Got a call back for a job I did three years ago because the zip ties I used finally gave out.

I learned the hard way that cheap plastic zip ties from a big box store can't handle the sun and cold in Chicago, so now I only use the UV-rated ones from my supply house, even if they cost a bit more.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_robert2mo ago

Honestly, I've had the opposite experience. I've been using the cheap ones from the hardware store for outdoor stuff for years and never had one fail. Maybe it's just luck, or maybe the installation makes a bigger difference than the brand. I just can't justify the price jump for the fancy ones when the basic ones have never let me down.

brooke4841mo ago

Thirty bucks says your luck runs out right after you brag about it to your neighbor.

paulb982mo ago

Well, my luck must be the other kind then (the bad kind). I had a whole run of cheap ones get brittle and snap after one winter, like they were made of old crackers. It was a pretty humble pie moment, staring at my own failed work.