Alchemy-Spetec no longer carries this product.  Click here to read about our current Leak Seal product line. 

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There are many polyurethane resins that are used to treat water leaks. Today we will review F400. I have recently joined Alchemy-Spetec as Western Regional Manager, and I'm studying up on the product line. I thought it would be beneficial to share what I'm learning about the Spetec line with our blog readers, as many who joined us in the Alchemy Polymers era may be new to these products as well.

What is F400?

F400 is a one-component polyurethane leak seal injection resin that is designed to shut off water leaks. It's a closed cell, flexible, hydrophobic, low viscosity resin. It's also solvent and phthalate free.

What is F400 used for?

F400 is used to shut off water leaks in concrete, brickwork and sewers where movement and settlement may occur. It also makes a great water cut-off for leaks in foundations such as
diaphragm walls, piling sheets and secant piles. In addition, you'll find it helpful for sealing water-carrying cracks and joints in tunnel segments. Not to mention cuurtain grouting behind tunnel, concrete, brickwork and sewer walls. It's also great for injection of water cut-off membranes and liners in tunnels.

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Manhole Leak Repair

Leaking manholes can cause unnecessary damage to the environment and can be costly if left untreated. Water leaks can create voids that can lead to sink holes, roadway collapses and system failures. Chemical Grouting is a low cost, durable repair method for manholes which can often prolong the life of the structure.

Injection Methods for Manhole Repair

Brick Manholes

• Drill to the outside of the manhole and into the soil through the brick.
• Repair all pipe penetrations, and have oakum ready to help plug leaks.
• Start injection of material at the bottom and work your way up.

Precast Manholes

• Repair all pipe penetration and apply oakum rings if too wide.
• Drill injection holes into the manhole rings at the four main clock positions (12-3-6-9).
• Start injecting material from the bottom up.

Storm Culvert Leak Repair

Storm culverts transport large volumes of water. When they leak this allows exterior soils to be carried in the storm culvert allowing sink holes above. Chemical grouting these structures is a non–excavation repair, which will seal joints and leaks and stabilize soils. Unlike pumping concrete, chemical grouts add little to no weight to surrounding soils. Injection of storm culverts can be achieved by manned entry or via probe grouting from above when access is not considered feasible.

Injection Methods for Culvert Repair

Manned Entry Method

• All joints need to be identified and inspected for any possible concrete repair that may need to be performed prior to injection process.
• Wide joints should be packed using oakum rope and chemical grout to minimize waste and contain injection grout in joint, once prepared injection can be performed.

Probe Grouting Method

• Map off leaks using a CCTV camera.
• Measure out and mark locations on the street or soil above.
• Drill holes though street or soil above at each location.
• Insert injection pipe to a depth of one foot below bottom of repair point.
• Start injecting a rate of 1 gallon per foot stopping at the top of the pipe.

It is important to remember that a leak is a round-the-clock problem. A small leak can eventually lead way to a larger leak, which can be catastrophic if left untreated. The longer you wait before repairs, the more expensive it becomes.

Want more information on leak seal repairs?

What is Curtain Wall Grouting and Why is it Effective?

Curtain wall injection is the process of drilling holes through a structure in a diamond pattern, then injecting the grout into soil on the other side. This procedure creates a curtain wall made of a resin/soil mixture that prevents water from getting back into the structure. It is often required if there are multiple cracks or leaks in a wall. Filling each individual crack may cause you to waste time following the water from crack to crack. Curtain wall grouting allows you to stop multiple leaks at one time and protects the structure on a long term basis.

This procedure was first performed in 1960 on a sewer manhole with a multiple leak problem. As described above, chemical grout was injected through to the outside of the manhole. This created a “positive side seal” (on the side the water is coming from), blocking water from penetrating the joints of the structure.

This method is still used today and is the most effective method for grouting manholes to stop infiltration.  It is effective on structures constructed from a wide variety of materials, including wood, steel, concrete, rubble walls, stone, block and brick.

A Brief Overview of the Curtain Wall Grouting Process

Other Situations Requiring Curtain Wall Grouting

In addition to the “too many leaks” scenario, curtain wall grouting may be required when all cracks cannot be identified in a leaking wall, when previous crack injection has failed, or when a structure has a negative crack injection history. It is also used in masonry, dealing with stone and CMU walls that do not crack inject well.

Material selection is based on various factors such as soils, voids, and moisture conditions. Call us at 404-618-0438 to discuss which material is right for your project.

Want to learn more about this procedure?

Crack Injection

Crack injection has many advantages over other methods.  For example, if you’re sealing a leak in a water tank, you can inject from the outside of the tank. So the tank can remain in service while you repair it. Having to dry a crack, like you do with epoxy resin, is not needed as this material reacts with water. The material also remains flexible at all times.

Crack injections can be applied in both vertical cracks and in horizontal cracks. With vertical cracks, it is imperative to start at the bottom of the crack and work your way up the crack until it is filled. This forces the material up and through the crack and will simultaneously push the water up and out as well. With horizontal cracks, injection can be started at either the left or right end.

The crack injection process is rather simple, but some mis-steps can prove quite costly. For best results, follow the steps below after discussing them in detail with a trained professional...

A Few Words on Acrylate Grouts

Customers who joined us in the Alchemy Polymers era may not be familiar with the acrylate grouts we’re now offering after the merger with with Resiplast US.  Acrylates offer a very wide range of set time control, which makes them good for everything from very tight cracks to gushing leaks (not to mention soil stabilization). One thing to be aware of: all wetted metal equipment parts that acrylates come into contact with must be stainless steel.

Crack Injection Products

If you’re not completely familiar with all or our products, talk to a tech support rep to determine which one is the best for your project. Alchemy-Spetec offers the following crack injection solutions…

Acrylates

AG100, AG200 and AG300

Polyurethanes

PU F400, PU F1000 and AP Seal 500

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What are Chemical Grouts?

Chemical grouts are water reacted or chemically reacted materials that are designed to shut down active water leaks, stabilize soils and lift slabs in various structures.

Some of these materials are formulated to stop high volume leaks (2000 gpm) or used to stop small leaks in water and waste water treatment tanks.

Geotechnical applications include but are not limited to:

Soil Stabilization, Railroad Ballast Rock Stabilization, Tunnels, Mines, and Seawall Repairs

Why Chemical Grouts?

Chemical grouting serves as the most efficient permanent repair procedure.  It also features little disruption to the local communities as repair times are not extensive. As you all know, leak repairs must be preformed prior to coatings. But why is chemical grouting important? Grouting is the only permanent repair procedure that seals leaks from the positive side (where the water’s coming from) and fills voids in record times.

Hydrophilic & Hydrophobic

It is crucial to understand the basic differences in hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and multiple component chemical grouts. Choosing the correct repair materials for a job is very important.  Let’s dive into the specifics to gather a deeper understanding of the different types of polyurethane grouts.

Hydrophilic

Hydrophilic grouts injected in a confined space shrink more but create a better bond with the substrate. Hydrophilic chemical grouts are resilient and flexible after full cure and allow movement within structures without causing damage to the seal or bond.

Alchemy-Spetec Product Examples: AP Seal 500, PU GT350

Hydrophobic

Hydrophobic grouts injected in a confined space have very little shrinkage, but depend much more on expansion to create their bond with the substrate. Hydrophobic chemical grout has a low viscosity characteristic that permeates loose and non-consolidated soils readily and effectively.

Alchemy-Spetec Product Examples: AP Fill 700, PU F400, PU H100

Multi Component

Multi-component closed cell foam maintains its physical form and is not subject to shrinkage due to wet/dry cycles. It is a rapid curing; self-leveling concrete repair material perfect when minimal down time is required.

Alchemy-Spetec Product Example: AP Lift 475

Cured polyurethane is harmless for the environment and resistant to biological attacks.

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Sometimes lifting concrete slabs with polyurethane is about more than just making something structurally sound and level again.  In every town there are buildings sitting empty because the floors are not in sufficient shape for use by a business.   Imagine the service a concrete leveling contractor can provide by bringing slabs back into tolerance and allowing an empty space to become a revenue stream for the building owner.  This is what our contractor in Omaha Nebraska,The Rite Touch, did recently.

In downtown Omaha there are a lot of historic buildings.  Located on the site of the old stockyards, there is a building constructed in 1911 that had been used as a parts depot for many years; including parts for World War II era Jeeps.  Some of those are still there.  The owners of the building have converted some of it into a commercial laundry equipment distribution facility, but there was a section with sagging floors that really couldn’t be used effectively.

Some research on the internet led them to our customer in Omaha, The Rite Touch.  They have been doing concrete lifting and leveling for a few years now (in addition to spray foam and polyurea flooring systems).  This particular lift was a little tricky because the concrete literally had a belly, or sag, down the center.  The owner’s idea was to create an office space with partitions / cubicles for small businesses.  However, the current floor condition would have everyone’s office chair rolling to the center of the building.   Not good!  How would the floor react as they tried to bring it up a couple of inches?  I was onsite as a consultant to help them find out!

We gave ourselves a reward to shoot for if the lift was successful; a big slab of Omaha prime rib.  With that as a motivation we got to work slowly working our way across the floor and back.  Using zip levels, dial indicators, and instinct developed from other jobs, we slowly brought the old floor back into tolerance.  The product we selected for this project was AP Lift 430 and it worked beautifully.  The new MixMaster Pro injection gun performed as advertised and allowed for an efficient installation of the poly foam.  Although we had to drill multiple holes for the targeted injections, we only used three total injection ports.

Now the final touches are being added to this soon-to-be office space.  The owners will have multiple tenants paying rent and a once unusable space as a revenue generating property.  If you’re a property owner with a similar issue, call us to get hooked up with a contractor who can help.  If you’re a contractor, keep your eyes peeled for similar opportunities.  They are all over the place.  Now, about that prime rib….

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Manufacturing Representative (Metro DC area, Virginia, Maryland)

Do You Know Someone Who Would Be Perfect for This Position?

Apply online by following this link:  Alchemy-Spetec Manufacturing Representative Application

Please note, this is an independent contractor position; the selected candidate will not be an employee of Alchemy-Spetec.

Alchemy-Spetec is an equal opportunity employer.

Southeastern Regional Sales Manager (Florida)

Do You Know Someone Who Would Be Perfect for This Position?

Alchemy-Spetec is seeking a talented, results driven Southeastern Regional Sales Manager with an entrepreneurial spirit to join our high-growth organization. Although our office is located in Tucker GA, the position will be based in Florida.

We are a well established company looking to hire a sales superhero. 

Job Requirements

• Travel in-state (meetings with prospects, specifying engineers and contractor customers) and nationally (trade-shows 1-3 times per year) required
• Excellent communication skills – written, oral, and interpersonal (including public speaking to varied audiences)
• Ability to build and maintain highly effective internal and external relationships
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and self-directed

Major Job Responsibilities

• Find contractors and develop them to become high value customers.
• Find new specifying engineers to write specifications around our product.
• Find projects for contractor customers to perform with our products.
• Enter all contacts, history, opportunities, and follow-ups into CRM database.

Apply online by following this link:  Alchemy-Spetec Southeastern Regional Sales Manager Application

Alchemy-Spetec is an equal opportunity employer.