The whole 'just add more pipe dope' fix for a commercial grease trap line

I keep seeing guys on jobs slap a ton of pipe dope on a leaking joint in a 4-inch grease line, call it good, and walk away. That line in a restaurant kitchen sees constant heat cycles and fat, which breaks down that sealant fast. I saw a full line failure in a Tacoma strip mall six months after a 'quick fix' like that, and the cleanup bill was over five grand. Are we just being lazy, or is there a real argument for using sealant over properly torquing a mechanical joint?

2 comments

2 Comments

wells.brooke2mo ago

That Tacoma cleanup cost more than the proper gasket.

spencerl322mo ago

My buddy had a line let go behind a burger joint last year, total mess. @wells.brooke is right, that cheap fix always costs more later. Why not just do it right the first time?