Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Reader questions (do not fit into other categories)
help with caulking techniques...
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igotbites
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 6
Posted 2 months ago
Fri Aug 28 2009 20:44:54
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this is my first post... we are about 3-4 months into our party with the bed bugs... 4 treatments with Metro Pest... lots of laundry... all the same stuff that ive read here...
we live in a multi unit building (which seems to be the kiss of death) in Queens NY (9 units total)... our last treatment was 4 days ago so it is too soon to tell, but any professional I speak to says we have a building wide issue... Landlord has been away literally for the last 2 1/2 months, so we have lost precious time in treating the building if necessary. plus i don't trust him to hire a highly qualifed pro, rather i think he'll hire some random that he knows through somebody who will do an ineffective treatment.
regardless, in an effort to stay proactive about treatment we have a Haan steamcleaner that we have used on the wood floors (old with lots of cracks and crevices) and we are starting to caulk ALL the baseboards in the apt. there are areas with very large gaps where we used expanding foam and other areas where we used normal caulk.***my big question for right now... any suggestions for the huge gaps (mouse size and bigger) around heat pipes, a simple caulk will in no way fill the gaps. i want to stuff Steel Wool anyway because we have also had 2 bouts with mice! but i imagine that BB's can get through steel wool, maybe if i stick steel wool and sprinkle with DE??
thanks for any and all thoughts -
Infofreak
junior member
Joined: Apr '09
Posts: 74
Posted 2 months ago
Sat Aug 29 2009 12:07:51
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Plaster of Paris is the answer, It is cheap and easy to use but a little messy , Get a bag or bucket of plaster and use a putty knife to fill holes then when it drys sand and caulk if you have to, Put DE in the hole before you plaster if you want ,
If you never used plaster just add water and mix with a stick till a pancake batter consistency the apply before it gets hard , It gets hard fast in less than 5 minutes throw it out if its hard
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mangycur
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Joined: Sep '07
Posts: 275
Posted 2 months ago
Sun Aug 30 2009 17:15:39
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thanks, info freak! If anyone can comment on good brands of caulk to use, i would greatly appreciate it. there are so many out there. Also what kind of foam caulk is safe to use in light fixtures? The guy at home depot thought that wasn't safe to do. i mostly need a caulk for cracks in floors and baseboards.
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igotbites
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 6
Posted 2 months ago
Sun Aug 30 2009 17:20:02
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plaster of paris it is! thanks so much
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spideyjg
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,405
Posted 2 months ago
Sun Aug 30 2009 22:21:21
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mangycur - 4 hours ago »
thanks, info freak! If anyone can comment on good brands of caulk to use, i would greatly appreciate it. there are so many out there. Also what kind of foam caulk is safe to use in light fixtures? The guy at home depot thought that wasn't safe to do. i mostly need a caulk for cracks in floors and baseboards.Depends on the surfaces and other factors but my favorite are the acrylic latex plus silicone that are flexible and paintable. Such as the DAP Alex plus or Dynaflex 230.
If the gaps are over 1/2" you need to use a backing rod or a bunch of wooden shims to fill the gaps.
I used the DAP foam sealant around the junction boxes but noting except a very light dusting of DE on the inside of the box and outlet covers.
Nothing should go in a light fixture but foams can work good to seal between the housing and the wall. The DAP product doesn't expand like the Great Stuff sealants or seal itself shut in 2 hours sucking $9.00 down the drain.
Jim
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mangycur
member
Joined: Sep '07
Posts: 275
Posted 2 months ago
Wed Sep 2 2009 20:02:43
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thanks so much spidy!
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spideyjg
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,405
Posted 2 months ago
Wed Sep 2 2009 20:34:10
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Forgot to add, get a dripless caulk gun and a smoothing tool. It is a messy process at best but the old school clicky caulk guns will continue to push the caulk out after you release the handle but the drip free have a little lever that releases the pressure and greatly reduces the mess.
Jim
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mangycur
member
Joined: Sep '07
Posts: 275
Posted 2 months ago
Thu Sep 3 2009 11:58:20
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OMG drip free caulk guns exist? Praise the Lord! What a mess I had last time, and I hate caulk on my hands, it's so weird.
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mangycur
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Joined: Sep '07
Posts: 275
Posted 2 months ago
Thu Sep 3 2009 12:03:20
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BTW last weekend all 5 cans of caulk I used busted out backwards at first, it was a real mess. Is this normal? They ended up working ok once I stuck chopsticks down the front
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spideyjg
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,405
Posted 2 months ago
Thu Sep 3 2009 12:09:30
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mangycur - 3 minutes ago »
BTW last weekend all 5 cans of caulk I used busted out backwards at first, it was a real mess. Is this normal? They ended up working ok once I stuck chopsticks down the frontUmmmmm they all have a seal on the front ya gotta puncture. The dripless gun I got at Home Depot has a wire thingy on the front to run down after you cut the tip to puncture it.
I learned that the goopy hard way also. Lordy what a freaking mess.
Jim
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