Tape alone's usually fine, but honestly, I've seen enough leaks to be skeptical about relying on it exclusively. Had a job last year where the homeowner insisted tape was all he needed—wrapped it counterclockwise, too. Sure enough, fitting loosened right up when he tightened it down. Took me an extra hour to redo everything properly. Tape's great, but only if you wrap it right...
"Doing it the other way can actually loosen it when tightening fittings... learned that the hard way myself once or twice."
Yep, been there myself—more times than I'd like to admit.
Yep, been there myself—more times than I'd like to admit.
Tape's handy, but honestly, I always pair it with pipe dope. Belt and suspenders approach, ya know? Especially on older fittings—seen too many "tape-only" jobs come back leaking after a season or two...
Interesting, I've mostly stuck with tape alone to save a few bucks, and so far it's held up alright. But now you're making me second-guess myself, haha. Do you think pipe dope makes a noticeable difference long-term, even on newer fittings? I'm all for avoiding leaks down the road, but also trying not to overspend if I don't have to...
I've mostly used tape too, but recently worked a job where the plumber insisted on adding pipe dope as well. He swore it prevented tiny leaks that tape sometimes misses. Can't say I've noticed a huge difference yet, but it made sense at the time...
I've seen plumbers swear by the combo method too, and honestly, it does seem to help in certain tricky spots—especially older fittings or slightly worn threads. But I've also had plenty of success with just tape alone. Maybe it's more about technique than materials sometimes? Curious if anyone's noticed a difference depending on pipe material—like copper vs. galvanized steel...
