"Another thing I do now is wrap a bit of heat-resistant tape around the pipe first, then seal around that with silicone."
That's a solid tip—I've done something similar myself and it really helps. One thing I'd add is to periodically double-check those taped areas, especially after seasonal temperature swings. I've noticed sometimes the silicone can shrink or separate slightly over time, leaving tiny gaps. Easy enough fix with a quick re-seal, but worth keeping an eye on...beats dealing with unexpected leaks later.
Good call on checking the silicone regularly—ever had issues with the tape itself getting brittle over time? I've noticed mine sometimes starts cracking after a couple winters...maybe it's just me using cheap stuff though, haha.
"I've noticed mine sometimes starts cracking after a couple winters...maybe it's just me using cheap stuff though, haha."
Nah, it's not just you—seen that happen plenty of times. Even good quality tape can get brittle after a few harsh winters, especially if it's exposed or in a spot that's constantly freezing and thawing. I've had to redo a bunch of jobs because of that exact issue. Honestly, keeping an eye on it like you're doing is the best way to stay ahead of trouble. If you're tired of dealing with it, though, you might wanna try swapping out regular plumber's tape for some thicker PTFE tape or even pipe dope in places that see a lot of temperature swings. Costs a bit more upfront but saves headaches later. Either way, good on ya for staying proactive—beats dealing with a burst pipe in January any day.
Yeah, you're definitely not alone there. I've had the same issue even with decent tape—winter just seems to chew through it eventually. Switched to pipe dope a couple years back and haven't looked back since. Bit messier to apply, but it holds up way better in the cold. Still, props for catching it early...beats scrambling around with frozen fingers trying to patch leaks mid-winter.
Glad I'm not the only one struggling with tape. First winter in my own place and already had to redo a joint twice—thought I was just bad at applying it. Pipe dope sounds interesting, though...is it tricky to get the hang of? Might give it a shot next time, anything beats freezing my hands off again mid-January. Thanks for the tip!