I am sure many of you have heard the old saying… “it’s just common sense” when it comes to applying PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) tape, often called “thread sealants” or “plumber’s tape”. Yet this practice is a critical skill for ensuring leak-free connections in threaded piping systems. While it seems straightforward, the direction and tension of the wrap determine whether the seal succeeds or fails. This post is using a manufacturer’s instructions and my Piping Manual from a piping course I took in the 1990’s.
NOTE: one of the trick questions I like to ask during PSM/RMP audits is… “Which direction does your company use when applying the PTFE tape to the threads?” I usually ask this around the time I ask them if they tighten flange bolts in a clockwise or counterclockwise pattern. LOL. You’d be surprised at the answers we hear for such “common sense” items.