Features of sanitary sealants

Every man at least once in his life was engaged in the installation of sanitary equipment. Everyone knows that with water, in general, difficult to cope. And therefore it constantly flows somewhere, pipes drip and so on. Previously, to seal various kinds of gaps in sewer pipes, they used such things as cement and rags. The bottom line was that the pipe joints were simply wrapped with rags, after which it was smeared with cement mortar. But this method was not only rather dirty. Its effectiveness also left much to be desired.

Just a couple of decades ago, the gaps between plumbing fixtures and walls were smeared with various kinds of mastic or grout. The mentioned substances cannot be called bad, but by their properties they are significantly inferior to the current sealants, which are very easy to work with, and which provide excellent quality connections. It should be said that the sanitary sealant itself is viscous and tight, which makes it possible to form an extremely tight joint at the point of abutment. Plumbing sealant has a large scope. It is used to seal various compounds, and not only in the bathroom. And it is also used in the kitchen. They are treated with pipe joints. Sometimes used as an alternative to glue.

Sealants differ a great variety. Each of them has its own special and unique properties.We will try to talk about all types of sealants that are in our days.

The first category, which should be mentioned, are sealing type tapes. They, as a rule, are either foiled or conventional and are intended to seal the connections of various water and sewage pipes and pipelines. They are created on the basis of polymeric substances. The term of use of this option can be up to 40 years.

Another interesting option is polymer sealants. They are used to handle sewage joints and water supply systems. They are a great solution for the reason that they are universal and can be used to work with literally everything. Such material is made on the basis of rubber, which allows it to have excellent elasticity and good adhesive properties. Silicone sealant will be from the same series. Silicone solution is by far the most reliable.

It should be said that they can be:

• neutral;
• acidic.

The first category has no acids in its composition.that does not allow him to destroy the pipe. This greatly expands the possibilities of its use.At the same time, such a sealant is more expensive. And the acid variants have excellent quality at a fairly affordable price. However, they are suitable not for all surfaces, but with some they can enter into various reactions of a chemical nature.

The third category of sealants is technical sulfur. It is created during the processing of various petroleum products and is implemented in the form of lumps or powder. This option would be an excellent solution for seam sealing on cast iron pipes. An additional advantage would be low cost. Sulfur is a hard, but at the same time brittle pipe sealant that needs to be used correctly.

The next option is portland cement. This option is made from calcium silicate, clinker and gypsum. To use it, you must dilute it with water. When you get the paste, you can start using it. This option perfectly seals pipe joints and can be a great solution if you need sealing and other connections.

The next type is epoxy resin., which is a liquid universal glue. That she received good sealing properties, it is mixed with a hardener.To use this resin is very convenient if you accurately and accurately follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

And also often bitumen mastics are used as sanitary sealant in recent years. Especially interesting will be mastic based on bitumen and rubber, as well as bitumen and polymeric substances. This waterproof option will be a great solution when working in an apartment or bathroom. If we talk specifically about pipes, then this moisture-resistant version would be an excellent solution for polypropylene pipes and pipes made on PVC-based.

Another view, which you want to mention, hemp, as well as jute ropes. They are excellent for sealing joints on pipes made of cast iron or ceramic. Such materials are available and very easy to use. At the same time, modern sealants are still inferior in performance.

Among other characteristics of the sealant, users often do not pay attention to such a feature as color. Everything seems to be not such a significant category, but if the seam to be sealed is in a rather prominent place, then the wrong choice of sealant in the color scheme can disrupt the entire aesthetic component of the bathroom interior or any other room.

Typically, the color range that sealants may have is this:

• if it is universal, it will be exclusively white;
• if universal, but silicone-based, then it can be both white and transparent;
• neutral version can be either black or gray, brown, white, transparent;
• acrylic sealants are exclusively white;
• sanitary are white and transparent;
• Parquet solutions may have a color that matches the color of the floorboard.

The color of this material should be given attention, because the repair should be not only durable and of high quality, but also at least neat and aesthetic. In addition, today there are categories of sealants that can be painted with paints or varnishes, so you can get almost any color by simply hiding the seam. This option will also be interesting for people who are not satisfied with the colors of sealants proposed by manufacturers. But most people prefer colorless solutions.

It also plays a role on what basis the sealant is made. If it is silicone, then simply paint it simply will not work.If we are talking about acrylic, then a person can paint it yourself. To do this, just need to pick up a roller with a brush, and you can start painting. This substance simply absorbs the paint, and it can not be distinguished from the entire painted surface.

Note that you can use a variety of sealants in a large number of spheres of human life. But it would be best to say where one or another category is used, which will allow you to more clearly understand which category of substance can be used in a particular issue.

If we talk about silicone sealants, they have a rather large scope of use. So, they are irreplaceable at installation of bathroom equipment beginning from cranes and finishing with installation of a toilet bowl. And it will also be an indispensable solution for sealing joints between a wall, a sink, a kitchen worktop, a bathtub, a sink, and so on. In general, they can be used in the water sphere and any other related to it.Due to the fact that modern sealants have pronounced antiseptic properties, they can be used when sealing windows, glass inserts in interior doors, to prevent the formation of mold. By the way, sometimes silicone sealant is used for cable laying as an alternative to the so-called liquid nails.

It should not be forgotten that a sealant can be used to seal joints only after you have become convinced that it can withstand exposure to natural and anthropogenic factors. To do this, you need to pay attention to its characteristics, which are indicated on the packaging, as well as the year of manufacture of the product. After all, it is known that sealants, whose useful life has expired, significantly lose their properties.

Consider how to choose a quality sealant that will achieve the necessary goals and complete the tasks. To begin with, even before going to a specialty store, you should clearly understand in what conditions and where the product in question will be used.If we are talking about a bathroom, then be sure to buy a water-resistant and water-repellent composition. If we are talking about a field made of wood, then it should be as flexible as possible, and it should not contain any solvents or substances of this type.

Also, before buying a sealant for use in the home, it is better to pay attention to a few points.

• Where this composition can be used - with external or exclusively for internal work, or in both versions at once.
• In which works it can be used - window, plumbing, roofing or some other.

• For what categories of surfaces is intended.
• The characteristics of elasticity that it has.
• Color composition. Can it be painted, or, conversely, it can not be painted, so that its elasticity characteristics are not reduced.
• What type of sealant: household or professional. The latter can only be intended for a person employed in the construction industry and clearly understands how this particular composition can be used.
• Operating temperature composition. That is, can the solution be used in the climatic conditions of the region where you are going to use it.

Even following these minimal tips will give you the opportunity to find a quality and interesting solution for your home.

How to work with anaerobic adhesives, sealants, see the following video.