Teflon tape

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KD

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How many layers of teflon tape should you apply? I have been doing 4 layers. Also, I have seen plumbers use tape and teflon pipe dope on the same connection is this a good idea??
 

GrumpyPlumber

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ked said:
How many layers of teflon tape should you apply? I have been doing 4 layers. Also, I have seen plumbers use tape and teflon pipe dope on the same connection is this a good idea??

4 is good.
The right way on threaded water connections is dope, teflon, dope.
 

Jimbo

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Many of the best plumbers on this form swear by various combinations of dope and tape. Personally, I use one or the other and honestly do not have issues with leaks, but I never argue with what works for someone else.

With the very thin white tape, 3 to 4 wraps is probably good. I mostly use the much heavier yellow tape for everything, gas and water, and 2 wraps of that is fine.
 

Patrick88

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ked said:
How many layers of teflon tape should you apply? I have been doing 4 layers. Also, I have seen plumbers use tape and teflon pipe dope on the same connection is this a good idea??

3-4 wraps is good and some pipe dope is also good for water lines. you don't need both one or the other is also fine.

I mostly use the much heavier yellow tape for everything, gas and water, and 2 wraps of that is fine.

Tape on gas lines:eek: I think you just gave a Ma. inspector a heart attack. Pipe dope is the only thing to put on gas lines. Nothing more nothing less.
 

GrumpyPlumber

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Patrick, we adopted the nat'l fuel and gas code a few years back.
Yup, in theory we can use tape on gas.
I see it more and more on service calls for newer boilers & heaters.
 

Patrick88

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I stand corrected my bad.
I guess i do things old school. I have questioned it about a month ago on a warranty swap out water heater that was about 6 months old. The gas lines were taped and my boss said guess they did not bother getting it inspected. taking the tape off was a real pain too.:(
Guess i will need to kick my boss:rolleyes:
 

Cass

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I will inspect the threads on the nipple I am taping. The junk that is being imported sometimes has deeper than normal threads. I will use 5-6 wraps on those.

I had some recently that I had to toss because the threads were so deep that they never tightened up.
 

Spaceman Spiff

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Want a super fast way to take tape off?? (I learned this from a hydraulic maintenance guy) Just blow compressed air across the threads (perpendicular to the pipe) and in a split second all the teflon is five feet away... Even works on threads with oil or whatever on it.
 
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