Caulking??????

D

David Saulque

Senior Moderator
Where are you people buying your caulking ? We were buying it from Home Depot. Have been told that because of EPA issues they will not carry this item. I know it's not NFPA fire rated, however I can't find a supplier of ether.

David
 
Are you saying that home depot will not carry any caulking or just the kind you have been using. I would like to find a supplier for the fire rated stuff myself. I have seen some McDonalds ducts where it had been used, but it always just falls off when you hit with any pressure. Maybe it wasn't applied correctly.
 
For years we have been buying Dap Butyl Flex-gray? The store Home D. states they will not carry the item because of ECO issues. I sent DAP a Email-will advise on reply.

I asked if they make a fire rated item.

David
 
Dap reply:

The information that you were provided is correct.

DAP still produces butyl caulk, however because of local regulation, cannot
sell it in California.

The California Air Resources Board ( CARB) has banned the sale of several
construction materials, one of which is butyl caulking.

The replacement for Butyl Caulking is DAP Sidewinder.

SideWinder is an advanced polymer formula siding and window sealant.
 
David, Did DAP give you any specs? It sounds like "Sidewinder" is not a high temperature rated product.
 
Grant

Didn't give any rated products-what do you use?

David
 
I have used automotive silicone sealant, but it is only rated to 650 degrees. It will not withstand the 2,000 to 3,000 degrees generated by fire. The cleaning chemical, grease and hot water will also degrade the stuff. My copy of the NFPA 2003 Buyers Guide does list about 30 companies under "Fire Stop".and about 25 under "Fireproofing". When I get a bit of time, I will look at some of them to see if any meet our needs.

I will be having a class in the use of the products. The class will be hands-on, followed by a test. the cost of hte class will be $2000. Equipment will be offered for sale for an additional $500.00. Lifetime certifiacations will be issued for those who complete the class. If you are too cheap to come to Baker City, I will offer a mail order class for only $500.00. This class will also include certification. If you have already received training elsewhere, I will certifiy you for $250.00



Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc
 
How bout an online class for $75?
 
I will also be selling caulking gun permits. There is a discount for members of the National Caulking Gun Association. If you voted for Ted Kennedy, Clinton (either one), Schumer or Feinstein, permits are not available.

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc
 
Seems that hood maufactures are cheaping up their product. We notice that Captive Air has been using alot more caulk instead of hemming the seem that caulk the seam. Well we all know what happens when the exhaust cleaners pressure wash this area. I called Captive Air and ask them what the product was they were using, (SCS1000). We have had alot of customers ask us to replace the caulk. We do this at no charge but we do roll this time into the cleaning time for evaluation purposes at a later date.
 
Pardon my ignorance, but does caulk, even High temp caulk meet standards. I know the code says water tight, which I guess you could say a good thorough caulking job could be water tight. At least as water tight as those seemless welds always are.
I just don't think you could consider caulking permanent.
There is nothing better than blowing big strips of caulking out of the duct. I really like it when they hang up on the fusible link and you have to climb up and get them.
 
7.4.3.2 Access panels shall have a gasket or sealant that is rated for 815.6°C (1500°F) and shall be greasetight.
 
7.5.2.1 All seams, joints, penetrations, and duct-to-hood collar connections shall have a liquidtight continuous external weld.
 
Two points
1) NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) requires that the caulking of the seam between the splash panel and hood (and other areas in the hood) be a food grade silicone product.
2) There is no caulk that qualifies as sealant for access panels because none go to 1500F.
And be careful using "Firestop" products. Generally they are intumecient (sic) which means that they will swell up if heated. Their purpose is to close any gaps that might exist in a building with fire rated walls (like where plumbing chases go through a wall).
If you are putting this stuff on an access panel that is screwed on (a no-no but what can you do) then there is a good chance that when the firestop swells in a fire, it will pull the access panel away from the duct (not a good idea).

That was actually 3 but who's counting
 
Phil

Now what do we do-use nothing to seal the doors?

David
 
David,

When we find a door that is non-compliant, border-line on getting us in trouble or blamed for something we didn't do, (leaks, screw will not go back in the duct), we write on our ticket that this door needs to be replaced and the door they have is non-copliant with the current NFPA 96 standard for access doors. We might still caulk the door but it is "per the customers request" and the "door is non-compliant and should be replaced before the next cleaning".
 
And how often does that door get replaced before the next cleaning? Do you adjust your price if you don't open the panels and clean the duct?
May I suggest that if you know the panel will leak you do a little prep work first to contain the leak, instead of just ignoring the panel altogether. I think the argument " the panel was non compliant so we didn't touch it " would not hold up in court.

We make note of this kind of stuff, but unless it gets ridiculous we just deal with it.

Just my 2 cents, not telling you how to run your business.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top