So one night I was looking at one of those DIY Facebook pages that are active at night, and I found this brilliant hack. You know, the kind of blog that you have been on for an hour and all of a sudden you have a million home improvement tips that you didn’t know you needed but can’t live without. This hint required that the drain pipes from the bathroom be covered with aluminum foil. At first I was skeptical — wrapping foil around your pipes felt more like a poor second grade art project than a real home fix. But as someone who loves a life hack to take the edge off life a bit (and get a little joy out of life), I had to find out.
But why should you place aluminum foil around your bathroom drain pipes? Well, wait, hear me out…
Heat Insulation
Let’s begin with insulating from the heat. If you have ever realized how cold the bathroom pipes get in winter, you are not alone. That can happen quickly — and worse, if cold air leaches in from, say, an uninsulated closet, it can actually freeze your pipes completely solid. One simple trick? Wrap them in aluminum foil. Sounds weird, but it works. The glossy surface bounces heat back at the pipes, so that they actually hold the heat longer. I wish I’d heard this a few years ago. One frosty morning I staggered into the bathroom, only to discover the water in my sink had turned to pure ice. I’m talking solid. It was like trying to rinse with water from a glacier.” Miserable. The foil hack could have saved me that hassle — and that plumber’s fee.
Pest Control
Next up we have pest control. Yes, you got it right. Well, it appears that mice and bugs do not like aluminum foil. It impacts their senses, particularly touch and smell. Just imagine your pipes as somewhere the little devils have no hope of entering. I’m not saying you will miraculously have an infestation-free home, but it’s an extra layer. The other day this past summer I had a bad experience with a mouse in my bathroom. But I certainly wouldn’t want to repeat, trust me. When I stumbled upon the foil hack, I just had to give it a whirl. I did seal those pipes up pretty good and I haven’t seen any party crashers since then.
Prevent Corrosion
Another benefit of this hack Is to help avoid corroding. Tubing is always in contact with water and eventually rust and corrode. The aluminum foil is used to prevent water directly touching the metal pipes. This saves you from paying for your plumbing to be replaced multiple times, which can be costly. I had a pipe once that rusted through and dribbled water behind the wall. By the time I figured out what had happened, it was a small disaster. Had I realized that a piece of aluminum foil could have saved all that, I would have done it in a heartbeat.
Noise Reduction
The noise reduction shouldn’t be overlooked either. Have you ever been woken by the sound of the water rushing through the pipes in the middle of the night? Ironically it can be very noisy and annoying too. You can also wrap your pipes in aluminum foil to help lower the noise. It inches the door closer toward complete soundproofing, which is nice to have.
Besides these prosaic benefits, this has a creative, personal angle. I like doing little things to make our house feel more cozy and homey, which is why I enjoy doing little home projects. This aluminum foil wrapping trick can be tailored to your tastes. Adhere the foil under the sink with bright duct tape, so it’s more like a work of art than a run for the abyss. They are part of our objective — the reclaimable trappings of lives, not our own, that give even a new place a sense of personality — and they can impart individuality and a little levity to one’s home. I went a step further and used patterned tape from the craft store. Now, every time I yank open the door under the sink, I smile. It is minor, yet it matters.
This trick with aluminum foil is a godsend. It is inexpensive, easy to install and has many benefits–thermal insulation, insect protection, corrosion and noise resistance. And it’s also a way to generate some creative ideas for home improvements and renovations. I’ve used it myself and have even become a bit of a proponent. And sometimes, when friends mention plumbing troubles and chilly bathrooms, well, I just can’t help myself.
So next time you are in the kitchen with a roll of aluminum foil, think of these other handy uses! It’s time you paid your bathroom pipes a little more of your love and attention. You would be surprised how well a visual effect this works, just try it and see. And who knows? You could end up being the unofficial contact for the wackiest yet greatest home tips in the neighborhood, just like I have become.
