PVC Fittings

Tim Carter, of http://AsktheBuilder.com, demonstrates how to get a leak free fit for plumbing when using pvc pipe and fittings with primer and pvc cement.

You might be guilty of watching some of those home improvement television shows. The ones where they show you how easy things are to do especially plumbing. Well, that may not be the case especially when you are working with PVC. It is just not as simple as gluing them together. There is something you need to know to make sure each and every joint you do will indeed be leak proof. For example, did you know that the fittings that you worked with are not completely symmetrical? Now what I mean by that is that they are actually wider at the top than they are at the bottom of the socket. What is that? Well they do that on purpose so that the pipe really sits tightly when it goes deep into the joint. But that can work to your disadvantage when you are glue, because if you glue and slide the joint on and turn your head, it actually can slide back off again. Do not let that happen to you. The fittings also have important markings on them that will help you orient the fittings on the pipe. For example, look at this #2, it tells you it has a 2-inch fitting that goes on 2-inch PVC pipe. But see this little line right here; this line is 45 degrees away from the 2-inch mark. This line is 45 degrees away from the seam and the pipe. Those will help you rotate the fitting into position. Before you get ready to glue, the pipe and fitting together, you need to clean everything. The pipe and fittings can get dirty. To successfully glue PVC pipe and fittings together, you need primer and you need cement. The PVC primer is really an important step. The primer dissolves the printing on the pipe, so you know that you have primed it and also as the primer dries, it will remove the gloss from the pipe. The process for priming the fitting is the same. Just apply a little bit of primer inside the socket. Once the fitting and the pipe are primed, it is time to cement them together. You twist them about 45 to 90 degrees and you will hold them for up to 5 seconds. Oh, that is a tight joint. That one is not going to leak. Be sure to read the labels on the primer in the cement and I will tell you why. They contains strong chemicals and solvents and you need to work on them in a well ventilated area or you are going to be doing the happy dance because they will make you crazy. Also they are flammable, so be careful. I am Tim Carter for Ask The Builder. If you want to discover more home improvement tips, go to AskTheBuilder.com.