Old Dicor lap sealant tube?

[Isaac-1]

Would you use 5 year old Dicor Self leveling sealant for flashing around vent, not around screw holes? I am installing a new refrigerator vent cover and only have 1 caulking gun tube of in date (2 year shelf life) Dicor self leveling sealant, but have a couple of tubes still sealed that are about 5 years old. Should I use them or wait several days to get more shipped here, nowhere locally sells the stuff.

 

[Kirk]

I'm not sure what the age would do to the contents but since I have an aversion to leaks, I'd probably get some new and find something else to use the 5-year-old stuff for.

 

[Professor David]

Probably best to get a new tube but I too don't like to waste anything. Actually, kind of a hard call. If you open the 5 year old tube and it seems to flow out easily/well (like a newer tube of sealant) from the caulk gun then it's probably still good? However, it's possible that it has lost something important with time like adhesion properties or something else...even though it is still very pliable. Most tubes of sealants that old tend to harden up /dry out with time even if they haven't been opened. As Kirk said, it's very important for this application to not leak...I would get a new tube...plus you don't want to find out later it didn't work well and have to do the job again.

 

[TheBar]

If it looks new when you open it it should be ok. It would last 5 years years on a roof so it should last much longer in the tube.

 

[Onyrlef]

I've never had much luck with old tubes of caulk, adhesive, etc. of any kind. If however it's coming out of the nozzle as it normally would, I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

 

[whiteva]

Old tubes of caulk and half cans of spray paint that just dribbles out always make me ask "why did i Even keep them"
As for the caulk I put a long nail inside and tape up the end, then date the tube. After 6 months just throw it away.
After using spray paint I remove the nozzle and clean by spraying through it with carburetor cleaner, then place the nozzle inside the cap. I have found cans of paint years old that spray just fine.

 

[JaycoLovers]

I opened a tube last year that I've had for a few years to use to help secure my solar cables to the roof. I don't know if the cables flop around or not with the air moving over/around them, but thought they'd be better if secured...anyways, when I opened the tube, I found the sealant had separated...a thin, milky liquid ran out ahead of a thicker bead of sealant. The result was the Dicor did not adhere to the roof very well (I cleaned the roof location with the proper cleaner before applying the Dicor).

 

[Professor David]

I opened a tube last year that I've had for a few years to use to help secure my solar cables to the roof. I don't know if the cables flop around or not with the air moving over/around them, but thought they'd be better if secured...anyways, when I opened the tube, I found the sealant had separated...a thin, milky liquid ran out ahead of a thicker bead of sealant. The result was the Dicor did not adhere to the roof very well (I cleaned the roof location with the proper cleaner before applying the Dicor).

Interesting

 

[Professor David]

Isaac, Any follow up at this time?

 

[SMR]

I put my opened sealant tubes in food saver bags, always good to go when I need them. I make the bags larger than they need to be so I can reuse them.
I also put a screw in the tube to keep the sealant from coming out.

 

[Isaac-1]

Isaac, Any follow up at this time?

No real followup yet, project has became more extensive than originally planned, still ongoing, but I ended up not needing to use the old Dicor due to the project timeline being extended.

 

[gwinger]

I put a flap of Gorilla tape over the open end and store the tube vertically with the nozzle up.

 

[ruggb]

Self leveling sealant is meant for a flat horizontal surface. Is that where the vent cover is? I believe that it will run if it is on a vertical surface.

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

I opened a tube last year that I've had for a few years to use to help secure my solar cables to the roof. I don't know if the cables flop around or not with the air moving over/around them, but thought they'd be better if secured...anyways, when I opened the tube, I found the sealant had separated...a thin, milky liquid ran out ahead of a thicker bead of sealant. The result was the Dicor did not adhere to the roof very well (I cleaned the roof location with the proper cleaner before applying the Dicor).

I would use Eternabond tape for a secure covering over the cables. Can't see even fresh Dicor doing the job.

I have used old, but probably not 5 years old, Dicor, and it has worked well. That stuff seems to stay pliable in the tube and flows, unlike all the caulks and sealants we have thrown out when we didn't finish a tube.