Alchatek Blog

As I wrote in a previous blog post The Benefits of Buying Through Distribution:

1. A distributor can serve as a one-stop shop.
 
2. Local distributors serve as experts in their area. (They often have the scoop on new projects, change orders, supplemental materials, and emergency repair needs.)
 
3. Having a distributor on hand is extremely convenient. Nothing is worse than having to call the factory again to have more product shipped after a mis-calculated estimate.
 
4. Many distributors actively work to get products specified for local jobs. That in itself can be a huge benefit. The distributor in a sense can sometimes be an extended part of your sales force.

With those benefits in mind, we publish a semi-regular Distributor Profile Series to provide more information on Alchemy-Spetec's distribution network.

In this article, we feature Indcon Inc.

They are an industrial maintenance solution provider, supplying repair materials to the industrial maintenance and construction industries.

Established in 1998, Indcon was formed in Lexington, South Carolina by Tony and Jean Atkins as a small family-run operation. The company grew quickly through their combined efforts and soon outpaced their limited capabilities. As business opportunities grew, so did Indcon, spreading its footprint first across the Southeast and later into the rest of the country. Indcon quickly outgrew its original office and eventually established a warehouse operation in Columbia and moved the company headquarters to Greenville, South Carolina.

Today, Indcon’s reach is nationwide. With sales professionals and locations placed strategically throughout the country, they are able to assist customers throughout the country to quickly get exactly the expertise, products, and services they need to reach optimum performance.

Indcon offers next day delivery to most locations on the East Coast!

A few Alchemy-Spetec items you'll find at Indcon Inc:

A warehouse is only as good as the foundation it’s built on. And regardless of how well-constructed your warehouse may be, most foundations settle. That’s just a fact of life. Shifting soil, compaction, and many other environmental conditions tend to cause settling. Sometimes warehouse floors settle gradually, and in other cases they may just suddenly cave-in. These situations obviously create problems for property owners, and opportunities for the contractors who know how to fix them.

Alchemy-Spetec manufactures the AP Lift 430, 440 and 475 polyurethane lifting foams for slab jacking and structure lifting. Among the most dependable products for jacking and leveling concrete slabs, these two-component, high-strength, hydro-insensitive structural foams serve as an extremely effective solution for contractors.

Want more info on warehouse and industrial slab repair?

It was about 2 AM when the fire alarm when off in my hotel room.  I have never heard an alarm so loud in my life; all I wanted to do was get out of the room but it was so disorienting that I could barely throw some pants and a shirt on.  My instincts told me this was a false alarm as I trudged down 5 flights of stairs to the bottom level.  I was behind an elderly couple so it was slow going as we navigated our way out.

This particular stairwell brought us out on the side of the building and I noticed it was dimly lit.  This was a nice ocean front resort hotel and the lighting in my opinion should have been brighter.  About the time I noticed that, the elderly lady in front of me tripped and fell right on her face on the sidewalk.  She was about 5 yards in front of me and I was first to her side; she had fallen behind her family.  Fortunately a quick responding fire department rolled up right then and I ran over to get their help.  They got her up and into the paramedic truck. 

It looked like the lady was going to be okay but the point is that this was probably avoidable.  When I ran to her side I could see the sidewalk tripping hazard that had caused her to fall.  Combined with the dim lighting it was a case of dual premises liability.  I give talks to groups like IFMA and BOMA just on the topic of Tripping Hazards and Premises Liability.  The numbers are staggering when you look at the amount of incidents and the costs associated with them.  The toll is financial: lawsuits, settlements, workers comp, bad press.  And the toll is physical: injury and sometimes death.  This is the cost of not knowing that you may have tripping hazards on your property; or worse it is the case of knowing and not doing anything about it.  Those factors weigh heavily in court.

Want more information on slab lifting?

The bane of slab lifting equipment is the iso.  It turns your hands black if you get it on them and it is the main culprit that causes pressure imbalances.  For some reason, in the past few years the problem has gotten worse.  I suspect is has something to do with changes in the chemistry of the raw materials.

Contractors who use their rig on a daily basis have less of a problem.  If your rig sits for any length of time, the iso (A side material) can start to setup in the hose.   We see this most often at the end of the whip hose right next to the gun.  The solution is simple, but you have to be vigilant.  Make sure you have greased up the threads on the A side drum, change your desiccant drum cartridge when the desiccant changes color, and follow the instructions below to recirculate the A side material every 10 days that your rig sits unused.

Step 1:

I recently consulted with LJS Waterproofing on a job involving leaking concrete slabs. This job involved a control joint (a planned crack which allows for movement caused by temperature changes and drying shrinkage). The joint seal that had begun to leak rain water into a conference room below.

To fix this problem, I suggested the use of Spetec F400. This polyurethane resin was chosen due to its high flexibility. When dealing with structures that move, such as parking decks, you do not want to use a resin that is rigid in any way. It will lead to cracking in the near future, which can result in job failure.

Armed with Spetec F400, LJS Waterproofing contractors began drilling into the control joint and pumping resin. After filling in the cracks, the leaks were completely repaired - with no water leaking into the room below. This job was completed within one work day.

Want more information on leak seal with Alchemy-Spetec resins?

We talk a lot about soil stabilization underneath existing structures, but what about new construction? Before construction can begin on any new structure, stable ground underneath is obviously an essential prerequisite.

Unstable soil can be defined as soil that will not stay in place on its own, and therefore requires extra support. It should be noted that unstable soil can threaten the stability, security, and safety of any potential new construction projects, such as buildings, bridges, and roads. There are a variety of factors that can cause unstable soil including erosion, poor compaction, freeze/thaw cycles and decomposition.

Soil can be stabilized with AP Soil 600, Spetec H40, Spetec AG100 and Spetec AG200. Once the bearing capacity of the soil has been increased, then the new construction can begin.

Want more information on soil stabilization?

As I stated in a previous blog post, Polyurethane Leak Seal in Cold Weather, twin streaming can be an effective way to ensure that water reactive resin sets up quickly and thoroughly after injection. In that post I only mentioned twin streaming briefly. Here are some more details:

What is Twin Streaming?

Twin streaming is a technique in which you use a high pressure F-valve to inject resin AND water at the same time. As you can see in the photo, the F-valve has two supply connections - one for water and one for resin. The water and resin come into contact right before they exit the nozzle.

Advantages:

1. Ensures there is enough water for the resin to react with.
2. Starts the reaction immediately.
3. Allows you to inject in cold water.

When Filling Voids Above the Water Table

When working on jobs that require void filling behind walls, also known as curtain grouting, it is imperative that you are prepared for any obstacles that may occur. If the voids are large and dry, resin may not have enough water to react with when injected in the conventional manner. In this case injecting water behind the wall prior to injection might not be sufficient (especially if the void is open or filled with gravel, giving the water an easy path to escape). With twin streaming you are guaranteed there is enough water for the resin to fully react and fill the voids.

While Injecting Under Cold Water

Twin streaming also works well if you find yourself having to inject into a cold, underwater environment. You can inject warm water along with the resin to jump start the reaction process before the cold water gets a chance to slow down the process.

The ratio of water to resin can be controlled by opening the valves at different angles. Some products such as AP Fill 700 and Spetec H100 only need a little water to react with (10:1 resin to water is plenty). In this case, you would crack the water valve slightly, then open the resin valve all the way. Other products such as AP Seal 500 and Spetec GT350 need more water. A 2:1 or 1:1 ratio of resin to water both work well. In this case, you may want to open both valves all the way.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products & equipment?

A few things have changed since I posted the previous version of this article. So I've updated it to reflect our current waterstop product line. While similar in function, there is a difference between leak seal products and waterstop products. Waterstop products are designed to prevent water leaks from occurring, while leak seal products are designed to repair existing leaks.  

Here's an overview of Alchemy-Spetec waterstop products:

Spetec WT400

This is a caulk designed to swell and/or expand in the presence of water.  It is safe for marine environments and can be applied under water. Spetec WT400 is used to seal pipe penetrations, wall joints, and sheet pile joints. It is available in two package sizes:

12 Sausage Case (20 oz)

Spetec ITS Kit

The Spetec ITS Kit is a complete injection tubing system for sealing of construction joints in concrete. It can also be used to seal cold joints, expansion joints, pipe penetrations, and tunnel segment joints. In addition, this kit can be used as a primary waterstop system. It includes four parts:

100 lf of injection tube. 20 lf of 3/8" reinforced PVC tube. 1/4" clips (100). 12 3/8" elbow hose barbs.

Spetec SST500

This is a black hydrophilic synthetic waterproofing strip. Spetec SST500 swells up to 500% of its original size upon contact with water and is used to seal pipe penetrations as well as wall/floor joints. This product is available in two sizes:

20mm Width x 5mm Thickness (10 Meter Rolls)
20mm Width x 10mm Thickness (10 Meter Rolls)

For ultimate waterstop protection, call Alchemy-Spetec at 404-618-0438 for instructions on how to use all three of these products together.  

Want more information on waterstop products?

As I mentioned in this blog post a few months ago, Alchemy-Spetec's injection tube system kit (a.k.a. the I.T.S. Kit) is a reliable and cost effective way to seal floor to wall joints.  For quick reference, here's an overview of the kit description, applications and contents:

The Alchemy-Spetec I.T.S. Kit is a complete system for post-injection sealing of construction joints in concrete.

Applications:

• Primary waterstop system.
• Cold joints.
• Expansion joints.
• Seal pipe penetrations.
• Seal tunnel segment joints.

Contents:

• 100 lf of injection tube.
• 20 lf of 3/8" reinforced PVC tube.
• 1/4" clips (100), 12 3/8" elbow hose barbs.

Want more information on waterstop products?

As my colleague Andy Powell wrote in his blog post The Benefits of Buying Through Distribution:

1. A distributor can serve as a one-stop shop.
 
2. Local distributors serve as experts in their area. (They often have the scoop on new projects, change orders, supplemental materials, and emergency repair needs.)
 
3. Having a distributor on hand is extremely convenient. Nothing is worse than having to call the factory again to have more product shipped after a mis-calculated estimate.
 
4. Many distributors actively work to get products specified for local jobs. That in itself can be a huge benefit. The distributor in a sense can sometimes be an extended part of your sales force.

With those benefits in mind, we're starting a Distributor Profile Series to provide more information on Alchemy-Spetec's distribution network.

In this article, we feature Metro Sealant & Waterproofing Supply.

They are family owned and have been in business since 1989. They currently operate in Washington, Richmond, and Baltimore. They stock a full line of waterproofing products and their motto is: “We deliver more than material”.

Not only do they offer competitive pricing to their customers, they also offer unparalleled technical support.

A few Alchemy-Spetec items you'll find at Metro Sealant & Waterproofing Supply:

• Spetec H100
• Spetec F400
• Packers
• Pump Cleaner

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec products?