Furnace cement cracks and falls out.

I've had to reseal my 520 twice this year. I woke up this morning to the carbon monoxide alarm going off. I checked my base seal and cover seals all are cracked and falling off. I resealed them until I get home tonight and finish up but don't worry nobody's home and it's a single home and the detector will sound if there is a problem. Am I using the wrong stuff to seal my boiler I noticed at Lowes there is a fiber glass sealer and is a little more expensive should I be using this instead? I love the boiler but this is a serious problem and I don't want me and my family to wake up dead one morning because I didn't hear the detector alarming. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Bill S.

Use Hi Temp Silicone or Copper Seal RTV from an Auto Parts Store, some of them go up to 1000-1200 degrees.

BillMarti wrote:I've had to reseal my 520 twice this year. I woke up this morning to the carbon monoxide alarm going off. I checked my base seal and cover seals all are cracked and falling off. I resealed them until I get home tonight and finish up but don't worry nobody's home and it's a single home and the detector will sound if there is a problem. Am I using the wrong stuff to seal my boiler I noticed at Lowes there is a fiber glass sealer and is a little more expensive should I be using this instead? I love the boiler but this is a serious problem and I don't want me and my family to wake up dead one morning because I didn't hear the detector alarming. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Bill S.

Use Plumbmer's Putty or Boiler putty the putty shound of been put on the base lip before the boiler was sat on it then you go around and fill in the gap's Hi temp silcone will work to also make sure the three plates are sealed the two sides and
back flue plate aswell as where the auger tube goes threw the side of base & the other end going into the bin or drum
also make sure the two door gaskets are in good shape

Yeah, I use Permatex Ultra Copper on everything. Good up to 600°, but I've had it higher. That's all that's holding my barometric damper to this pipe! Strong as hell when it dries.

BillMarti wrote:I've had to reseal my 520 twice this year. I woke up this morning to the carbon monoxide alarm going off. I checked my base seal and cover seals all are cracked and falling off. I resealed them until I get home tonight and finish up but don't worry nobody's home and it's a single home and the detector will sound if there is a problem. Am I using the wrong stuff to seal my boiler I noticed at Lowes there is a fiber glass sealer and is a little more expensive should I be using this instead? I love the boiler but this is a serious problem and I don't want me and my family to wake up dead one morning because I didn't hear the detector alarming. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Bill S.

rutland makes several sealants also some with 800 others with 2000
permetex has many different temp ranges available

whatever you do make sure the co units have good batteries.

i would HATE to wake up dead...... would take a lotta freddies coffee to shake that one off...!!

We supply SOS Boiler putty, made in East Greenville, PA

Stokerman soooooo are you going to send me a tub or do I have to come up to Allentown to buy it ? Or does anybody down by Hatfield sell it.

BillMarti wrote:Stokerman soooooo are you going to send me a tub or do I have to come up to Allentown to buy it ? Or does anybody down by Hatfield sell it.

Do you have a Plumbing & Heating supply house close to you they will have boiler putty or a H.D. or Lowes they sell Plumbmer putty aswell as hi temp silicone

Is plumbers putty the same as boiler putty ?

You cant go wrong using high-temp silicone. Not only for fume containment but it will really keep the dust down also, have done it for alot of people. Border putty no matter what kind always cracks eventually.


R.Y

Plumbers putty is used to seal sinks to the base, it is not for chimneys. Can you post pics of what you're sealing? To recommend a fix depends on how much gap you're sealing.

Freddy wrote:Plumbers putty is used to seal sinks to the base, it is not for chimneys. Can you post pics of what you're sealing? To recommend a fix depends on how much gap you're sealing.

I used it on efm bases all the time mine has been running 18 months and other units for years with no problems there is
not alot of heat at the base where the boiler sits on it the heat is at the top and we are not talking about sealing chimney's Read the mans post

Pa Dealer wrote:You cant go wrong using high-temp silicone. Not only for fume containment but it will really keep the dust down also, have done it for alot of people. Border putty no matter what kind always cracks eventually.


R.Y

It keeps air from leaking out of these units they must be air tight to run correctly Also more important like you said keeps the carbon monoxide gases & sulfer smell from leaking out

I think I'll try the silicone on the base but I don't want to seal the lower 3 plates as of yet. I want to reverse my feed assy. to the right hand side and purchase one of them plastic silos that is used to convert veggie oil to diesel fuel it'll hold a little over a ton. I want to thank you guys once again for coming through on another PITA problem.

Thanks guys
Bill S.

Bill, I use the fire retardant caulking that building inspectors require for plumbing, heating or electrical penetrations. It is good for 1200 degrees, comes in a caulking tube (about 9 bucks, and two tubes will do every opening you need to repair. )
I've put a torch on it and it won't burn, only give off a nasty smell.....so no fear of burning it out in your application.

Get a pair of light duty throw away gloves and caulk you way around the perimeter, smoothing the bead as you would on a sink. I never hardens completely, is striated with some sort of fiber that makes it super strong and flexible. You can easily do around openings, removable side openings, etc and when you need to remove it, sharp putty knife. I've picked up a base and boiler caulked together and they haven't separated yet. I use it on the AA's and AHS's too, simply because it stays flexible, is inspector and fire dept approved and workable when it is applied.

If you have a few tubes left over, we'll send them to Richard for the rebuild. I know he will use them for any mechanical openings he needs to seal, and everyone will sleep better. I know that old balloon framing will be fire-stopped next time.
Thousands of houses here that are framed the same way, even my own was. I gutted the inside (1890 High Posted Cape) and re-framed and fire-stopped between floors. Everyone who works on old house knows the possibility of cellar to attic passageways in these homes. I also did dense-pack cellulose everywhere, so you may have other purposes for this product also.