louder instead of quieter."
Funny you mention that—I learned this the hard way when I first moved into my place. I was determined to silence these annoying pipes rattling every time someone turned on the shower upstairs. So naturally, I tightened those clamps down as much as humanly possible, thinking tighter meant quieter. Nope. It actually made things worse, like the pipes were now drumming directly into the studs.
After some trial and error (and a bit of frustrated googling), I loosened them up just enough to hold securely without squeezing the life out of the rubber inserts. The difference was night and day. Pipes went from sounding like a marching band rehearsal to barely noticeable background noise. It's weird how counterintuitive some of these fixes can be... you'd think tighter would always be better, but clearly not in this case. Glad I'm not the only one who noticed this little quirk!
