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If you sample Spetec PUR HighFoamer now...you’ll be one step closer to the cutting edge of the chemical grouting industry.  Several suppliers offer water-reactive injection resins, and often the differences in cell structure and physical properties are not easily identified.  But this product is different.  Call 404-618-0438 to order a sample now and find out for yourself!

In addition, we all know that high quality tech support makes a huge difference in this industry. 

Alchemy-Spetec's support staff enjoys the challenge of difficult problems.  We often ask our prospective customers to let us assist with their most challenging applications first.  If you’ve had problems with any chemical grouting jobs in the past, or have been underwhelmed by another manufacturer’s tech support, please present these challenges to us right now.  We're standing by and ready!

Alchemy-Spetec has the most experienced team in the US market for chemical grouting leak seal applications.  Contact us today to see how our expert team and cutting edge products, like Spetec PUR HighFoamer, can make a difference for your bottom line!

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Spetec PUR HighFoamer is derived from a proven Belgian formulation.  Due to the manufacturing efforts of Alchemy-Spetec, Spetec PUR HighFoamer is now proudly made in the United States. 

Click here to find your Regional Sales Manager now!

Your regional manager will be able to point you in the direction of the nearest local stocking distributor.  Feel free to call Alchemy-Spetec at 404-618-0438 for free liquid samples if you want to see this product in action!  We also offer the best phone and on-site tech support in the industry. 

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Spetec PUR HighFoamer injection resin comes in a 5 gallon pail of base resin, and a separate 0.5 gallon can of Spetec GEN ACC Accelerator.  Use the Reaction Times Chart in the Technical Data section of the Spetec PUR HighFoamer datasheet to mix the accelerator for your desired reaction time. 

The threshold of mixing enough and mixing too much can be thin.  If you do not mix the accelerator enough, you will have inconsistencies of reactants, causing fluctuations in reaction time and performance in a single batch.  Mix too much, and you can introduce excessive ambient moisture creating a hyper-reactive batch that sets up in the pumps, hoses, and/or in unintended areas of the substrate. 

Reaction Times Chart

A good mix is a thorough paddle mixing of 1-2 minutes at low speeds to avoid splashing of resin during mixing.  It is always good practice to mix a couple of cup tests prior to filling pump hoppers to ensure consistency in mix and performance.  Clearly label cup tests with date, temperature, time of day, and reaction time for QC managers or compliance personnel.

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If you’re in the chemical grouting industry, you have undoubtedly seen expanding polyurethane foams reacted in cups at tradeshows, trainings, and presentations.  When these water-activated polyurethanes come in contact with moisture, a polymerization reaction is initiated, which caused a large expansion of the cured polyurethane.  But not all foams are created equal. 

Spetec PUR HighFoamer polyurethane grout expands 40x the original liquid volume.  For high water flow scenarios, or large void filling, Spetec HighFoamer features industry-leading expansion rates which can be initiated in as little as 6 sec. with the addition of 10% accelerator.  This unique combination of reaction time and expansion can cut off even them most sever water infiltration issues seen on any construction site.  

The extreme high expansive nature of Spetec HighFoamer is a must see for all chemical grouting contractors performing the following work:

• Water cut-off of large flow and high-pressure water leaks.
• Stabilization and water cut-off of large cracks, voids and gravel layers.
• Pre and post injections in mines, tunnels, pipe jacking, drill & blast and TBM applications.
• Injections in combination with cement-based grout.
• Crack and gravel layer injections in concrete structures.
• Soil stabilization and anchors in porous geology.
• Water cut-off of sewer water leaks and sewer stabilization.
• Probe Grouting for below grade pipes.
• Filling of voids.

The HighFoamer injection resin is suitable for all single component injection equipment including electric airless pumps, drill-operated pumps, and larger pneumatic piston pumps.  

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Need a convenient leak seal solution? The Spetec PUR H100 Hot Shot Cartridge is your product of choice. This water activated semi flexible foam injection resin starts to foam at 15 seconds and will have a full rise in 40 seconds, so it can shut down very active water leaks quick. This Hot Shot Cartridge is perfect for those jobs that don’t require a full pump set up. Simply bring a hammer drill, drill bits, a single cartridge gun - and you’re good to go!

Spetec PUR H100 shuts down leaks in walls, manholes, box culverts, floors, storm sewer pipes and more. This 10.5oz single cartridge is very easy to use. Competing products often require a dual cartridge gun!

Application is simple:

1. Just drill a 3/8”, 1/2" or 5/8” hole through the substrate that is leaking.
2. Next, place the injection tip in the drilled hole and pump the Spetec PUR H100 cartridge into the soil for a very quick and easy seal. 

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At Alchemy-Spetec, we truly believe our differentiating value lies in the technical expertise of our people. Along those lines, we would like to introduce our Independent Manufacturer’s Representative based in Houston, TX, John Ziebell...

If you’re familiar with the Texas chemical grouting industry, or a member of ICRI, there is no doubt that you are well-aware of John’s technical acumen, presentation skills, and field experience. During my 12 years in the industry, I often heard engineering firms and contractors alike cite John’s technical direction as the reason they chose a particular chemical grout for their injection needs. John is a true industry icon in the US chemical grouting industry, and we are very fortunate to have him on the Alchemy-Spetec team. John’s 34 years of chemical grouting experience is an instant value-add to all of the contractors, distributors, and design professionals working with Alchemy-Spetec. 

John Ziebell, TPCCI, Bio:

John majored in Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas, from 1961 to 1965. He worked in the chemical process and protective coatings industries in Houston until 1981. In 1981 he founded a manufacturer’s representative agency, Texas Protective Coating Consultants, Inc., representing protective coating and waterproofing product manufacturers.  He sold TPCCI in 2001 and served as Vice President of Operations for Deneef Construction Chemicals, Inc until 2010. Upon retiring from Deneef, he re-acquired TPCCI. He currently has 34 years in the chemical grout industry, including manufacturing, formulation, quality control, field technical service, specification writing, consulting and third-party witness experience. He lives in Magnolia, TX with his wife Nealene.

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Acrylic polymers are noted for transparency, resistance to breakage and elasticity. Spetec AG200 is a three-component, water-swelling hydrogel based on acrylic that hardens into an elastic product. It's a great choice for fixing leaking cracks and joints in walls. This product is also used in curtain wall grouting applications for soil stabilization.

The main benefit of Spetec AG200 acrylic is its very low viscosity. The viscosity of water is 1.002 centipoise (cps), which is very thin. Spetec AG200 is 4.2 cps which allows this product to penetrate deep into concrete cracks, and also permeate soil very thoroughly. Another benefit is the product's tenacious bond to concrete.

Flexibility in set up time is another key feature. Spetec AG200 can be made to set up anywhere in the range between 15 seconds to 60 minutes. With the fast set time option, you will be able to shut down very active leaks quick. With the slow set up time option, you will be able to permeate soil very effectively before the material sets up.

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Support. I’ve been in the chemical grouting industry for 12 years now. I have been in countless engineer presentations, distributor sales meetings, and contractor training programs during which the concept of support is thrown around rather loosely.

Alchemy-Spetec supports our industry. We have a team of Regional Managers, Independent Sales Representatives, and Field Technicians that cover the United States daily. Alchemy-Spetec team members are considered chemical grouting industry experts. There are no entry-level representatives on this team. The air fare and travel time expenditure within our company is relatively astounding.

When considering a company's commitment to support, the key issue is how much TIME a knowledgeable representative will spend with the customer to make sure they are successful. "Support" is not a cheaper price and a data sheet. Companies producing superior products, and with industry experts traveling daily, do not compete on price. Don’t get tricked by these tactics. Time is money in the construction world. When manufacturers step up and give their customers TIME, they are instantly adding value. True support cannot be quantified in a paper trail in the construction industry. Ask your suppliers HOW they support you post- sale. This is more important than any price.

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Perhaps the most profound question we can all answer is our "Why". We all get up in the morning, get ready for work, and go about our day. But why do we work where we work? And, more importantly, why should our customers spend their hard-earned dollars with us? As Simon Sinak so simply states, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

Any company can search for transactions. We all know the game those transactional companies play. They prospect, identify opportunity, send the me-too samples and info, and play their game on the price court. I call these accounts easy come, easy go accounts. But these aren’t brands with value cultures; these are businesses looking to make a quick buck. Sure, the P&L will always be the scoreboard of the business, but what is the revenue-generating culture, or the "Why" in your company?

In a recent relatively high-stakes situation that most managers would lose sleep over, we discussed ways to change our internal decision-making processes in one particular area. I won't get into specifics here, but in the end, we concluded that we would continue to do the exact same thing. Why? Because our existing process was ultimately better for the customer. And over any monetary consideration, that was the most important takeaway. This situation was a breath of fresh air to me personally. It revitalized my own personal "Why".

Everything is available on the internet. There are no secrets to the "What" and "How" a company operates anymore. The secret sauce is in the "Why". Of course, we’re happy to support the me-too needs of a busy contractor, but we genuinely hope that distributors and contractors have the time to see "Why" we do what we do in the chemical grouting world.

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Finally! We are at the last basic step. Now for the fun part - injecting the polyurethane resin. If you only have one pump, be sure to flush the pump out completely with AP Flush 121 before you pump the resin (unless you like rebuilding Titan airless sprayers).

Check your safety gear - safety glasses are the most important item. Put on two pairs of latex gloves (so you can easily slip on a new pair once the outer pair gets sticky - it is tough to slide fresh gloves over sweaty hands.)

Turn the pump pressure all the way down. Squirt some resin into a cup to make sure the resin is clean. Start at the lowest port and slowly crack the valve. This is a two man job (unless it is a small job). Have your partner slowly turn up the pressure as needed. Develop hand signals if the jobsite is noisy from a generator.

If the resin is flowing, keep pumping. If not, slowly adjust the pressure up. Here comes the art of the game. You have two ways to control the flow of the resin. The pump operator can control the pressure and the valve operator can control the flow. The more experienced technician should control the show.

If I am on the valve, I will tell the pump operator how high to turn up the pressure. I will close the valve while this is being done. Once the pressure is up, I will control the flow of the resin from the valve. Very slowly cracking it open. This way, if I feel a shear start to form, I have a split second to close the valve.

If I am on the pump and the valve operator is less experienced, I will have them open the valve and I will control things with the pump pressure. I will turn it up and down as necessary. It is better to have the valve operator control the show in most circumstances since that person is closer to the action, but hey, I am a control freak when it comes to crack injection.

When to stop? My rule is this - if resin is flowing, keep pumping. What if it starts to run out the face of the crack? Again, my rule is this - if more resin is going in than is coming out, keep pumping. You only have a few minutes to get the resin where it needs to be. As the AP Seal 500 reacts with water it starts to thicken up and becomes more difficult to push into the tighter recesses of the crack.

If raw resin comes out of the crack (amber resin, not a white foam), then it is time to stop. This resin will seal the crack, but at this point there is not much water for it to react with and it will cure slowly. Stop injecting and move to the next port because it will be slow to seal. It is better to see white foam coming out the face of the crack.

What happens if the foam travels past the next port - should I stop? No way. This is a home run. In most cases, the further along the face of the crack the resin travels, the deeper it is travelling as well. This gives you a better seal.

If too much resin is flowing out or washing out due to high water flow, you can use AP Oakum and a screwdriver to create a temporary plug (large or small) to give the resin time to react, expand, and seal the leak.

There are many more nuances about resin injection that you can read about in the leak seal section of this blog. For now, you have completed the basic training of sealing leaks in concrete structures. Here are the basic steps one more time for review:

1. Drill the injection holes.
2. Flush the injection holes.
3. Set the injection ports.
4. Flush the crack with water.
5. Inject the resin.

Congratulations! You have now completed the five basic injection steps and are ready to give it a shot on your own. Of course, many readers are as experienced as I am. If you aren’t, please feel free to call us at 404-618-0438 and ask any questions. The team at Alchemy-Spetec is here to help!

Click below to read the previous articles in this series if you missed them:
5 Steps of Concrete Crack Injection - Overview
5 Steps of Concrete Crack Injection - 1. Drilling Holes
5 Steps of Concrete Crack Injection – 1. Drilling Holes (Continued)
5 Steps of Concrete Crack Injection – 2. Flushing the Holes
5 Steps of Concrete Crack Injection – 3. Installing the Ports
5 Steps of Concrete Crack Injection – 4. Flushing the Cracks

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