I've used felt strips too, and they definitely help. But heads up—make sure they're secured properly. Had some loosen up once, ended up clogging the drain a bit...not fun fishing that out. Now I double-check adhesive strength and placement. Pipes are quiet now, thankfully, and no more unexpected plumbing adventures.
Had a similar experience myself—used felt strips on some noisy pipes in an older building. They worked great at first, but after a few months, the adhesive started giving way. Ended up with bits of felt drifting downstream and causing partial blockages. Not exactly my idea of a good time pulling those out.
What I've found works better is using zip ties or even thin wire to secure the felt strips around the pipes. Adhesive alone can be unreliable, especially if there's any moisture or temperature fluctuations involved. Here's what I usually do:
1. Wrap the felt strip snugly around the pipe.
2. Secure it with a couple of zip ties spaced evenly apart (or thin wire if you prefer).
3. Trim off excess material to avoid loose ends that might come undone later.
4. Check back after a week or two to make sure everything's still tight.
Since switching to this method, haven't had any more surprise plumbing adventures...at least not from felt strips coming loose.
"Ended up with bits of felt drifting downstream and causing partial blockages. Not exactly my idea of a good time pulling those out."
Haha, been there myself—nothing quite like fishing soggy felt bits out of your pipes to make you question your life choices. Zip ties are a solid idea, though I've personally switched to using natural twine (hemp or jute) instead. Holds up surprisingly well and feels better environmentally. Curious if anyone's tried other eco-friendly materials that actually last?
Had a similar experience once when a client used wool yarn to secure some pipe insulation. Worked great for about a month, then started breaking down and clogging things up—wasn't fun pulling that mess out. Twine's a decent alternative, but I've also had luck with cotton-based ties. They seem to hold up longer than you'd expect and degrade more gradually without causing sudden blockages. Might be worth giving those a shot if you're looking for something eco-friendly and reliable.
Interesting points about cotton ties—I hadn't considered those before. I've mostly stuck with synthetic zip ties or reusable clamps, but the eco-friendly angle definitely appeals to me. My only concern with cotton is moisture retention—wouldn't it hold onto moisture and potentially lead to mold or mildew issues over time? I had a minor situation in my basement once where a damp cotton rope ended up causing some mold growth on adjacent surfaces. Have you noticed any similar problems in your experience, or does the cotton dry out quickly enough to avoid that? Just curious, since balancing cost-effectiveness with durability and environmental considerations can be tricky sometimes...
