Why You Should Use Thread Sealing Tape When Fixing Your Plumbing

There are certain tools of the plumbing trade that make plumbing installation and repairs easier and more effective.  When it comes to plumbing you never want to cut corners or use the wrong products and tools because it could result in major plumbing disasters.  And, it is important that you hire an experienced plumber that not only knows what they are doing but that uses the right tools and products for the job.  For example, while plumbers putty and thread sealing tape can do some of the same things, they are not an interchangeable substitute for one another and using the wrong one for the particular application could result in big plumbing problems immediately or down the road.

What is Thread Sealing Tape

Thread sealing tape, also known as plumber’s tape or plumbing teflon tape is a special tape and is useful for threading two plumbing components together.  SFGate explains exactly what thread sealing tape is, “Plumber’s thread seal tape, a polytetrafluoroethylene film, has several commonly used names such as PTFE tape and tape dope. PTFE tape provides the necessary sealant and lubrication for pipe threads and is an alternative to sometimes messy pipe dope. PTFE tape comes in a variety of colors, which typically include standard white, yellow and green to correspond with U.S. and Canadian color coded pipelines. The white tape is suitable for basic water piping jobs while other common colors, such as yellow tape offers double density and is used for gas piping and green tape offers triple density for oxygen piping.”

When to Use Thread Sealing Tape

As mentioned, thread sealing tape is incredibly useful but only for certain applications.  It is good for use with most metal and plastic threaded plumbing connections including shower arms, shower heads, threaded tub spouts, pipe-to-coupling connections, and pipe-to-valve connections.