The Problem with Escutcheons
In a sanitary processing facility, it is crucial to ensure that the environment is safe, secure, and clean. Without the right tools, closing gaps that occur where pipes penetrate through walls and floors becomes a difficult and costly problem. Unwanted openings expose a facility to dust and dirt, providing a breeding ground for bacteria and pests.
Stainless steel escutcheon plates are a common—but ineffective—solution for sealing gaps.
Escutcheon plates are a short-term solution many facilities implement to cover the gaps between walls and pipes where penetrations occur.
These stainless steel plates may appear like a good solution, but they do not provide a hygienic, effective seal between the pipe and the wall. Over time, the calking sealant used to install the plates breaks down, causing them to slide away from the wall and creating issues such as rattling and gaps that allow bugs, dust, or other contaminants to enter the room or the wall.
In addition, the plates are difficult to install, do not accommodate misalignment of pipes penetrating through walls, and do not accommodate any pipe movement.
In contrast, Pipetite® withstands most conditions and lasts almost indefinitely.
Pipetite is a self-sealing product commonly used in clean rooms and food, dairy, beverage, and pharmaceutical facilities to hygienically seal pipe penetrations. Pipetite provides a long-term sanitary seal to keep rooms isolated from the outside environment. The flexible, airtight seal accommodates process pipe movement and the sleek silicone design absorbs vibrations.
Pipetite is made from 316 stainless steel and FDA certified high-grade silicone. Pipetite is compatible with a wide range of temperatures—up to 500 °F—and is able to withstand harsh conditions without breaking, fracturing, melting, or morphing. Pipetite is easy to install. It utilizes wall anchors and patented “lip seals,” instead of caulking, to maintain a watertight seal between the wall surface and the pipe. Pipetite Standard can either be ordered pre-cut to fit your piping or you can cut it to size following these instructions. If piping is already installed, passing through walls, making it difficult to replace the existing seal or escutcheon, the Pipetite Reboot can be cut to fit around the existing pipe, without dismantling your piping.
This durable product was specifically created as a long-term solution to the challenges of clean room environments.
Pipetite is securely attached to the pipe and the wall.
ABOUT CSI
Central States Industrial Equipment (CSI) is a leader in distribution of hygienic pipe, valves, fittings, pumps, heat exchangers, and MRO supplies for hygienic industrial processors, with four distribution facilities across the U.S. CSI also provides detail design and execution for hygienic process systems in the food, dairy, beverage, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and personal care industries. Specializing in process piping, system start-ups, and cleaning systems, CSI leverages technology, intellectual property, and industry expertise to deliver solutions to processing problems. More information can be found at www.csidesigns.com.