My house is old and I need to replace a shutoff valve for the cold water intake to the bathtub. I've been reading on line about how to do this but can't find my answer. Here's the question- Do I need to use teflon tape or pipe compound to replace a shutoff valve? The pipe and valve are both metal. I also need to know if there is an easy way to remove the old valve? I haven't tried yet but it looks like it has been glued in or something. Any help or sugestions would be very apreciated. Thanks, Patty
2006-12-31 05:05:00 · 12 answers · asked by Patty 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I can help, but I need more info. Pipe tape is easier to use, and will do the trick. Pipe dope, or compound is not necessary. Is it a one piece delta valve, or two separate valves, one hot one cold? Did you turn off the water main to your house, and bleed the line of water and presssure? You need to. Shouldn't be glued in. You are probably either seeing old pipe dope around the valve, or some sort of insulation sealing around the valve holes. The old valve will unscrew. It should have a large brass nut at the base, you will need to grab that with some channel locks and unscrew it. Make sure the cold water main is turned off (probably outside your house somewhere, in a hole is the water shut off) and you have opened the cold water valves in the kitchen, bathroom sink, and upstairs and downstairs, anywhere cold water comes out, needs to be opened to release the water level in the house. Make sure you remove the valve SEAT as well. This is a brass fitting that screws in behind the valve, and is the cause of most leaking in faucets. You will need a special VALVE SEAT wrench that will unscrew the seat as well. Do not place PTF tape around the valve seat. This is a really long answer, but I hope it helps. Check out www.DIY.com as well to see step by step pictures.
2006-12-31 05:15:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're only going to need teflon tape or pipe compound for a THREADED fitting. If you're using a "compression fitting", then you will NOT want to use teflon or pipe compound on the fitting.
If the pipes are "sweat in" (i.e. the look like they are welded) then you have two ways to remove them. One is to use a propane torch to heat up and soften the solder and then pull the pipes apart. The other way is to use a pipe cutter (available at most hardware stores) and cut the pipe, which is what is recommended for first-timer's.
This link may be of some help:
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hi_bathrooms/article/0,2037,DIY_13903_3239920,00.html
2006-12-31 05:16:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. BUT if you are smart you will. Both work well, but the tape is cheaper, and less mess!
If you are using two pipe wrenches ( one holding the pipe the other on the old valve ) and it still won't turn, and IF you can apply heat with a propane torch to the old valve SAFELY, it should loosen up. Heat the old valve not the pipe.
Be careful. Also remember to turn the water off coming into your house.
2006-12-31 05:18:09 · answer #3 · answered by Bigdog 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
SouthPaw-Patty, I'm not going to advise you how to remove your faucets, but will suggest using both the tape 1st and the Teflon compound 2nd...makes for a better seal and can be removed easier in the near future.
There are some good suggestions regarding heat guns & torches and their advise is sound.
If for some reason you can't remedy your problem with all the "good" advise rendered from all the answerers, feel free to email and shot a pic of the problem and I'll solve it for you or get darn close w/o being there.
2006-12-31 09:27:13 · answer #4 · answered by ticketoride04 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be honest it's best to use both. The teflon tape is probably the better sealant but the pipe compound acts a lubricant. The pipe compound is just a teflon paste.
2006-12-31 05:16:03 · answer #5 · answered by Parercut Faint 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was a plumber, yes, use Teflon Tape to stop leaking between the threads. That stuff that looks like glue is plumbers dope, sort of a putty that never really dries. To get the valve off, use a monkey wrench, put a pipe over the end of the handle to get extra power (torque). If it still doesn't give, try heating it up with a heat gun (looks like a blow drier, but believe me, it gets really hot ~ they sell them for stripping paint, but you probably can rent one). I would recommend a blow torch, but hey, safety first, try the heat gun. Happy New Years, chow
2006-12-31 05:11:26 · answer #6 · answered by Clipper 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Metal Plumbers Tape
2016-10-18 04:53:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you use teflon tape there is one thing no one has told you so far. That is you can put it on the pipe threads the wrong way. It should be on the pipe threads so that when you tighten the fitting it drives the tape tighter if you put it on in the wrong direction it will bunch up.
2016-05-22 23:52:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
establish first that the "metal" is galvanized. IE silver colored
teflon tape is used basically for a lubricant to eliminate friction and heat while screwing the threads together. It won't hurt to use 2 wraps no more than 2
pipe dope is the road home for you though.
probably more important than that though , is that you use a back up wrench when loosening AND TIGHTENING the fittings
we don't want to develop a leak at the next fitting up in your attic
2006-12-31 05:16:03 · answer #9 · answered by dave t 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, on any pipe that has threads you need to use teflon tape, pipe compound works as well but the tape is less messy
2006-12-31 05:08:01 · answer #10 · answered by bassbuster 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋