Question after question after question...

[secret squirrel]

Thanks to everyone who helped with my toilet question, I will try not and become blinkered next time (I'm sure there will be a next time).

I am a little confused about an issue that came up though but its not really related to the toilet so I started a new thread.

I use silicone sealant as a water seal as I'm sure a lot of people do but a senior member said that if they were working for some companies they would be sacked for doing so. (hope I've got the gist right)

So, my problem is I don't understand why this would be problem? (this is in no way a critism)

Also what are the advantages of plumbers mate over silicon?

Generally, where would you use plumbers mate and not silicon? (I know you wouldn't use plumbers mate to seal the edge of a bath, I'm interested in finding more obscure places)

Thanks

 

[traineedrip]

im being told to go with plumbers mait for sealing , silicon for sealing externally baths ect. the only difference i can see is the mait wont set and id imagine not so messy

mind you did a hotwater tank and all fittings onto it we used string, lsx and ptfe. lsx cant be that different to silicon?

 

[Winston]

No no no, I wouldnt use plumbers mate for all the tea in china, I would always use a jointing compound like LSX, silicons can have a effect on waste pipe/traps. Its abit like the old ptfe everywhere in fact plumbers use very little of it and the the only threads its used on is for rads. If using ptfe on a compression only fit a little on the the top of the olive.

 

[johnmcginty]

So true if it has a washer then you dont need the ptfe at all, Seem to come acoss tap connectors quite a bit lately that have wrapped ptfe instead of a washer ...what's the crack with that ? In the past always used mait though I only use it for bedding pedestal basins now and there is nothing wrong with silicone on say a siphon as some dont fit right , though new sanitary ware that I install I use neither. I would say they are both an aid to a bodge to some degree.

 

[Winston]

True indeed, the olive should be just the job on a compression. for traps and seals tightness should do it but a small amount of lsx will guarantee it. But silicon that you use to seal the edge of a bath/shower dont use on wastes. I think the secret is to always make sure joints are clean, burr free, fully engaged and not to tight.