Old timer told me to always heat the gasket before installing on a high pressure steam line

I was working a shutdown at the plant in Gary last year, replacing a main steam valve. This guy, been doing it for 40 years, told me to warm the new spiral wound gasket with a torch for about 30 seconds before putting it in. He said it makes it seat better. I tried it on that job and it worked great, no leaks. But my current foreman says that's junk advice and can damage the filler material, making it fail faster. He wants it installed clean and cold. Now I'm stuck between two guys I respect. Has anyone else heard this or have a solid opinion on the right way?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_thompson416d ago

That's a tough spot. The old guy's trick might work for that specific gasket material on a hot line, getting it to flex into small gaps. But your foreman has a point about some fillers getting brittle if you overheat them. Did the old timer say what kind of filler was in that spiral wound gasket, like graphite or something else?

blairtaylor16d ago

Honestly, that old school trick is real for certain gaskets. Ran into the same debate on a boiler feed pump. We warmed the graphite filled ones just enough to take the chill off, never to smoking hot. It let the gasket relax into the flange grooves during bolt-up. Never had a comeback leak on those joints. The key is knowing your filler material and not cooking it.

thea_wood8616d ago

Exactly! Gentle warmth on those graphite gaskets makes all the difference. Seen it work a dozen times on steam lines. Just a warm touch, not hot enough to burn your fingers.