Fire cement is crap nowadays ?

scudo2

Anybody else notice that fire cement nowadays is of poor quality ?

Feels the same, goes on well.
But after a year or two it just turnes to powder.
Oil boilers and flues.

Old stuff lasted for years. 20+

Wearb

scudo2 wrote: »

Anybody else notice that fire cement nowadays is of poor quality ?

Feels the same, goes on well.
But after a year or two it just turnes to powder.
Oil boilers and flues.

Old stuff lasted for years. 20+

On a few customers (or should that be clients ) that I have, I have to seal the stainless flue into the clay-lined chimney (they wont line it properly). I have to break the fire cement each time to clean the bottom of the chimney and the SS part of the flue. The fire cement needs lots of good bangs to break it up, but this is after a year or 15 months and it might be different if it was left for a lot longer.
That's my only experience of it Scudo, for what its worth.

Dtp1979

scudo2 wrote: »

Anybody else notice that fire cement nowadays is of poor quality ?

Feels the same, goes on well.
But after a year or two it just turnes to powder.
Oil boilers and flues.

Old stuff lasted for years. 20+

Ye ive noticed that too. As they say, they don't make em like they used to

gctest50

no asbestos in it anymore ?
http://www.mesothelioma-attorney.com/mesothelioma-law/asbestos-bankruptcy-trusts/Rutland-Fire-Clay-Company

DANNY2014

scudo2 wrote: »

Anybody else notice that fire cement nowadays is of poor quality ?

Feels the same, goes on well.
But after a year or two it just turnes to powder.
Oil boilers and flues.

Old stuff lasted for years. 20+

Truth to it I put some around a stove pipe about 3 years ago and have replaced since and lately I can see bits breaking off again... Used the ready mixed stuff...

crock!

Its not great now.i use the one in the tube not the tub

BobLeeSwagger

Agreed with you there. Used they stuff out of the tub around the stainless flue coming out of the top of the boiler last year and it just cracked and fell away since. I got a 'flexi' type fire cement in the tube made by Evo-Stik and put it in on Wednesday. See how long it will last.

scudo2

Where ever possible I now use high temp. silicon.
Great tack.
Many varieties of temp.

I was just curious to other guys experience, I've tried different brands of fire cement but it's not as durable as it use to be.
Why ?

Dtp1979

scudo2 wrote: »

Where ever possible I now use high temp. silicon.
Great tack.
Many varieties of temp.

I was just curious to other guys experience, I've tried different brands of fire cement but it's not as durable as it use to be.
Why ?

So we go and buy more every year.

scudo2

Its the internal boiler safety issue that worries me.
A sealed flue normally means boiler will stifle itself if flue gets a birds nest.
I hate flue potential leakage, espicaly as I might not be called back for a few years, if ever.
Normally use rope and silicon now.

Dtp1979

scudo2 wrote: »

Its the internal boiler safety issue that worries me.
A sealed flue normally means boiler will stifle itself if flue gets a birds nest.
I hate flue potential leakage, espicaly as I might not be called back for a few years, if ever.
Normally use rope and silicon now.

I remember reading a thread here a year ago where someone said to mix tech7 and fire cement together. Don't think I'd chance it though

jimf

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I remember reading a thread here a year ago where someone said to mix tech7 and fire cement together. Don't think I'd chance it though

that was me and I used it on the flue on my own boiler about 3years ago and its still there as good as day 1

scudo2

jimf wrote: »

that was me and I used it on the flue on my own boiler about 3years ago and its still there as good as day 1

Done by a "Competent" person !

Chancers !!!

jimf

scudo2 wrote: »

Done by a "Competent" person !

Chancers !!!

if that's a compliment thanks scudo :o:o

Tails142

Yes also had this problem with fire cement turning to powder and falling away from a stove flue and oil burner flue.

Dtp1979

jimf wrote: »

that was me and I used it on the flue on my own boiler about 3years ago and its still there as good as day 1

What kinda mix did you use jim? Also was it your own idea and what is it like today? Is it still rock solid?

Sir Arthur Daley

Would it drying out too quickly cause premature failure?

scudo2

High temp silicon is:
300
500
700
Degrees


Drop in the ocean price wise.

jimf

Dtp1979 wrote: »

What kinda mix did you use jim? Also was it your own idea and what is it like today? Is it still rock solid?

it was out of total frustration I tried it I was pissed off fire cement lasting a year if lucky

nothing too technical about the mix ( a bit like wearb Christmas concoction )
id say at a guess about 50/50

still as good today approx. 3years later

maybe the tech7 holds the fire cement together and the fire cement protects the tech7 all I know it worked for me patent pending

Dtp1979

jimf wrote: »

it was out of total frustration I tried it I was pissed off fire cement lasting a year if lucky

nothing too technical about the mix ( a bit like wearb Christmas concoction )
id say at a guess about 50/50

still as good today approx. 3years later

maybe the tech7 holds the fire cement together and the fire cement protects the tech7 all I know it worked for me patent pending

What fire cement did you use and what colour was the tech7

corkgsxr

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I remember reading a thread here a year ago where someone said to mix tech7 and fire cement together. Don't think I'd chance it though

Grand way to stick your fingers together.

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Would it drying out too quickly cause premature failure?

Yep. Leave overnight then very small fire. Leave cool then away.

scudo2 wrote: »

High temp silicon is:
300
500
700
Degrees


Drop in the ocean price wise.

Big variations in heat. I find it hard to get good stuff.

I use the ceramic stuff that comes in a tube. Never had a issue and its not dear either

jimf

Dtp1979 wrote: »

What fire cement did you use and what colour was the tech7

black tech7 and evo stik 1200 fire cement

BobLeeSwagger

scudo2 wrote: »

High temp silicon is:
300
500
700
Degrees


Drop in the ocean price wise.

The Evo-Stik high temp silicone I used was 1200 degree rated but it was the only one on the shelf that said it was a flexible sealant. Most of the others just claimed fire cement in a tube.

scudo2

BobLeeSwagger wrote: »

The Evo-Stik high temp silicone I used was 1200 degree rated but it was the only one on the shelf that said it was a flexible sealant. Most of the others just claimed fire cement in a tube.

For my normal work, oil boilers, I don't need very high temp. 1200 silicon.

I'm just peed off having to replace so much fire cement.
Which is putting lives at risk if its not a perement seal nowadays.

BobLeeSwagger

Yeah anything above 300 degrees for an oil boiler should be grand. I understand what you are saying.
I must take a pics of the old fire cement and the new stuff in place. It doesnt feel too flexi if I'm honest but there probably will be more give to it as the pipe heats up.

sky6

I never thought of it like that but I have to agree it little better than useless. I used it on a Fireplace 15 months ago and it's falling out now.
Done a similar job an another fireplace in 1988 and it's still there working away no cracks no problems.
Has anyone spoken to the manufacturers.?

DANNY2014

sky6 wrote: »

Has anyone spoken to the manufacturers.?

Sure if it didn't break up ppl wouldn't have to replace it... It's like everything nowadays there isn't proper quality anything been made... Manufacturers wouldn't care it's all about making things cheap and mass produced...