Apr
24
A Quick Word About Silicone Grease
April 24, 2007 |
Silicone grease is the preferred water tight lubricant for all rubber and vinyl o-rings used on and in water treatment equipment. Whether you’re changing a filter cartridge or attaching a control valve to a media tank, the o-rings are much more apt to perform better with some type of lubricant. Also, the manufacturers of water treatment devices recommend a silicone based lubricant and warn against petrolium based products. The petrolium base products can and will deform o-ring seals and are also eventually washed away by water, which is a natural solvent.
While having a cookout at a friend’s house over the weekend, I noticed that his sliding door was difficult to move. I had the same problem with mine and used some of this silicone lubricant that I use on filters and softeners. It fixed mine right up so I told him about it and that he could get some from our web site. I’ve looked around extensively and have been unable to find any in the local hardware/plumbing/home improvement stores. But when I told him how much it cost, he scoffed at the price. Now we here at WaterValue.com take our pricing very seriously and I was concerned at the value of the lubricant, so I did some more checking around. No, I was unable to find this stuff anywhere except online and they were asking over $20 for a 1.5 ounce tube! We have the 5.3 ounce tube for less than $20 so the initial investment is sound, but I also realized that I have had my tube of silicone grease for more than 4 years and it is still more than 3/4 full. Not only does it have dozens of uses, it can handle very wide temperature changes. It does not freeze or melt as easily as petrolium based products.
Silicone grease is my personal term for it but the industry refers to it as a “release agent” or “Dow Corning #7 Release Agent”. Be sure to check it out on our Softener Parts page under Miscellaneous.
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