Thank you so much for this video Scott. As a widow living alone it really helped me out. Very hard to get any help in rural areas. Thank you

Good video. I have not used the blue tape, but have used the green. This is for lines with oxygen (medical ?), it is thicker than all other Teflon tape I’ve ever seen. I use 2 wraps. I did 5 years ago, use both Teflon tape & Teflon pipe compound (dope).This was on a kitchen installation on a new deeper sink with a drain that was about 2” too high. The drain of the disposer was lower than the wall drain. No matter what I did I couldn’t stop the drainage line from leaking. I called a friend that was a retired plumber that was a drainage expert (high rise drains were his specialty). He helped me with this, I had been working on this drain for 3 hours, with no luck. In 10 minutes he was done, and even 5 years later it is still good. He installed the P trap backwards and put all fittings together with both Teflon tape and Teflon pipe compound, these were all plastic fittings. That 2” lower drain didn’t bother him, he said he had seen worse! Thanks…Jim

A tip: Hold the roll of teflon tape the way you held the Blue Monster one - the way you held the blue roll of white tape was backwards (watch the video again and compare). The difference is that when you wrap, you don't want it to be unrolling the spool of tape, because then it's hard to put the right amount of tension on the tape. If you wrap it such that it tries to wrap up the spool, you can let is spin in your hand while applying tension.

After so many years tefloning pipes, I never knew the direction I had been doing this till now! I just did this automatically, as in tightening a bolt hehe Thanks for telling it to my subcontious mind. Great video

Iv been a homeowner for about 20 years and do the basics. I found your video very informative on the very basics I probably should have known already. LOL

I'm only 2 minutes and 30 seconds in and this is already much better than most teflon tape instructions. I don't know how many times over the last four decades I have ask for directions and all they said was wrap in a clockwise direction. Being a bit dyslexic and maybe also stupid, I would never really know. Wrapping in a clockwise direction while looking into the end of the pipe clears everything up for me. I've never had a leak, so either I have been really lucky or teflon tape is really forgiving.

Thank you for this video. I don't use Teflon tape often, but now I know how to use it.

Look at all those tape measures!!! Love it. That's almost enough for how often I lose them.

If ur working on older pipes with the rubber seal or crush fitting u definitely want to use Teflon tape! On older plumping the rubber seal is crushed and hard, trying to get it tight enough to stop leaking it will sometimes strip the threads or split fitting! I always use on new fixtures also, it will make it a lot easier to remove after years of corroding! Great video!

always wrapped Teflon tape the right way but always wondered why it couldn't be the other way. now i know.. it will basically bunch the ending part of the wrap backwards making for an uneven seal. you polled the audience and provided the votes. very informational. solid video. thanks.

Very good video. Absolutely correct technique. I am a moldmaker and deal with injection molds that used numerous water fittings to cool molds during production. Only thing I have to do differently is clean connections and use five wraps of tape. It is not cost effective to use new fittings each time. Some molds will have 30 or more circuits.

Thank you for helping me with home repair basics!!!!!

Thankyou, just fixed a leaking 'garden water butt' tap rather than take it back and swap it, I remembered someone had left some plumbers tape in my toolbox, feels good to learn another skill/fix :)

I have a shower head replacement project coming up tomorrow. Thanks for posting this.

I have used tape and dope in cases where leaks were persisting after more than adequate tightening. Once I had to layer tape, dope, tape on a very persistent leak. Worked!

Just one thing that I would add ...sometimes I will use pipe dope/ thread sealer on a fitting such as a compression that normally would not call for it . The reason is that the pipe dope will act as a lubricant on the threads making it a little easier to tighten the fitting ,especially if it is in a difficult location . The fact that it also has a sealing property as well does not hurt anything. Also I have found that there are some newer pipe dope products available that can be used on plastic threaded fittings without damaging the plastic over time . oh and one other thing that I noticed that you did not mention is that one should be careful not to get whatever type of sealer you are using past the end of the first starting end of the threads . This is particularly true for gas piping where you are using black steel pipe and might be more likely to use pipe dope . The reason is that there are sometimes very small orifices that the gas has to pass through that could get restricted or clogged by sealer that got inside the line . Finally would mention that I have heard a claim that thread sealers work because they are lubricating the threads and thus allowing the male and female threads to be screwed tighter together and sealing because as you mentioned pipe threads are tapered . It was claimed that it is that property that makes them work more than that they might be filling tiny voids where the threads meet. Whatever the case sealers work if used properly . I did particularly like your emphasis on shower arms leaking inside the wall as something to pay particular attention to . Thanks

Good instructions, and I will give you a 99.5 out of 100 on this one. I'm tough... The only thing is to be careful when you ever use Teflon tape on a plastic part, often they can crack, so it might be wiser to not use much tape if possible. The thicker the tape, that will put more pressure on the outer plastic fitting and it will crack. Also in all fittings; especially plastic, be sure the parts do not have a obvious mold line to create an option for water to seep through.

Thank You!!!!!😂🙂 First plumbing repair ever that did not leak.

Very instructive video! Thanks!

A heating and air conditioning contractor mentioned that the purpose of teflon tape is simply to lubricate the threads of the pipe and device being connected. The teflon tape lubrication enables the pipe to be tightened sufficiently for the pipe to be in far enough for the tapering threads to seal sufficiently, preventing leakage of the contents being transported. He was taught this in equipment manufacturers technician schools. Thus, I use only a couple of wraps and extend the wrap all the way back to the end of the pipe threads. I have never had leaks using teflon tape on water pipes and connected devices. I wonder if anyone else has heard this theory?

learning to do my own plumbing i used to put teflon on everything, learned little by little.

Hey, Thanks! Very useful discussion.

Very thorough video!

It would take most DIYers years of mistakes to learn this. Very valuable.

excellent tips for a professional jobs

Many young people today have no idea how to tell time, and thus aren’t sure which direction is clockwise.

Did not know about the Blue Monster tape. Thanks Scott.

Never knew the clockwise hint of looking at the end of the pipe. Good tip.

Thanks for sharing. Good job.

On the subject of shower heads, my last couple three shower heads (plastic fitting) all developed a crack where they attached to the metal pipe, and I used PTFE tape on all of them. My most recent shower head, with a metal fitting, I did not use PTFE tape. I haven't seen any leaks yet, and hopefully the connection will hold up better. I'm just a DIY kind of guy, so I'm just using plain logic. Great video BTW, very informative!

Everyday Home Repairs is a Great Channel !! End of comment.

Once I read on garage journal in the forum a discussion about Teflon tape. It was a debate about how it works. With some people saying it is used as a lubricant that allows you to turn the pipes until water tight

Thank you very much for this useful video. Our best regards.

In the ‘80s I worked at a shipyard and we used a much thicker Teflon tape. Haven’t seen anything like it in any hardware store so maybe special order for the shipyard. We scratched the threads with a hacksaw blade to ensure the tape didn’t move and wrapped it clockwise as described in the video.

Thank you for a wonderful video

Thank you for the video great info. Have a great day.

By far the biggest mistake that I have come across when repairing a leaking joint is too much tape. When the tape applied is too thick it gets peeled off the threads instead of going in between the male and female threads. I apply the tape as tight as I can, often it breaks and I have to start over but in the end I get very good results and that includes sealing Hydrogen and Helium gas fittings not just low pressure water. Yes, you want to avoid NPT fittings as much as possible with Hydrogen and Helium but you can't eliminate them all.

Excellent video!

Thank you!

Thank you for a great explanation. I might add that it's best not to over wrap the end of the threads. Fragments could dislodge and clog downstream devices. This is not usually a problem with shower heads and such, but in industry, a 2k Rosemount pressure transmitter may give an incorrect reading. I've heard pipe dope vs Teflon both ways. Thanks again.

👍 GOOD INFO SCOTT…AND GO FOR THE BLUE 🤗😍😍😍

Very informative video 👍👍

Good information!

Thank you so much!

Wow! Let me count the ways I’ve been doing it wrong. Thanks

You can use tape on joints that normally seal (with rubber o-ring etc.) - it keeps the threads separated and stops corrosion from locking fittings - but is not necessarily needed for sealing. As a number of people have commented Teflon is also a lubricant.. And before Teflon twine and putty?

good video. thank you.

Great video.

Much appreciated.

Good. I am benefited.

Nice video. You might want to include that manufacturer's make different color Teflon Tape for different purposes such as yellow is for gas. Important to note that some jurisdictions do not allow Teflon Tape for gas pipe joints and will only allow "pipe dope".

The survey totals are 101%. A very thorough survey indeed!

I'd like to see you do a video about how to stop garden hose leaks, and the best brands of hose washers. You could also discuss possible confusion between NPT and hose thread, and the use of the lovely push-pull (non-screw) attachments.

Wrapping teflon tape in the wrong direction can still work, but I recommend working it into the threads a little with your fingers, basically spinning it under your fingers while pressing on it. Of course, that's only if you make a mistake and do it in the wrong direction. So much better to just do it as shown here in the video. Very well explained and thanks for showing it done wrong too so people can see the reason why it needs to be directional.

Thank you I'm going to replace the turn angle valve in my bathroom and now I know just to put the plumbers tape on the one side

Traditional 'pipe dope' that was the standard for many years, probably many years before teflon tape was invented, was green (usually) and quite messy. I worked at a machinery manufacturer and we used a lot of compressed air on our machines. The problem with the traditional pipe dope was it cured fairly fast and if you had to adjust the plumbing alignment after it cured, it would crack and usually leak. Loctite brand 'pipe sealant with teflon' (my first exposure was from Loctite, I assume they had a patent for it) appeared in the mid '70s and sealed instantly but was not 'cured' for 24 hours, allowing fittings and pipe alignment to be tweaked within 24 hours with no leaks. I wouldn't call pipe sealant with teflon by the term pipe dope, since I know pipe dope as a completely different product. I don't know if the 'traditional' pipe dope is still available, and maybe the term has just moved over to the pipe sealant with teflon, and most people doing plumbing don't know there used to be a different product called pipe dope. It appears the Loctite patents have run out and other manufacturers are selling 'pipe sealant with teflon', since the tube you showed in the video did not say Loctite (and I couldn't read the brand in the video). I would strongly recommend using pipe sealant with teflon, everywhere, instead of teflon tape. It would cost you more over teflon tape, but you wouldn't have to worry about leaking joints. And, in an application like you showed for a the shower pipe threaded into a fitting buried behind the wall covering, if you want peace of mind that the joint isn't going to leak, that is not an application for teflon tape.

The direction that the tape is to be applied depends on the pipe thread direction. For “right” thread, apply sealing tape clockwise and “left” thread, apply sealing tape counter clockwise.

Thank you Great video… I just used the tape w the plumbers dope on my shower head and was wondering if that’s bad or not

I have used teflon tape on the male end with a little pipe dope inside the female end with good results.

What did they use in the old days before we had teflon?

I've had shower heads with the O ring seals leak without Teflon as well

I do use teflon on that side fitting on the sink valve. Not for sealing but for ease of removal just in case of corrosion. Apply the tape folded in half lengthwise to keep it out of the water flow, 2 layers max.

Some of the fittings I had to replace (with Teflon tape) in an older property were originally made with dope and horsehair.

Thanks

It's also possible to use flax fiber with pipe putty (not sure about the translation). The advantage compared to teflon tape is that it stays leak free even if you unroll a bit. I've never used it myself, though.

Thank you lad. I have a question for you i need help with. My cast iron manual hand water pump i installed with the wite teflon tape on threads, gives away and loses suction. Should i use the pipe dope instead?

I've found that mid-high price plastic shower heads don't need the pipe tape most of the time. The connection is often made of a relatively soft plastic with a hex fitting, so you can tighten it (hopefully without cracking the plastic). It will usually tell you on the packaging if pipe tape is recommended. Shower heads with metal fittings and the cheapest grade of plastic (as in the one in the video), however, do require teflon tape. On a side note... After trying several different shower heads (from box stores and online), about 6 years ago I bought a shower head from High Sierra Shower Heads, and haven't had a single issue. I've used it pretty much every day, and had it in 2 different houses, and even brought it with me to a couple of hotels. Its like a mini fire hydrant. No clogged nozzles to worry about. I'm not being paid for mention them, just think more people should know there is a much better, much longer lasting shower head out there.

I was all ready to troll your channel with some nasty remarks , but i got shut down because it was so freaking good . The part about doing a survey was brilliant . it eliminates any countering of what you say should be done and puts it on the commenters pure genius .😂

Even with rubber seal joints you may want teflon as it can act as lubricant and allow for the thread to go tight easily.

Is the blue monster for gas lines and water lines?

I recall one shower head that instructed me to rub bar soap against the threads instead of Teflon tape or pipe dope. Worked fine and didn't leak. Over the years I've installed other shower heads that came with a small length of Teflon tape coiled up in the package.

Straight threads = no sealant. Tapered threads = need sealant. Simple as that. Also takes care of your "exception".

I've always used plumber's tape (the name for it where I live) for shower heads. Cheap ones, expensive ones - they all leak eventually without the tape.

I didn't use Teflon Tafe after changing the tap washers and changing the shower head. Should I just leave it or take it all apart and put on Teflon tape?

In Europe we use plumbing flax. It expands when there is a leak in the thread and seals it. The main flax advantage is that you can a few degrees backward turn which is no-no using teflon tape.

I like to cut the tape with scissors, because the strands from ripping it bug me. I really like Megaloc as far as dopes go.

Would you use Teflon tape or pipe dope on the stems and seats for the hot/cold water for shower/bathtub?

I found Blue Monster but found it required a few extra wraps to get it to seal with any metal to plastic connections. The cheap Teflon tape is so much thinner recently compared to many years ago

is it okay if i dont use the tape? my first time using it today, things got messy as maybe i put too much tape so it didnt properly seal all the way, and when i turned on the water, it all leaked. so then i cleaned everything up, removed all pieces of tape and connected everything up without tape. this worked. but im not sure how 'safe' it is considering i did not use any white tape. This was for a toilet seat with bidet by the way.

You mentioned carrying teflon tape on your tool belt. I've never used a tool belt. Maybe you could make a video on how to stock and use a tool belt. Thanks!

How about pvc threads? Use the same procedure?

Teflon tape equals callbacks pure and simple. As several others have mentioned the primary purpose of any pipe dope or tape is to lubricate the fitting allowing you to achieve a proper fit. The difference between the two is tape "Will" shrink leaving a fitting loose enough to leak, while a good dope that does not over harden will not. White PE dope is ok, Blue is much better, and Green is the best, except it will ruin anything it contacts with, your clothes etc. Blue Dope is my go to for water and gas with no worries for a call back.

Counterclockwise for the tape if going to turn THE PIPE, not the elbow?

9:30 The instructions-sheet that comes with a showerhead extension-arm actually specifies using TFE tape even though it does indeed have an O-ring seal.

Does anybody ever use grease on the ferrule of a compression fitting? I saw this in a recent video, and it is not something I would ever have thought to do.

The one thing the vast majority of people dont realize is that ptfe tape isnt designed to fill voids and seal gaps. It's just there to be a lubricant so that you can screw the fitting on further. Hence using more tape than is needed is actually a hindrance, as the bulky mass will prevent the fittings from going together as well, defeating the entire purpose.

I have a kitchen Sink that started leaking, unnoticed from when it was first installed. Only when I noticed that the floor in front of the sink did I discover that it had been leaking. I bought some 'Miracle Wrap' and taping Over the Fitting to the Shut-off Valve didn't stop the leak, so I tried extending the Wrap up and down the Metallic Flex Supply line, (Hot Water Feed), but it only made it slow down. I am a renter,so I can't mess around with any plumbing other than a basic repair, such as changing Washers for the faucets. I've since shut off the Hot Water completely until it gets properly fixed . . . whenever the Landlord gets around to it. Should I use a putty or plumber's tape to wrap the Flex Hose? as a temp repair or leave it alone entirely?

I would agree with everything you have said.

I used to see White, Pink, and Yellow tapes in stores, pink was just heavy duty white, and yellow was even thicker and for gas pipes. Haven't seen pink in a while but just found Orange yesterday... Seems thicker than yellow so I didn't use it when putting on a new close valve core the other day.

How about a video how to shorten a braided supply line with 3/8 inch comp to a correct length.

Bravo.👍👏

One example you did not show...a compression ferrule that is used by a street fitting(I think it's called that) when screwed together and the ferrule is squeezed by the fitting. Can I assume that no tape is needed here either as when a compression fitting has a tube in it?

When using any plastic or poly connectors, I use pipe dope only. Prevents the plastic from deforming.

For plastic shower heads I've seen it where teflon at the shower head actually puts so much pressure on the collar threaded part it breaks. There wasn't even more than 2 layers of teflon, but it was enough.

While renovating my house here in Germany I usually used hemp instead of Teflon tape. I was told that hemp has the advantage of self sealing in case it gets wet due to a leakage. Are you using hemp in the States too?

There are different thicknesses of tape. The thinnest, least expensive type should be avoided. I like commercial or military grades. Also, I've found that the number wraps depends on the pitch/diameter of the pipe/pipe fitting. 1/8 - 3/8 NPT threads work well with 1.5 to 3 wraps. Larger sizes may require more wraps. If angular adjustment of the fitting is necessary, then liquid pipe thread sealant is a better choice.

You might want to unwind the tape from the roll in the opposite direction from what you did in the video. It will keep the tape tighter on both the roll and the fitting. I know it seems backwards but, try it, it works..

Always roll your tape on from counter clockwise direction. Like you did with the blue tape not like you did with the white. It will help keep tension on the tape. If you need pipe dope on top of Teflon you have something going very bad.

well some fittings are left hand threads so counter clockwise is the direction to wrap the tape !

I recall once, I used Teflon tape on a toilet, shutoff valve. It leaked. So, I shut off the water, removed the valve, applied more wraps of tape, and put it back on. It still leaked. So, I removed the valve and used thread sealer with no Teflon tape. No leak.