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Which is better for joining gas and or water pipes, teflon tape or pipe joint compound? I have always had good results with tape. Its cheap and not as messy, but most of the professional work that I see has joint compound on it.
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Teflon tape is an absolute NO NO. Use pipe dope.
Teflon tape is not a sealant. It only acts to separate the two metal surfaces and prevent rust.
Pipe Dope actually does both.
*Gas neither, water pipe dope.
*It appears that the manufacturers claim that either Teflon tape or pipe dope can be used on either water or gas lines. One warning was to be careful in critical applications not to let the tape or pipe dope extend to or beyond the end of the pipe where bits of tape or pipe dope could break off and interfere with the functioning of downstream equipment.from the Moen website:"A Teflon® tape and pipe dope are effective pipe sealants. However, many people prefer using Teflon tape as it is cleaner to work with than traditional grease or paste-like sealants."From Plumbing Warehouse:"Any tips on using Teflon tape?" "First, with plastics try to avoid male pipe threads into a female threaded adapter as it can split the female adapter. Wrap your Teflon on "with" the treads - that is... pipe in left hand, Teflon right, roll on clock-wise. Generally at least 3 times. Sometimes adding a good quality thread compound on top of the Teflon helps seal joints even better." http://www.plumbingwarehouse.com/threadcompounds.htmlCatalog specs for Teflon tape:"For all threaded pipe, valves, and fittings. Non-hardening, non-toxic. Withstands -450° to +500°F, 10,000 PSI. For all types of pipe carrying acids, solvents, alkalis, steam, hot and cold water, LP gas, natural gas, oxygen, and almost every chemical."http://www.herchem.com/Products/Thread1.htmPasco gives a short description of how to use their Teflon tape at:http://www.pascospecialty.com/tp00005.htm
*teflon tape can be used safely and effectively on gas pipe. Just not regular, everyday teflon tape. Make sure you get the tape that says it's for gas line. Make at least three full wraps, in the same direction as the threads, then check all the fittings with the gas line squirt stuff......works like soapy water....only better. Jeff
*b WBA At Your ServiceUse both together.
*The gas side of our utility uses teflon pipe dope when working with black iron fittings. It does the same job as the old green dope but, ten years later you can still get it apart without breaking the fitting. A roll of teflon tape, once dropped in the mud is pretty much useless. They tried teflon tape several years ago and dirt was a major cause of leaks. The tape either got dirty in the truck bins or on the job site. About the only thing our "gas dogs" are really carefull about cleaning is the pastic lines they have to fuse.Dave
*I've noticed that Teflon tape seems to attain a static charge and then attract all sorts of fine debris which stick to it, especially when you're somewhere out in a ditch. That makes me about as happy as when I drop a PVC fitting in the dirt right after I've spread the glue on it.
*My gas company tried to give me grief about using teflon tape on black iron (it was the thicker, designed-for-gas teflon tape). Claimed that loose strands of tape inside the pipe could block an orifice open and allow a boiler or HWH to overheat. I like the ease of assembly and extra sealing of tape and dope on gas pipe, but feel fine about dope only and would, in the future, check with the gas company involved beforehand. The previous dozen or so utilities I've dealt with didn't care (unless this is a new concern?). -David
*Just like water lines.....just keep the taoe on the threads and not blocking anything or overhanging the ends and they should be happy. Jeff
*Yes be sure to check with the gas company. Many won't allow teflon, plus us guys were beat about the head an shoulders about the dangers of anything in a gas line. The idea is that for safety the line should be leakproof on its' own, without any thing that could crack, shift, deteriorate, etc. A good joint leakproof on its' own is the only standard.Now I know that is belt and suspenders conservatism. But after seeing a house or two go boom I adopted the wisdom of that idea.
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Which is better for joining gas and or water pipes, teflon tape or pipe joint compound? I have always had good results with tape. Its cheap and not as messy, but most of the professional work that I see has joint compound on it.