by D. J. Poe

Created on: April 20, 2007   Last Updated: April 28, 2007

Teflon tape is a long, thin roll of very pliable Teflon that is similar in appearance to a roll of electrical tape except it is white and has no adhesive. In the days before Teflon tape, a plumbing joint required a gooey, messy substance commonly called "pipe dope". The advent of Teflon tape has made plumbing repair much simpler and less messy.

For example, if you are replacing a water mixer and faucet for your sink, you begin by cutting off the water with the little water cut-off valves located on the hot and cold pipes leading to the mixer. If you are unsure you have cut your water off properly, you can locate the main cut-off next to, or on the water meter. This will cut off all the water to your home.

To condense the description of the job and stress the importance and value of Teflon tape, we will assume you have removed your old mixer and faucet. This leaves threads exposed from the hot and cold water pipes that will be attached to your new mixer. If you don't have a tiny brass brush, it is easy to find one at the hardware store. Gently but firmly go over the male threads on the water pipes with the brass brush. Brass is soft and will not damage the threads, but will remove any rust or particles that may interfere with a tight fit on the joint.

Next, you will want to wrap the male threads with Teflon tape. The most important thing to remember is to wrap the threads in the same direction the female end turns to attach to the pipe. If you wrap the threads in the wrong direction, when you tighten the joint the tape will unwind and could give you a leaky joint. A rule of thumb is,"righty, tighty...lefty, loosey". This should tell you to wrap your tape from left to right as you look down on the male end of the pipe. Just a few wraps of Teflon tape will fill the leaky spaces on the threads...very easily.

Teflon tape has made many people capable of easy and quick home plumbing repairs without leaks. Common sense will tell you to use teflon tape on joints that are threaded, and not PVC pipe joints. PVC requires a different connection item altogether.

Go ahead...try it yourself. Teflon tape makes home plumbing repair easy.

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