I keep thinking about what would actually work in a real “burst pipe at 2am” situation when you’re half asleep and everything’s wet.
Been there, done that—nothing like stumbling around in the dark with water up to your ankles and realizing you can’t find the main shutoff because the label peeled off or turned into some kind of mystery goo. I’ve tried those heavy-duty plastic tags too. They’re not bad, but after a few years in a damp basement, I’ve seen them get brittle and snap right off. Not ideal.
Honestly, I went with zip ties in bright colors. Cheap, tough, and you can spot them even if your glasses are fogged up. Haven’t tried glow-in-the-dark tape yet, but now I’m tempted—though I wonder if it just ends up looking dingy after a while. Paint’s fine for a year or two, but I agree, it flakes or gets covered in grime eventually.
If you want foolproof, nothing beats a fat red zip tie. Just don’t forget to tell your tenants what it means, or you’ll still get those panicked calls at 3am...
I’ve tried the glow tape—honestly, it’s decent for about a year, but after that it just sort of... fades into the background grime. The red zip tie trick is solid though, especially if you double up for visibility. One thing I’m still not sure about: do you leave instructions taped up nearby, or is that just asking for them to get soggy and unreadable? I’ve had tenants call me in a panic even with everything marked, so maybe there’s no perfect answer. How do you handle the “what to do next” part after the shutoff?
