Plumber's Putty: Elementary Tips for Using It on Various Plumbing Installations
When it comes to plumbing, a little knowledge can be of great help when an emergency strikes. This includes knowing how to use some of the basic tools, equipment and accessories used by plumbers in the course of their work. Plumber's putty is a good example of such things, and it is elemental for helping you deal with leaks as you wait for your plumber to come and sort the mess properly. The putty is thick but highly pliable such that you can use it to seal up different fittings without much hustle. Here are some of the elementary tips when working with plumber's putty:
The Area Must be Clean
Regardless of the fittings you are working on, plumber's putty should only be used on clean surfaces. Make sure that you wipe the surface with a clean wet cloth or scrub it with a brush and soap solution if necessary. This ensures that no dust particles are left behind on the fitting. If not, the dust particles will create small potholes and irregular bonding of the putty, leaving room for small leaks to occur.
Using Plumber's Putty on Sinks
Leakages on sinks are very popular because sinks are naturally designed to be wet areas. Thankfully, plumber's putty can help you deal with such problems. Setting the putty around the sink's rim forms a watertight seal that prevents water from seeping through to areas that you wouldn't water to reach. There are two important things you need to note here. First, plumber's putty is recommended for Formica countertops, and it will not work well with other materials such as stone and granite. Secondly, check if your sink has all clips on the bottom side. They are elemental for exerting the right amount of pressure on the putty so that it holds well in place.
Using Plumber's Putty on Toilets
You can also use plumber's putty to create a watertight seal between your toilet seat and the floor. In fact, you should try this method if you have experienced several leakages with another kind of seal in place. However, you should be cautious when putting the plumber's putty around the toilet seat. Don't seal the whole circumference. Leave a tiny space, even the size of a needle, for water to find a way to the surrounding floor area in case of a leakage. If you seal the whole area (leaving no hole), you will not detect any leakages within the toilet seat. The leaking water will destroy your floor without a warning sign of the underlying damage.