A silicone based sealant carries a longer term warranty ranging from 10 to 20 years as opposed to the standard 5 year urethane warranty which is common in the industry. The effects of breakdown of silicone and polyurethane depend on the sealants chemical makeup.
Sealant Performance And Compatibility The Great Disconnect
Urethane vs silicone sealant. By choosing silicones with longer term warranties the life cycle cost of sealing your building could be greatly re duced. Astm c920 federal tt s 001543 astm d 5893. Why is sealant chemistry important. The simple answer is this. By choosing silicones with longer term warranties the life cycle coat of sealing your building could be greatly reduced. The more common tests applied to silicones and urethane sealants are.
Uv stability and reversion. The primary difference is at the chemical level. The testing standards required may vary by sealant chemistry silicone or urethane. Polyurethane is an organic material. A silicone based sealant carries a longer te rm warranty ranging from 2 to 4 times as many years as opposed to a common urethane warranty. This building required a sealant with high uv stability flexibility over a wide temperature range and the ability to accommodate extreme joint movement.
Polyurethane however becomes even harder to apply and does not make a permanent bond when the temperatures are low. Example there is far better uv resistance in urethane sealants compared to what existed when the building was constructed. Building specifications often dictate that a sealant meet particular testing standards. Silicone is an inorganic material. Silicone remains flexible unlike the polyurethane. The cold does not affect application.
After careful consideration it was determined that a silicone sealant. Silicone is the best sealant for the colder temperatures.