The Uses Of Silicone Caulking. The silicone caulking now used by builders and manufacturers is probably vastly superior to that used by our ancestors. However, it is marvelous to consider that ancient seafarers must have caulked their boats with some substances as they navigated across oceans to new continents long before the advent of writing. Some kind of substance must have been used to keep sea water from seeping though planks into boats.
In modern usage, when the word is used as an adjective silicone means an inert synthetic compound. Having the qualities of flexibility, water and heat resistance, among others it is useful in a wide variety of building and manufacturing situations. However, when used on its own, the word may also refer to one of the elements.
Although water is the most essential substance on earth there are places where it is not needed. In the built environment there are many situations in which the film between wetness and dryness needs to be absolute. For example, modern bathrooms need to be dry and clean but water must be immediately and readily available in quantities. The presence of electrical appliances in places where water is abundant emphasizes the importance of adequate caulking.
The persistence of water is demonstrated in natural water courses where its propensity to follow lines of least resistance carves courses through mountains. In bathrooms, where it must flow, it characteristically seeks ways through and out, often finding ways through the joints between pipes. Unsightly mold and mildew can grow where water seeps. Good builders are careful to ensure that water flows only where it is needed on tap.
In kitchens and other parts of a house caulk is also used to prevent weathering, It can be applied around doors, windows and counter tops to seal and secure domestic situations. Its industrial applications in interior and exterior applications are so innumerable and varied that they defy listing.
Some types of silicone caulking are safe for use in places where food is prepared. Others are suitable for exterior or industrial use only. This distinction demonstrates how important it is to read labels and follow guidelines in the modern built environment. Water is ubiquitous and so must be the chemical barriers between wet and dry.
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