Do professional plumbers use tapes to seal leaks?

[Saber999]

Hi Everyone,
I was wondering whether a professional plumber would use a tape to seal a leak temporarily so you have time to actually carry out the repair/ purchase parts?
How often do you use a tape for sealing a leak temporarily?

What type of tape would you use for this kind of job?
Duct tape?
Self-infusing tape?
High grab adhesive tape?

What specs or key things do you need to look out for to make sure you buy a good patching tape? Or do you just buy any stocked at a merchant?

 

[SimonG]

Enquiring minds would like to know, Why?

 

[Saber999]

Enquiring minds would like to know, Why?

Enquiring minds would like to know, Why?

Thanks for your response Simon.
I'm guessing you mean why I'm asking. I'm doing some market research for a manufacturing company to understand the tape market. They're thinking of reviewing their tape range.

There's loads of duct tapes, rubber adhesive and silicone tapes out there in merchants for patching leaks. I wondered whether these were actually used by plumbers when faced with a fracture in a pipe to stop the leak until they could carry out a permanent repair.

 

[rpm]

All depends, hot or cold water, under pressure or not, can customer do without or not.

 

[townfanjon]

I always use duck tape to seal my leaks .

 

[Saber999]

All depends, hot or cold water, under pressure or not, can customer do without or not.

Hi,
When would you use a patching tape - in what situation would it be handy?
Say there's a leak and there's alot of pressure behind it would you patch it up so you have time to assess and get the parts/tools you need? Actually, would you not just turn the water source off instead?
What product do you use?
[automerge]1604485562[/automerge]

I always use duck tape to seal my leaks .

Duct tape or the brand Duck Tape?

 

[gmartine]

As you say you can already buy self amalgamating tape. I carry around a roll or two for a temporary fix as a last resort but it's not something I use very often but it can come in handy when I've completely run out of options. Thing is there are a variety of quick fix kits, patches, slips available made from copper or brass that are preferable to tape. I mostly carry around a bag of slip couplings which usually does the job if I have access.

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/self-amalgamating-rubber-tape-black-3m-x-25mm/2115v

Wrap & Seal Pipe Repair Tape - Waterproof Tape For Leak Sealing

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape is a waterproof repair tape made from self-fusing silicone which is used for live leak sealing and other repairs

www.sylmasta.com

 

[Ric2013]

My experience with self-amalgamating tape is it works but can need a "Jubilee" clip or bit of wire etc etc to stop it winding itself off, so not totally satisfactory.

However, I always carry a roll. Because a pipe freezing machine will only work when there is no flow and you might need the tape to hold for the 15 minutes it takes to freeze a pipe and - just in case - because an occasion might occur in which leaving the leak unattended while you drain a system or look for a stopcock isn't practical.

I have had a case when I filled a heating system and discovered a defective joint when checking my work over: had I not been able to contain the water with a pot or a cloth, that tape would have been very useful. One thing discovering a faulty joint and repairing it without damage to customer's property, quite another if you flood the house.

 

[WC1]

If the s.a. tapes dry and you pull tight enough while winding it on it shouldn't need a jubbly clip!

 

[Ric2013]

If the s.a. tapes dry and you pull tight enough while winding it on it shouldn't need a jubbly clip!

I pull it tight. Then it doesn't stick all that well and reverts to it's original length. Perhaps not good tape, but it'll have to do till I finish the roll, as it's something I use very rarely.

 

[Plumbernoob]

Duct tape

Hi Everyone,
I was wondering whether a professional plumber would use a tape to seal a leak temporarily so you have time to actually carry out the repair/ purchase parts?

In the case of temporary leak - why not? I often use duct tape, when the leak is little or slightly noticeable. But if the plumber is trying to seal a pipe with a serious leak, I think, it might be more wondering for you.

 

[apcdave]

no serious plumber would ever use a tape to fix a leak........

 

[Ric2013]

no serious plumber would ever use a tape to fix a leak.******.

When the water is pouring out of a frozen/burst distributing pipe, the isolator won't isolate and there are 25 gallons in the cistern waiting to drain through a mixer tap at 6 litres per minute, would you hold it against a plumber if he were to temporarily to seal the leak with tape? Surely not!

 

[Keefy]

Stopped a stopcock from leaking at the gland with PTFE recently so voted 'sometimes'.

 

[SamRaymond]

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[Claymore]

I’ve used silicone tape once or twice to seal leaks on PVC joints in the past as a temporary repair if I’ve not had PVC fittings in van stock but that’s about where it ends.