Long ago (maybe 45 years) my old company evolved mostly into a spray foam roofing contractor from just an insulator. Because of the iso particles and small size screens, and yes, not doing a good job of sealing the iso drums. This was always a recipe for a pile of disaster. I kept shooting myself in the foot and no one would help to unload the gun.
Continue readingAuthor Archive: Jim Davidson
Keep Your Material Warm
Having warm material is very important for spray foaming, however, it is easy to think a few degrees won’t make a difference. It is important for the health of your equipment and the quality of your work to wait for those few extra degrees to get you the best quality!
Remember to always warm up material to the manufacturers recommended temperature to get the best spray!
Properly Trained Team
Taking time to properly train your team will prevent losses in both time and money. By investing in your employees, you are able to have them run more efficiently and spend less time fixing costly mistakes.
Training doesn’t always have to take a ton of time out of your schedule. Taking one day to train a group of employees on proper equipment handling, maintenance or basic trouble shooting can prevent hours of lost time. Afterall, spending a few hours to train your crew on taking care of equipment can prevent having hours or even days of downtime due to a preventable mistake.
Ventilation at the Job Site
It may seem redundant but, when spray foaming, keep your job site ventilated and do it every single time you spray. Keeping the work area ventilated will prevent unnecessary exposure to fumes and particles that can cause damage to workers. Best practice is to be aware of the airflow and have a source of entry and a way for air to flow out of the work space. Also remember to keep the area ventilated until the re-entry time specified by the foam manufacturer.
For more information on proper ventilation procedures review the EPA Spray Foam Ventilation Guidelines
The Importance of Proper Use of Personal Protective Equipment
Discussing safety and reminding your crew of the importance of PPE safety is important to minimize the risk of exposure and health issues that follow. Knowing how to properly wear PPE and the signs of exposure is everyone’s responsibility and is important to any work site to keep everyone safe.
Continue readingAll About Liquid Transfer Pumps: How Pumps Work and Common Pump Problems
Liquid Transfer Pump failure is one of the leading causes of off-ratio incidence, lost production time, emergencies, and cost over-run out of the many components that make up our processing equipment. Diligent preparation is a key factor toward the successful operation of your project and the equipment you depend on. The facts is, equipment components are only going to perform as well as they are understood and maintained.
Continue readingHow to Make a Spray Foam Insulation Business Profitable?
When you decide to start a spray foam insulation business, you expect it to be profitable. To make your spray foam business profitable, you’ll need to ensure you’re utilizing your equipment and assets properly and are maximizing your business’s potential with the right team and materials.
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How to Select a Polyurethane Spray Gun
Spray polyurethane foam is an essential component used by the manufacturing and construction industries. The key to multi-tasking, spray foam is used as insulation across a variety of applications, including walls, roofs, and ceilings, and is even used in industrial settings between pipe fittings or in climate controlled environments. The spray foam formula can be altered to suit different uses, depending on the needs of the application.
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Choosing a Screen
Machine screens and spray gun screens come in three different sizes; 80, 60, and 40 mesh. Using a larger mesh filter allows smaller particles to pass through your processing system and out the spray tip of the gun. For most polyurethane foam and polyurea, I suggest using 60 or 40 mesh screen to reduce filter clogging.
Cleaning A/B Filters
Sometimes chemical cleaning the A and B filters can leave too much residue and plug up the screen hole. My suggestion? Re-new your filter screens.
You can do it with a few tricks. Try using a light amount of heat from a torch and burn out any restrictions. Once the restrictions are burned off, use air to blow out excess from the screens. Finally, hold your screen up to a light to ensure it is clear and ready to use again.
