Yes, an escutcheon plate is required by plumbing codes: “Collars or escutcheon plates shall be provided to cover the openings around pipes penetrating walls, floors, or ceilings in finished areas that are exposed to view.” An escutcheon plate is the disc around a plumbing pipe or a fixture handle at the wall that seals the opening, and they are primarily intended to cover the ragged edges for a neater installation.

    But an eschutcheon plate also serves two other purposes that are safety-related:1) By sealing the small gap around a pipe at the wall, it keeps roaches and other insects from hiding and nesting in the wall, and 2) The escutcheon plates at bathtubs and showers seal the openings to keep splashed or dripping water from getting into the wall and causing wood rot and mold.

    Go to our article What is an escutcheon plate? to learn more. 

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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about PLUMBING PIPES:

• How can I protect my pipes to keep them from bursting during a hard winter freeze in North Florida?

• Can galvanized steel pipe still be used for new water lines in a house? 

• How can I tell if I have cast iron pipes in my house? 

• Why can't a sanitary tee be used for a horizontal-to-horizontal drain pipe connection? 

• What is the difference between green and white sewer drain pipes?

• Is a washing machine drain hose required to be secured at the standpipe?

• What are the abandoned pipes sticking out of the wall in my house?  

• What are the code requirements for plumbing vent terminations?

• What are the code requirements for layout of drain piping under sinks?

• What causes a gurgling sound when a bathtub or sink drains? 

• What is a "combination waste and vent" in a plumbing system? 

• What is a building trap?  

• What is the difference between water service pipe and water supply pipe? 

• What are the pipes on my roof? 

• How can I find out what type of water pipe runs underground from the water meter to the house (service pipe)?

• What is a P-trap?

• Why is old galvanized steel water pipe a problem for homebuyers?

• What does polybutylene pipe look like? Why is it a problem? 

• Which water pipes are an insurance problem and possibly uninsurable?

• Can you connect CPVC pipe directly to a gas water heater?  

     Visit our PLUMBING page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.