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robhouston
join:2001-09-15
Bluffton, SC

robhouston

Member

Furnace Gasket Material??

I'm in the process of swapping out a failed draft inducer for a 20-year old York furnace. The draft inducer has a thin, white felt-like gasket material between the draft inducer blower assembly and heat exchanger box. Unfortunately, this material was in very bad shape, and it completely disintegrated when I removed the old draft inducer.

Do any of the experts here know what this material really is, and where I might be able to get it, perhaps online? Instead of this felt material, can I use a high temperature caulk like RTV or automotive high-temperature gasket caulk? Will that make any difference operationally, other than it will be a bear to get the draft inducer off in the future?

Thanks very much!

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin

Mod

It was probably something made to replace asbestos. I think the high temp RTV would be fine. Follow RTV directions regarding tightening of the bolts. It won't be that difficult to get it back apart.
lutful
... of ideas
Premium Member
join:2005-06-16
Ottawa, ON

lutful to robhouston

Premium Member

to robhouston
I saw similar high temp felt material around the entry point of the oven heating element and also stuffed in between the outer/inner walls. Maybe you can get some from a discarded oven.

Also those fiberglass gaskets repair kits for oven doors come with "gasket glue" which is supposedly good upto 1000F.
See for example:
»www.canadiantire.ca/AST/ ··· ocale=en

Coma
Thanks Steve
Premium Member
join:2001-12-30
NirvanaLand

Coma to robhouston

Premium Member

to robhouston
quote:
The draft inducer has a thin, white felt-like gasket material between the draft inducer blower assembly and heat exchanger box. Unfortunately, this material was in very bad shape, and it completely disintegrated when I removed the old draft inducer.

Do any of the experts here know what this material really is, and where I might be able to get it, perhaps online?
Most likely it's made out of fiberglass which is off the shelf material.
robhouston
join:2001-09-15
Bluffton, SC

robhouston

Member

No, Coma, it's definitely not fiberglas. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
robhouston

robhouston to robbin

Member

to robbin
Thanks, robbin, that's the approach I'm going to take with it.

Thanks again!
robhouston

robhouston to lutful

Member

to lutful
Lutful:

Thanks for the suggestion. I really don't have to find this material in an old oven. I think the RTV is a better approach than glue, which I'm guessing is too thin to really seal the draft inducer housing to the heat exchanger.

Thanks again.

Lurch77
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

Lurch77 to robhouston

Premium Member

to robhouston
The thin, white felt like gasket you found is indeed made of fiberglass. But it is not the wire inserted type. As suggested, without a replacement gasket, high temp sealant will work fine.
robhouston
join:2001-09-15
Bluffton, SC

robhouston

Member

Lurch77:

I've just discovered that this material is kaowool (NOT fiberglass), which is made from kaolin (a type of clay) heated at a high temperature and made into fibers, then woven into a felt-like material. It handles high temps and is often used to line furnaces.

Since I don't have any kaowool, I assembled the new draft inducer to the heat exchanger using RTV, and all is good now.

Thanks for the response!

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin

Mod

"Kao Wool is the original asbestos replacement material invented by Babcock and Wilcox."

»www.piehtoolco.com/conte ··· 356.html
robhouston
join:2001-09-15
Bluffton, SC

robhouston

Member

Yep-----that's it, but it was a very thin piece in my furnace, probably about 1/8" thick.

Lurch77
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

Lurch77 to robhouston

Premium Member

to robhouston
Just looked up what you are talking about, and that is not the gasket material I was referencing. What you have there is often used in oil burners and large boiler systems as well, as refactory insulation. There are very similar gasket materials that are ceramic or fiberglass, I assumed that is what you were referencing.