There's a leak in the upstairs plumbing in the house that I rent. They had to tear out the ceiling below and one of the guys that lives here (Nick) fancies himself a "contractor", so he's been working on it a little. Except he has a broken leg, so he's enlisted the help of another tenant, Jesse. Jesse's from New Jersey - "How ya doin?"
Peering up at the shower pan from below, they figured they could fix the problem with caulk. Their diagnosis is highly suspect because of what came next.
They found an old tube of caulk that had hardened and Jesse suggested that it could be revived by putting it in the microwave oven for 20 - 30 seconds. Nick cautioned that "I think that's flammable"! Jesse said that any fire would be contained in the tube! Fortunately, Nick talked Jesse out of turning the microwave on (but not before Jesse actually put the tube in the microwave which is the point when I ran out of the room...I was making pizza listening to the two morons talk).
Now, let's consider:
1. A dried tube of caulk cannot be revived by heating. The stuff has changed chemically, and no amount of heat is going to put it back.
2. On every tube of caulk there are two metallic end pieces. I think we all know that if you put metal in a microwave, it sends out sparks. A tube of heated caulk just might release some flammable gasses that could, of course, be contained within the tube itself, but yet might be subjected to a shower of sparks, i.e a point of ignition.
3. A fire contained in a closed cylinder is how explosives work.
Think a stick of dynamite exploding in the microwave oven and spraying the inside of the kitchen with flaming debris and toxic chemicals.
Peering up at the shower pan from below, they figured they could fix the problem with caulk. Their diagnosis is highly suspect because of what came next.
They found an old tube of caulk that had hardened and Jesse suggested that it could be revived by putting it in the microwave oven for 20 - 30 seconds. Nick cautioned that "I think that's flammable"! Jesse said that any fire would be contained in the tube! Fortunately, Nick talked Jesse out of turning the microwave on (but not before Jesse actually put the tube in the microwave which is the point when I ran out of the room...I was making pizza listening to the two morons talk).
Now, let's consider:
1. A dried tube of caulk cannot be revived by heating. The stuff has changed chemically, and no amount of heat is going to put it back.
2. On every tube of caulk there are two metallic end pieces. I think we all know that if you put metal in a microwave, it sends out sparks. A tube of heated caulk just might release some flammable gasses that could, of course, be contained within the tube itself, but yet might be subjected to a shower of sparks, i.e a point of ignition.
3. A fire contained in a closed cylinder is how explosives work.
Think a stick of dynamite exploding in the microwave oven and spraying the inside of the kitchen with flaming debris and toxic chemicals.
