Proper caulk for sealing holes around hot water pipes?

10 years ago

Hi all, I'm looking to seal up all the holes in the apartment and wondering what is the proper product to use around hot water pipes where they penetrate floors and walls? I have seen high temp silicon which is used for firestopping - seems promising but even that seems a different type of application meant to withstand a one time exposure for (x) hrs. This is sustained contact with 180deg (i think) heat. Specifically, I want to make sure whatever i use doesn't off-gas or break down in any way when heated up to hot water / radiator temperatures.
Thanks in advance for any advise!

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The Home Super

8 years ago

Then did you just stop by to let me know that? Am sure more people look for the same answer and what is wrong with just sharing!!!

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Comments (12)

kudzu9
10 years ago
How do you know it is 180 degree heat?
geoffrey_b
10 years ago
You can pack the gaps with fiberglass insulation.
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dkenny
10 years ago
standard Silicon caulk is fine..180F is not high..
fire rated caulks are 400-500F
energy_rater_la
10 years ago
You can pack the gaps with fiberglass insulation.

what??
Bruce in Northern Virginia
10 years ago
Home Depot carries caulk in a tube for the caulk gun that is designed for patching chimneys and fireplaces. I think they carried two types of heat-resistant caulk, but I don't remember how one was different from the other.

Bruce
geoffrey_b
10 years ago
@energy rater: "You can pack the gaps with fiberglass insulation"

Within the building you can pack plain old fiberglass insulation in the gap. What's wrong with that? It's approved for fire stop.

Silly to use silicon insulation. Besides, I bet that pipe is more like 130 degrees.
energy_rater_la
10 years ago
dkenny has the right idea.

goeffery, the op is sealing holes.
packed fiberglass doesn't stop air movement,
it only slows it. fiberglass does have fire rating,
but has no sealing properties.

silicon would be the right sealant for this opening.

best of luck.
PRO
The Home Super
8 years ago
Most silicones have a temperature resistance and can be used around the mentioned pipes but there are other factors that also are not being discussed and I won't go into detail but rather will just advice you on how to get a better seal on those gaps.

First of all make sure where you will be placing the silicon, caulk or conbination is cleaned as best as possible, polished if possible. Nothing loose. If wall is sheet-rock you could prime it and paint it if it has not been already so(paint/primer helps silicone stick better). Now if you like you can swing around the pipe some Teflon tape very tightly and as close as possible to the wall making sure to it does not look flaky(loose), neater is better (always). Now you can start to inject(penetrate) the silicone or calk into the gaps and make sure you push into as much as posibble into the gap and surround the neatly placed Teflon tape on the pipe as well. Now you should have a longer lasting(nothing is eternal) seal.
millworkman
8 years ago
Two years ago Super, sure they figured something out by now.........
millworkman
8 years ago
Yeah, that must be it.
Vith
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Fireblock caulking is designed for sealing utility penetrations between floors/walls. It might be a good idea in an apartment dealing with different tenants for fire/smoke mitigation.