Teflon tape can be used on pipe threads, but it's important to use the correct way to wrap it.
James Schuelke co-authored the article.Twin brothers James and David Schuelke are the co-owners of the Twin Home Experts, a licensed plumbing, leak detection, and mold inspection company based in Los Angeles, California.James has 32 years of home service and business plumbing experience and has expanded the Twin Home Experts to Phoenix, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest.The references can be found at the bottom of the page.The article has been viewed more than 100,000 times.
Teflon tape is used to keep metal pipes from leaking.A smooth surface with more lubrication can be created by wrapping one pipe's male threads in tape.Before connecting the two pipes, liquid sealant can be added to the tape.Any tape that says "PolyTetraFluoroEthylene" or "PTFE" will suffice, even though "Teflon" is a brand name that is now universally used like Band-Aid.
The tape should be applied in the direction of the threads you're putting on, according to our expert.Before you put in your plumbing fitting, you should wrap the tape around 5 or 6 turns.
The threads used to connect the pipes should be washed before teflon tape is used.You should check for the right kind of tape, like yellow for gas pipes and pink for water lines.Wrap the tape around the end of the male threads in the direction they run, taking care that no tape projects over the pipe's edge.You will need to start over if it does.Cut the tape from the roll and screw the pipes together after you've covered all of the threads.There are tips on how to use pipe dope and install a dielectric union.Did the summary help you?