Winter’s icy chill is fast approaching; is your home or office building ready for it? How will you keep those seemingly sub-Arctic wind chills out of your space? Our solution: a full product line of weather-resistant silicone and sealants!

At Chemical Concepts, we know it’s no fun being left in the cold. A drafty office can lead to an unproductive staff as well. Take a look at a few of our sealer options and decide which is right for your home, office, or warehouse.

Silicones are known as polysiloxanes, a polymer that includes any inert, synthetic compound. Typically they are heat resistant, water resistant and weather resistant.  Silicones form water tight seals and does not support microbiological growth (mold).  They have the ability of repelling water and extreme temperatures and are resistant to Ultraviolet light.

Acetoxy Cure Silicones

Acetoxy cure silicones are one part sealers which release acetic acid while they cure in the presence of atmospheric moisture to produce a durable and flexible silicone rubber. This leads to the recognizably strong vinegar-like smell. Despite the smell, the fast cure time makes acetoxy silicones ideal sealants for indoor residential and commercial projects.

Because of the acetic acid released during the curing process, acetoxy silicones can cause problems if used on certain surfaces.  They can cause discoloration on natural stone or corrosion on certain metals. For this reason, neutral cure silicones can be the best option for sensitive surfaces.

However, acetoxy silicones can be ideal for sealing the inside of windowpanes or anywhere indoors where cool air may leak in and cause discomfort. They are not ideal for weatherproofing, so interior application is always preferable.

Features include:

• Meet Green Building standards,
• VOC compliant and waterproof
• Seals windows and doors
• Low thermal conductivity
• Low chemical reactivity
• Low toxicity
• Chemically stable and shows little change in physical properties after exposure to sunlight, rain, snow, ozone temperature extremes
• Nonflammable

Neutral Cure Silicones

Neutral cure silicones are exactly as they sound: sealants which release alcohol or another non-acidic substance whilst curing. This type of sealant has little to no odor during or after application, making it an ideal candidate for residential or commercial sealing.

Neutral cure silicones tend to work best on sensitive surfaces, since they will not react with the composition of any surface. They do take longer to cure because of this property; however, this gives neutral cure silicones better adhesion and weatherproofing properties than traditional acetoxy silicones.

Neutral cure silicones are generally a superior option for external applications such as around the outside of doorways or between strips of siding on a home. However, neutral cure silicones are generally pricier than acetoxy silicones, making the latter the sealant of choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and other internal sealing applications.

Features include:

• Moisture cure
• Non-sag
• Cures at room temperature to form a tough, high modulus rubber that is long lasting and durable
• Has an excellent resistance to weathering including ozone, ultraviolet radiation, freeze-thaw conditions and airborne chemicals.

Polyurethane-Based Sealant

An industrial-grade sealant such as Sikaflex-1a is perfect for weatherproofing a drafty home or warehouse. Its high viscosity allows for vertical and horizontal joint sealing, and can even be used under submerged conditions.

The high elasticity of polyurethane-based sealants helps its excellent resistance to aging and weathering, and it even bonds to most construction materials without a primer. Cold chills don’t stand a chance this winter when your doors and windows are sealed up tight!

Keeping out the cold has never been easier with our full range of weather-resistant silicones and sealants. Need help deciding which one is best for your project? Our representatives are here to help! Give us a call, toll-free, at 1-800-220-1966 or send us an email at sales@chemical-concepts.com. We look forward to hearing from you!