Best Way To Seal A Leak On A Threaded Pipe
Plumbing connections can leak after a period of time due to wear and tear or poor workmanship.
These sorts of leaks can cause damage to your property if not fixed quickly and even increase your utility bills if left in disrepair for a long period of time.
For a quick fix in an emergency, use some waterproof duct tape. (Always handy to keep a roll around the house). Make sure the pipe is as clean and dry as you can make it and start wrapping the duct tape around it.
Wrap it round tightly as many times as it takes to stop the water leaking out. This should keep it from leaking until you can get a proper, permanent repair, arranged.
If you’re a plumber or general handyman, I’m sure you get asked regularly, “What’s the best way to seal a leak on a threaded pipe?”
I wouldn’t consider myself to be a professional plumber, but I always tell people the best way to prevent leaks is by doing a quality job when connecting the threaded pipe in the first instance.
It will save you having to come back to fix the leak again at a later date and also creates a good, trust-worthy, reputation that will help you gain new customers.
Some common mistakes made when sealing a joint is to use plumber’s putty inside of proper joint compound. If you’re unlucky enough to be trying to fix other people’s mistakes, then here are a few ways to fix a leak on a threaded pipe joint.
Tools & Materials
Before you start, there’s a few tools you’ll need to make things easier and some materials that are required to prevent leaking such as Teflon tape and sealant.
If you are carrying out a simple repair, you may get away with just using your hands to tighten and untighten the threads. If it’s a bigger job, then you may need some of these common plumbing tools.
Use A Pipe Thread Sealant
You can use ‘pipe dope’ to seal metal piping with a tapered thread. It stops any leaks and should last a long time. Before you start, make sure you have isolated the water supply.
Step 1: There are many different brands of sealant, but I recommend Block. It’s an all purpose thread sealant that is leak-proof and grit-free.
Make sure the area to be sealed is clean and dry. If you are having trouble getting the joint open to fix, soak it with some penetrating oil beforehand.
When you’ve cleaned the area and are ready to proceed, use the brush-lid and spread some sealant all over the threads. Apply it liberally covering all of the thread.
Step 2: Once you have the threaded area coated with sealant, present the male threads to the female threads and tighten fully.
Use Teflon Tape To Seal Pipe
Step 1: Grab a roll of Teflon tape from your local plumbing store or Amazon. Start wrapping it around the thread of the pipe.
After wrapping around the pipe threads about three times and ensuring you are keeping it tight enough to seal unto itself, cut the tape from the roll and smooth it over the pipe threads.
Step 2: Connect the other end of the pipe joint and tighten it. You can also add a little bit of ‘pipe dope’ or sealant over the Teflon tape for an even greater seal. Be careful not to overtighten plastic joints as they will crack easily.
