Tape or Sealant

[Grahamh]

Need a little advice please.
What would you use to seal pipe connections ? Do you use PTFE tape or liquid pipe sealant. In the past I have used the tape but always seem to end up with a small leak and end up having to re-seal the joints. Just wondered if the liquid sealant would make life easier. Thanks in advance.

 

[kevplumb]

have used both the tape is cleaner than paste

 

[stevesey]

Neither!

New joints should seal without the aid of any additives. Indeed I have had to remove excessive tape from other peoples joints to get them to seal properly. Plumbers mate and PTFE should only really be used as thread lubricants, to make it easier to tighten the joint and seal on the olive/washer.

Of course that's the ideal and often you do need to re-seal/re-use old joints (I always replace the olive/washer if at all possible). In this situation I always use tape wrapped twice around the olive/washer.

 

[DP]

Rarely need any sealants or PTFE (unless the fitting is MI or FI).

 

[brumylad]

I have found that putting ptfe tape on the olive of a new compression joint means that the friction sound of the olive biting can't be heard and I over-tighten the joint, deforming the pipe, and it leaks.

However as has been said I always put a couple of turns on the olive with an old joint being remade.