Plumbing is an often-complicated job that requires quite a bit of knowledge and skill. Surprisingly, many of the fittings that make up a typical plumbing system are quite simple in principle. Take the compression fitting. You do not have to be a master plumber to understand how it works. Yet as simple as it is, it is a highly effective tool for connecting water lines to devices.
Compression Fitting Basics
Think of a compression fitting as a type of plumbing connection. It gets its name from the fact that it achieves a watertight seal through compression. The amazing thing about this little piece of hardware is that it creates a watertight connection without any need for soldering, welding, or threading.
How It Works
The compression fitting’s design is genius. The fitting consists of three parts: a nut, a ring, and the body. Installation begins with a nut and ring being slid onto the pipe in question. Then the pipe is inserted into the body of the fitting.
As for the nut, it is threaded. You just screw it onto the body and tighten it down. As you do, the nut compresses the ring between itself and the body. The ring essentially clamps down on the pipe to create a watertight and airtight seal.
Plumbers love compression fittings because they are not one-and-done fittings. In other words, they can be assembled, disassembled, and reassembled indefinitely. Why would this matter? Being able to assemble and disassemble without limit makes it possible to connect the same water line to multiple fixtures or appliances over many years.
Proper Tightening Is Critical
If there is a downside to the compression fitting, it is the fact that proper tightening is critical. Comfort Solutions, a Utah HVAC and plumbing company serving West Haven and Sandy, says that improper tightening in either direction should always be avoided.
Over tightening could damage the fitting, the pipe, or both. The fitting would probably work just fine the first time. But if you tried to disassemble and reassemble it, it might not create a watertight seal the second time around.
Under tightening will not cause any damage to the pipe or fitting, but it will cause leaks. That’s one of the reasons a seasoned plumber will test a compression fitting before buttoning things up and leaving the job site. He wants to make sure there are no leaks.
Better Than Soldering or Welding?
It’s pretty obvious that compression fittings are handy fittings plumbers appreciate working with. But are they better than making connections by soldering or welding? That depends on the particular job. For typical residential-level plumbing jobs, compression fittings are appropriate. They are preferred over soldered and welded connections because they are:
- Quickly and easily installed. Compression fittings can be installed with simple hand tools and minimal skills.
- Installed without needing heat or flame. This makes them safer to install in residential settings.
- Indefinitely reusable and adjustable. Soldered and welded connections are considered permanent.
- Versatile in their application. Compression fittings can be utilized with a wide range of pipe materials, fixtures, and appliances.
- Ideal for tight spaces. Because they can be installed with hand tools, they are the best types of connections for making connections in tight spaces.
The compression fitting is one of many types of fittings plumbers work with on a daily basis. It looks simple to the naked eye. From a mechanical standpoint, it is. But this simple fitting makes for watertight and airtight seals that support all sorts of residential applications. Without the compression fitting, residential plumbing would be quite different.
