The perfect thread sealant: the experience of the best plumbers

To avoid leaks, you need to properly seal the threads. Which seal is best?

New materials have appeared for this work. Is it worth using them or is it better to use flax in the old fashioned way?

Sanitary linen

Eco-friendly material can be used without risk for drinking water. But flax absorbs moisture and this contributes to the formation of corrosion and further damage to the thread, leakage.

After 4 years, you will need to change the seal. Plumbers recommend using flax and Unipack. It is durable and reliable.

Always wind it clockwise, otherwise the flax will puff up. After being wound on the thread, grease the Unipack paste on top and twist the connection. Pull with the key.

To many, this method seems outdated, and they use other materials.

Fum tape or thread

The tape is made of fluoroplastic film (PTFE). Suitable for winding up drinking water. The beginner will have to work hard when winding the tape. An experienced craftsman knows what layer thickness to wind.

For heating, tape and thread made of the same material are not suitable. After a while, the connection will begin to flow. This is because the tape has no coefficient of expansion. Moreover, over time, the material dries out and becomes brittle. The ribbon costs more than flax and is of no use.

Conclusion: Use the tape only for cold water, where there will be no thermal expansion. In this case, the sealing will last a long time and there will be no leaks.

Anaerobic adhesive sealant is the perfect sealant (pros, cons)

Liquid polymer material for thread sealing and rust protection. There are different variants: pastes, gels, threaded or plumbing gels of different strength.

Such material is resistant to high temperatures and pressures above 50 atmospheres. Withstands temperatures from -60 to +150 gr. Manufacturers make easily dismantled and difficult to dismantle compositions. The latter can be dismantled by heating with a hair dryer. Excellent for plumbing, heating and gas systems.

The glue is well applied, dries quickly (in 15 minutes), a reliable connection is obtained.

pros: quick and easy installation. You can assemble without keys and adjust the direction. It is easy to wipe off excess glue with a cloth. It is the ideal sealant for sealing new systems.

Minuses: use only on smooth and clean (new) screw connections. It is possible on old ones, but you have to clean and degrease the threads. High price.

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