It never ceases to amaze us how rapidly technology continues to evolve. We recently had to repair a piece of copper pipe near our bathroom. The work had to be done on the other side of the bathroom wall in a clothes closet. Thus, we knew we would be forced to use a hot flame next to flammables. The clothing could be removed but the wall board and built in wooden shelving couldn’t.

We went to the garage and pulled out our trusty soldering torch and then it was on to the closet to prepare the copper piping for its weld. After an hour of cutting and fitting it was time to fire up the torch and make the connections permanent.

Suddenly it occurred to us that there was something missing. Keep in mind that we were getting ready to use an open flame rated at hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit – in the corner of a closet with walls covered in nothing but painted sheetrock. “Does anyone have a fire extinguisher and some asbestos”, James yelled. Asbestos fabric is great for catching sparks and for insulating an area from excessive heat, but we all know about how dangerous asbestos is. So, we agreed that we needed something that was safer to use. Morris’ wife Carol went to the kitchen and grabbed a silicone hot pad. “Here try this”, she said as she handed it to us with that “Gotcha” smile. In a split second the hot pad was placed between the wall and the pipe to be soldered -- and the soldering began.

We were all amazed at how well it worked. When the soldering was complete the first thing all of us wanted to do was inspect the silicone pad for damage. There wasn’t a mark on it. It didn’t burn, melt or distort. It was in the same condition as when Carol brought it from the kitchen. We had thought of using soaked towels or cutting a piece of metal sheeting to fit the area, and nothing really sounded easy to prepare or easy to use for our project. As it turned out the silicone heat pad worked beautifully – it was amazing.

As it turned out our home repair had become an experiment. We discovered that a silicone hot pad can be an absolutely fabulous flame protector. It not only resisted high temperature, but it resisted damage from direct flame as well. Even the splattered drops of hot solder didn’t damage the fabric. So, the next time you decide to work in your home makes sure to consult with your wife first. The advice just might prove to be priceless.