When you purchase something that has a high upfront cost like Spray Foam equipment, it makes sense to take care of your investment. When you follow the correct procedures to maintain and clean your spray foam machines, guns, and hoses, you can get through season after season with functional, functional, reliable equipment and experience few maintenance problems.
Though the best practice is to follow the care instructions in the user manual for any type of equipment, there are general guidelines for spray foam insulation equipment maintenance that every contractor should follow. Here are some tips on how to care for equipment from spray foam machines to hoses so they last as long as possible.
Tip #1: Maintain accurate and detailed work logs.
Before you can determine how much care your spray foam equipment needs, you need to know when and how long it was used. This is especially true if you run a business with many employees. Keeping track of usage by using daily work logs will help you determine when routine maintenance is needed. Daily work logs are often neglected but can provide valuable data such as:
- Job location
- The equipment’s operator
- Humidity levels
- Outdoor temperature
- Quantities of materials used
- How long the equipment was running
Knowing how much material you use and how much power you need can help you control costs and tell you when spray foam insulation equipment needs maintenance or cleaning. This kind of data can also assist you if you need to make a claim, or if a client has a dispute over work quality. When you discuss problems with the manufacturer, there may be requests for a lot of information such as application temperatures, density checks, and core samples.
It is easier to keep track of everything when you get a spray foam machine with automated tracking data, such as the Graco Reactor 2, which comes with the Graco InSite app. This takes the paperwork out of the equation and allows you to see all the data you need on your smartphone.
Tip #2: Create your own regular maintenance checklist.
If you know which Spray Foam Equipment is being used more frequently and when you can create a checklist and maintenance schedule. Equipment differs in the maintenance that is needed according to model, make, and year manufactured. By keeping track of which machines need more attention, you can schedule regular maintenance.
Since some equipment parts have a higher risk of clogging than others, our team recommends checking various parts at different intervals. Not everything needs daily maintenance, but it is important to check regularly. Here are some things to look out for:
- Check the Y-strainer filters weekly:
- Make sure there are no obstructions and check the levels and viscosity of the throat seal liquid. Make sure that it moves through the wet cup and into the reservoir as it should.
- Bi-Weekly checks and maintenance procedures:
- Lubricate the drum pumps with an oil lubricant.
- Clean the Y-strainers.
- Change the DOP fluid on the proportioning pump.
- Strip down the spray foam gun and clean it.
- Replace or repair the desiccant air dryers on the A-side.
- As-needed maintenance:
- Replace hose covers.
- Clean your spray foam rig. Ideally, it should look as clean as the day you purchased it.
- Flush out the hose lines with a solvent to keep them flowing smoothly.
These are just a few things to inspect regularly to make sure your spray foam insulation equipment is in top condition. To ensure the utmost accuracy, consult user manuals or call the manufacturer for model-specific maintenance tips.
Tip #3: Pay careful attention to your spray foam guns.
Since the spray gun is where the chemical reaction occurs, its effectiveness is critical to the application process. The typical spray foam gun has modular parts that can easily wear down when the operator does not maintain them. Since they are “at the front lines,” they are prone to more wear, and if damaged, they can cause many issues and delays if moisture enters the line or premature chemical mixing occurs. Here is a general care procedure for spray foam guns:
- Strip down the gun.
- Remove the o ring.
- Soak the parts in a solvent to remove chemical debris.
- Put the gun back together, replacing any damaged o rings.
- Lubricate the gun with lithium grease, but do not over-grease or it may clog.
Regular attention is a must, even if you buy a top-quality Graco gun. It is important to monitor the quality of the o rings because they seal the fluid-handling portions of the gun. Generally, a high-quality spray foam gun can run two to three weeks before needing to be stripped down. Any gun that clogs more than once a week needs extra attention, but you should replace it to save you time and make applications easier.
Spray Foam Equipment At Intech Equipment & Supply
If you are interested in purchasing spray foam insulation equipment for your rig, contact us today. Also, remember that until December 2020, you can take advantage of our convenient financing options. For more information, check out our financing calculator.
The post Tips: How to Care for Your Spray Foam Equipment first appeared on Intech Equipment & Supply.
