Tried those Velcro wraps once—less waste, easy to adjust, but they pick up dust like crazy.
That’s exactly what bugged me about Velcro too. Ever tried those foam pipe wraps with the adhesive strip? I’ve had mixed luck—sometimes they stay put, sometimes they peel off after a year, especially if the pipes sweat. Wondering if anyone’s tried zip ties or even just plain old electrical tape for a longer-term fix? Or does that just end up looking messy over time?
- Zip ties are my go-to for quick fixes, but they can dig into the foam if you crank them too tight.
- Electrical tape: works in a pinch, but after a year it looks like a raccoon tried to redecorate my basement.
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sometimes they peel off after a year, especially if the pipes sweat
Yep, had that happen last summer. Ended up with soggy foam sleeves sliding down the pipe like sad little donuts.
Has anyone tried those silicone wrap things? Wondering if they're worth the extra few bucks or just another dust magnet...
Tried those silicone wraps last winter when I got tired of tape peeling off and zip ties leaving marks. Honestly, they’re not a miracle fix, but they do hold up better if your pipes sweat a lot. They’re a bit grippy, so dust does stick, but at least the foam stays put and doesn’t end up on the floor. For me, worth the extra few bucks just to not deal with the mess every year. If you hate cleaning, maybe not ideal... but function-wise, they beat tape hands down.
I get where you’re coming from with the silicone wraps, but I’ve actually had a different experience. Tried them on a few runs last spring, and while they definitely stayed put better than tape, I found they didn’t insulate quite as well as the thicker foam sleeves. Maybe it’s just my old pipes or the way my basement sweats, but I still got some condensation. The dust thing drove me nuts too... ended up wiping them down every couple weeks. Guess it’s a trade-off—less mess on the floor, more cleaning on the pipes themselves.
Guess it’s a trade-off—less mess on the floor, more cleaning on the pipes themselves.
That’s been my experience too. I’ve got a few older rentals and those basements can get humid, especially in summer. The foam sleeves do seem to handle condensation better, but they’re a pain if you ever need to access the pipes for repairs. Silicone wraps are easier to remove, but yeah, dust sticks like crazy. Sometimes I just go with foam on the coldest lines and silicone where I need flexibility—kind of a patchwork approach, but it works for me.
