Thursday 24 April 2014

Teflon tape and its uses

Primarily there has been one use with Teflon tape, which is in plumbing.At the same time this durable tape is meant to be durable and waterproof.

What Is It?

Polytetrafluoroethylene tape is the original name of this material. It is not a tape and typically white in color. The reason it is called a tape is because of the way it is rolled onto a spool.

This product is used to provide a seal between two pipes in many plumbing applications.This material when used with threaded pipes forms a seal between the two pipes. It is a thin material which sticks to itself and is vinyl like.

How It Works?

When attaching two threaded pipes the Teflon tape is wrapped around the male pile and it makes to attach the two pipes together easier. The plumber or repair person, will wrap it around the pipe by overlapping the tape and winding it around the pipe's threaded end entirely.

A tight seal is formed between the two pipes when the female end is screwed on which helps to prevent leaks.

Where to Purchase?

Teflon tape is found in hardware stores and home improvement stores. It comes in color coded models and can cost usually less than a dollar. It is found in any place that plumbing supply is sold.

Blue or Orange tape is usually thicker and used for gas pipe connections and can be purchased from the same sources that sell the Teflon variety.

Precautions:

This kind of tape is rather thin and is always put on by hand, care must be taken when using this product that a piece does not break off and fall into the pipe especially when using this tape to seal gas pipes.

If a piece breaks off and falls into the line it could block the line and stuff it up, or in the case of gas pipes it can stop up the valve. Care should be taken when using this product to insure a clean seal with clean lines.

It is a good rule of thumb to keep some Teflon tape around the house just in case for emergency repairs until a plumber can be called or until the pipe can be replaced.

Teflon tape is a wonder as it is a cheap and efficient way of making sure those pipes are sealed and to prevent leaks down the road.

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