TIL from my plumber: pipe dope beats teflon tape on gas fittings every time

Had a small gas line project for a basement stove hookup last month. My plumber buddy Rick stopped by to borrow a wrench and saw me wrapping tape on the brass fittings. He said, 'you're asking for a leak with that tape, use pipe dope on the tapered threads.' I thought he was just being old school, but I tried it on one joint and tape on another. The tape one hissed on the soap test, the dope one was dead quiet. Swapped everything over and it's been solid for 3 weeks now. Cost me $8 for a small can of Rectorseal. Anyone else find tape fails them on gas lines or is it just my luck with cheap tape rolls?

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1 Comment

troy_wilson811d ago

Your plumber buddy saved you from becoming a human firework, so buy that man a beer. Tape's fine for water lines but gas fittings laugh at that stuff, the dope actually fills the gaps in the threads. Now you know why every gas fitter on the job site has a can of that goop in their truck.