For most of my 36 years in the chemical grout industry, I have listened to people refer to chemical grouts as temporary leak repair in the same manner they mention a band-aid in stopping bleeding. Many of these same persons also say that stopping water leaks with chemical grouts is like “smoke and mirrors”, implying some sort of black magic. I must state that they are wrong on both counts.  

The mechanism by which chemical grouts stop leaks is based upon basic textbook polyurethane and acrylic chemistry. It may seem a little mysterious because most of the reaction takes place out of sight within or behind the concrete structure, but the reactions can be duplicated in the laboratory for doubters to see. As for durability and permanence, the oldest of the chemical grout manufacturers have documented case histories that are now 50 years old. I would call these permanent repairs when compared to some leak seal alternatives.

It is true, however, that for every success story I offer, someone will bring up an instance where chemical grouting did not work. Upon careful examination, these failures are almost always due to the products being incorrectly specified or installed. The biggest problem I have encountered that leads to premature failures occurs when the contractor fails to pump grout into a crack or joint until total rejection occurs. That is the point where the crack will accept no more grout. Correct product selection and installation in consultation with the manufacturer are essential to a successful long-lasting leak sealing project.

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Infiltration is Draining Your Budget

In Sealing Water Infiltration in Leaking Joints, Inverts and Manholes, we identified strain and efficiency issues treatment plants undergo when groundwater infiltrates city collection systems. These common issues lead to large expenses that accumulate over time if left unchecked. A plan to minimize the damages must address the specific scale of the problems, the age and condition of your overall infrastructure, and your budget. A trusted, experienced team of consultants will prove invaluable as you navigate these uncharted waters.

Effective Manhole Infiltration Repair

According to the EPA, there are over 20 million manholes in the US. Water is infiltrating this aging infrastructure on a daily basis. If you're a municipal administrator or manager, you may already have sent in crews to eliminate the leaking with common waterproofing techniques such as applying hydraulic cement or epoxy coating. But these methods are not always 100% effective in the long term.

One of the most comprehensive ways to completely eliminate all groundwater infiltration in manholes is to encapsulate the structure using curtain grouting techniques. Specialty subcontractors utilize this technique by drilling through to the outside of the wall and injecting highly expansive polyurethane foam into the voids and soils behind it. The expansive chemical grout permeates the soils thanks to its low viscosity and creates a permanent water barrier that can fully encapsulate the manhole if necessary.

When to use Curtain Grouting

We've discussed sealing joint and penetration leaks in previous blog posts, but what if you have numerous leaks, are concerned about voids in the soil, or are repairing a brick manhole? Curtain grouting is especially useful for brick or block manholes that are made up of hundreds of joints and seams where water has many opportunities to penetrate the structure. Encapsulating the structure will polyurethane not only stops infiltration but also fills soil voids. Curtain grouting is just one technique among a handful of methods specially designed for eliminating groundwater infiltration. We recommend getting in touch with our Leak Seal Director of Technical Services, Charlie Lerman, for a free consultation to determine what leak seal methods are best for your infrastructure. Call him today at 404-618-0438. 

Want more information on curtain grouting?

As of today, the top three most viewed Alchemy-Spetec blog posts are:

1. Slab Void Fill with Polyurethane Foam
2. So You’re Thinking About Starting a Slab Lifting Company: Key Considerations
3. Hydrophobic vs Hydrophilic: Polyurethanes

Given the amount of interest in these subjects, it's worth reviewing them again. In this article, we'll feature some intro text from each of these blog posts, along with a link to the full version.

Slab Void Fill with Polyurethane Foam

Voids beneath concrete slabs can be filled with two-component polymer foam designed to work in wet or dry conditions. AP Lift 430 foam can support up to 7,200 lbs per square foot and will cure to 90% full strength in 15 minutes.  (Of the most resilient concrete slab jacking foams, AP Lift 430 is proven to lift concrete slabs under harsh conditions. This two-component, high-strength, high-density, hydro-insensitive structural polyurethane foam is the top slab jacking solution for concrete slab foundation repair, soil stabilization, and compaction grouting. AP Lift 430 weighs 2.75 – 3.25 pounds per cubic foot.) Polyurethane foam conforms to void shape more accurately than cement grout, and - unlike cement - it doesn't shrink or sink over time. Read more...

So You’re Thinking About Starting a Slab Lifting Company: Key Considerations

If you want to corner the market in this potentially profitable business, begin by scoping out a specialized area, such as residential, commercial, or civic/municipal. Next, make a simple short written list of the assets you absolutely must have to get started. Do you need a full-sized slab lifting rig to get rolling? Or maybe just the portable PolyBadger lifting system? Are there any special licenses or certifications required for operation? Do you have a good relationship with an equipment and materials supplier? Having the right slab lifting equipment, top-of-line materials, vendor support, and deep expertise in this unique industry are the first keys to success for startup companies. Read more...

Hydrophobic vs Hydrophilic: Polyurethanes

The terms hydrophobic and hydrophilic may not mean anything to the average person. But, to a contractor, these terms can mean a world of a difference. Hydro means water while phobic means “to fear” and philic means “to love”.  Alchemy-Spetec offers both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polyurethanes, so it is important to be aware of the differences between the two types.  Read more...

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In the United States, tilt-up construction is very common and the resulting joints are typically caulked. The vast majority of the time that is totally sufficient. But what about the joint you find yourself recaulking every six months to a year? While not the norm, they can be a real hassle and a thorn in your side. Enter Spetec PUR F400 and welcome to this blog post!

Spetec PUR F400 is a flexible hydrophobic polyurethane grout. Oakum is a fibrous jute rope that we soak the F400 in and then use to pack the wetted joint from the bottom up. This is a messy but simple process that leaves you with a full-depth seal/bond as opposed to the typical ¼” bond that is standard when caulking. The excess foam can be cut back and caulked to match the existing joints. Caulking is also required on the exterior as F400 is not UV stable, so the caulk protects the F400 from UV and makes the joint cosmetically match the other joints.

The same grout/oakum procedure described above can also be done for joints that are in constant submersion. Standard urethane caulk is not designed for constant submergence and while polysulfides are, they still can have problems with it. F400 is unaffected by wet, dry, wet/dry, or constant submerged environments.

These repair procedures can be applied to pipe penetrations as well. The "oakum soakum" method, as it's commonly known, is a tried and true methodology. But it is also one of the simplest methods for polyurethane chemical grout installation. I equate it to fingerpainting with chemical grouts.

Every grouting job has its unique challenges. Alchemy-Spetec's industry-leading tech support team is here to help! Call 404-618-0438 for assistance with your leak seal job today!

Want more info on leak seal products and equipment?

SOLD OUT!

Alchemy-Spetec HQ in Tucker, GA
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, October 12th

$695 Registration Fee
$615 for each additional participant from
the same company.

Get ready for a thorough education in Slab Lifting, Soil Stabilization, the Alchemy-Spetec Deep Lift® process, equipment, and applications. You’ll get hands-on training from a technical staff with decades of on-the-job experience.

Tuesday, October 26th

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Geotech Applications & Case Studies
• PolyBadger® Demo & Training
• Estimating & Quoting Jobs

Wednesday, October 27th

• PMC Pump Demo & Training
• Leak Seal Issues on Geotech Jobs
• Ground Penetrating Radar Demo & Training
• Slab Lift Rig Demo & Training
• Competing Geotech Techniques

Thursday, October 28th

• PolyShark® / Soil Stabilization Demo & Training (On-Site)
• Deep Lift® Demo & Training (On-Site)

Your Instructors:

Andy Powell (Southeastern Regional Manager), Erik Prinzing (Midwest Regional Manager), Colt Hullander (Director of Technical Services - Geotech), Patrick Zito (Eastern Regional Manager), Joel Bryant (Western Regional Manager).

Treatment plants undergo massive strain and efficiency issues when groundwater infiltrates city collection systems. These common problems lead to large expenses that can accumulate if left unchecked. Identifying the root causes and creating a plan to minimize the damages will be dependent on the scale of the problems, the age and condition of your overall infrastructure, and your budget. Having a trusted, experienced team of consultants will prove to be invaluable as you navigate these uncharted waters.

What is Groundwater Infiltration?

Groundwater Infiltration is an industry term referring to groundwater improperly entering a sanitary sewer wastewater system. This water, which normally drains deep into the ground or is routed to storm drains, ends up being treated. This costly treatment will eat away at your already limited budget while also taking up precious capacity within your collection system. Some common ways groundwater can enter sewer pipes (interceptors, collectors, manholes, or side sewers) are through cracks, leaky pipe joints, connection failures, and poorly maintained manholes.

You may have groundwater infiltration issues if you notice any of the following signs:

1. Your pipes are backed up during rainy seasons. This is often a good indicator of an unforeseen infiltration issue. During the next heavy rain, determine if your manholes are spilling wastewater onto local roadways or fields. This may be a good indicator that you have a surplus of groundwater infiltrating your wastewater systems.
2. Your lift station pumps running continuously or cycling frequently. There may be an issue at hand if your lift station pumps run continuously for a long time after a typical rain event, or if your pumps start and stop frequently. Either event is likely happening because groundwater has entered your sanitary sewer system and is overloading your treatment centers.
3. You can measure significant spikes in flow rates. As you measure and evaluate the effectiveness of your wastewater treatment plant during rainy or high groundwater conditions, readings that return abnormal spikes in inflow likely indicate an I&I issue. While small amounts of infiltration are to be expected, large spikes rarely happen unless there is a significant infiltration issue at hand.

6 Methods to Quantify Infiltration Issues

The warning signs noted above are helpful but indicate basic symptoms only. Once you’ve suspected that groundwater is infiltrating your system, there are 6 proven methods for capturing important data to determine the next course of action. These methods must be performed by a reputable engineering firm or a survey team.

1. Sanitary sewer flow monitoring
2. Manhole inspections and 3D technology
3. Smoke testing
4. Dye testing
5. Pipe inspection/closed circuit television inspection (CCTV)
6. Private property inspections

Cost-Effective and Proven Solutions to Stop Infiltration Immediately

These groundwater infiltration points can be permanently sealed off with crack/joint injection & curtain wall procedures using water-activated polyurethane foam. Pressure injection of these liquid polyurethane resins forces the material into leaking cracks, joints, or voids behind leaking structures. After the polyurethane injection is complete, the polyurethane resin rapidly reacts with water to form a watertight seal.

These leaks can be repaired with a small crew of about three people. A repair crew this size typically averages about two manholes per day (depending on manhole size and proximity). On average, curtain wall grouting a 4-foot diameter x 8-foot tall manhole requires 5 gallons of Spetec PUR HighFoamer. On average, treating joints and pipe penetrations on a 4-foot diameter x 8-foot tall manhole requires 2.5 gallons of Spetec PUR GT380.

• Failing Sewer Pipe Joints: Groundwater rising and falling puts hydrostatic pressure on pipe and manhole joints, causing them to fail. Point grouting consists of driving injection pipes to the points of failure and injecting a resin such as Spetec PUR HighFoamer. The resin expands and cures quickly to seal off the leaks and fill voids in the soil. Filling the voids with a grout like Spetec PUR HighFoamer also reduces the hydrostatic pressure on the joints. The grout also permeates the soil and increases the load-bearing capacity which can prevent future misalignment of the pipes.
• Pipe and Manholes Inverts: For many years, inverts have been repaired with hydraulic cement. But hydraulic cement fails if there is structural movement over the long-term, and thus leaking cracks/joint return. While hydraulic cement is cheap, repeating the repair process over and over is very expensive and means more confined space entries. Injecting the joints and inverts with a flexible polyurethane grout will provide a long-term repair, often longer than the expected service life of the manhole. Spetec PUR GT380 is the gold standard for these types of repairs, but at times a hydrophobic grout might be needed and thus Spetec PUR F400 would be the grout of choice. With the F400 different reaction times are possible by adjusting the percentage of GEN ACC Accelerator.
• Precast Manhole Joints: A factory-trained specialty contractor can seal precast manhole joints using Spetec PUR GT380. It is a hydrophilic polyurethane material that cures to form a gel or a foam. Because it's a single-component material, you can install it easily without the need for mixing. It can easily penetrate joints before it eventually cures into place, thanks to its low viscosity. Spetec PUR GT380 is a durable, long-term sealing solution that holds up against the harsh sewer environment.

Want more information on leak seal products and equipment?

It's not an exaggeration to say that that the PolyShark® soil stabilization and seawall repair pump system is unmatched in the marketplace. What makes it so unique?

A Geotech Pump System Like No Other

The PolyShark® system includes injection hoses, suction lines, flow meters, a custom solid steel frame, a skid-mounted setup, and top-of-the-line components. It is a complete turnkey unit, ready to go upon arrival. Let's take a closer look...

• Two 350 feet injection hose reels are included, allowing an exceptional amount of additional reach for limited access and/or remote location jobs.
• Suction lines make it easy to pump material from totes, drums, or even pails if needed. This type of flexibility is not common to all geotech pumps.
• Flow meters make it easy to accurately track the amount of material pumped.
• The custom solid steel frame, polyurea coated for excellent chemical resistance, is built to last and weather all types of environments.
• The skid-mounted setup keeps all system components together, allowing for easy transfer from truck to trailer to the ground on a job site if necessary.
• The Honda gas motor, Titan hydraulic pump, and Titan hydraulic fluid ram are top-of-the-line, tried, and true components. This means less maintenance and downtime when compared to competing systems.

Want more information on the PolyShark®?

I&I is a major issue that plagues all collection systems. What can be done about it? There are a number of large-scale and costly ways to address it but often these are overwhelming projects to start. So, let’s take a step back and start small with the manholes. A quick review of rain event data will help pinpoint problem areas. There may be numerous issues in a line, but remember we are going for easy manhole infiltration. Start popping manhole covers. We don’t need to look for every minor leak and the large leaks are easy to identify. Obliviously, flowing water is easy to spot but even if a large leak is not active there are normally clear signs of its existence. These signs include staining, native soils being washed in, or joints with bulging ramnecks. 

So now, with X number of leaking manholes identified, it is time to set a plan. Inverts and precast joints are often the biggest culprits. Often, they have been previously repaired with hydraulic cement. But hydraulic cement can’t deal with movement, and thus leaking cracks return. While hydraulic cement is cheap, repeating the repair process over and over is very expensive and means more confined space entries. Injecting the joints and inverts with a flexible polyurethane grout will provide a long-term repair, often longer than the expected service life of the manhole. Spetec PUR GT380 is the gold standard for these types of repairs, but at times a hydrophobic grout might be needed and thus Spetec PUR F400 would be the grout of choice. 

But what about older brick manholes? Often they are ripped out and replaced. Replacement is not always necessary, can be disruptive, and is very costly. Spetec PUR Highfoamer is an excellent choice for curtain grouting (the ideal application for sealing gushing leaks in old brick manholes). Its set time can easily be field adjusted and its 50x expansion makes it very cost-effective. 

So to review...

1. Perform a quick review of rain event data to identify potential leaks
2. Pop manholes to identify large leaks
3. Grout the defects for a long-term fix

The bonus round is to watch treatment costs drop due to less infiltration! 

Pro Tip: It is best to waterproof when the leaks are active.

Want more information on leak seal products and equipment?

For any Deep LiftⓇ or deep stabilization project, we want to gather as much information as possible about the project site.  This information falls into a few different categories, in no particular order:

• The Cause(s) of the Settlement or Void

• Information on the Structure

• Geotechnical Data

• General Observations and Measurements

• Site Evaluation Tools

Now I will break down each category into a checklist. 

The Cause(s) of the Settlement or Void

It's important to identify the Causes of Settlement in a structure so that you can do a proper repair and not have the problem reoccur.  Things to look for include:

• Broken pipes - is there a known plumbing issue, has it been resolved, have the drainage lines been scoped, are there unusually high water bills, have the owners observed persistent, soggy ground?
• Are there stormwater or sewer culverts that run below the property?
• Is there a seawall, retaining wall, or bulkhead supporting soil in the vicinity of the building?
• Downspouts and gutter issues - do the downspouts discharge onto the ground next to the building or into pipes, are those buried drain pipes intact, are the gutters large enough to convey the rainwater to the downspouts, or do they overflow onto the ground next to the building?
• Are there any known trash pits or large trees that have been taken out next to the building?
• Do the building owners know any history about the site, was this building constructed on land that was already suspect?  Any kind of history you can get is valuable information.
• Are there site drainage issues like water runoff coming in contact with the building?
• Is there evidence of poor compaction?
• Have there been any construction projects next to the property where dewatering has been done?

Information on the Structure

What kind of structure are we proposing to stabilize or lift? Information about the Structure includes but is not limited to the following:

• Are there drawings, plans, or as-builts, for the structure?  Particularly we are interested in what kind of foundation the building is on.
• Is the structure on pilings?
• How deep are the footings?
• How wide are the footings?
• Are there interior strip footings?
• Do the interior slabs rest on the footing or are they floating slabs?
• What is the footing construction - poured concrete, concrete block, a combination of block on top of concrete?
• Is the building structure made of wood, block, steel frame, poured concrete, a combination?
• Is there siding or a brick facade on the building?
• Is it a single or multi-story building?
• Where are the plumbing and other utilities located?
• Are there overhead power lines?
• Can you reach the areas to be grouted with your equipment, do you have enough hose?

Geotechnical Data

Sometimes it is impossible to determine the causes of settlement without getting a Geotechnical engineer involved.  The kinds of Geotechnical Data we are looking for include:

• Surveys
• Dynamic Cone Penetrometer tests (DCP)
• Hand auger results
• Standard Penetration Test borings (SPT's)
• Soil profile reports - these tell you compaction, soil type, and water table elevation
• Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scans

Observations and Measurements

Finally, we need to put our Observations and Measurements together so we can complete the estimate, determine the full scope of the project, and set customer expectations accordingly.

• How much has the structure settled?
• Is the roofline affected?
• Is the brick or block separating, are there stair-step cracks?
• How many square feet of the interior slab has settled, how many inches down?
• Perform soundings on the slab to determine if there are voids underneath.
• Drill holes and use a probe or borescope camera to look underneath.

Tools for Site Evaluation

Of course, it is hard to get some of this information without the proper Tools for Site Evaluation.

• Measuring wheel.
• Camera for still pics and for video (I like to narrate my observations while I video record my walkthrough.  That way I don't have to remember what each still picture means.
• Measuring tape.
• Rotating laser with transit stick - or use a Zip Level to measure elevation changes.
• Flashlight.
• Drill.
• Soil probe.
• Borescope camera.
• Drill hole patching material
• Laptop, tablet, or a notepad and pen (for recording your information).

Want more information on the Deep LiftⓇ process?

I think you’ll agree with me when I say that, as a slab lifting contractor, you can never have too many leads. While there may be dozens of methods available, there are three very effective resources our customers strategically use to land new slab lifting projects on a regular basis. Let’s get started.

HomeAdvisor

HomeAdvisor can be a lead machine for residential slab lifting contractors. HomeAdvisor's online and TV marketing efforts draw in homeowners looking for local contractors of all kinds. You pay a membership fee, set a lead budget, and they feed you concrete leveling opportunities. But it doesn’t stop there. Here are some tips that can help you capitalize on those leads:

1. Call the homeowner immediately: These leads go to multiple contractors so you need to be among the first to book an appointment.
2. Pick specific zip codes: You can call HomeAdvisor and limit your advertising to higher-income zip codes, zip codes closest to your business, etc. Take some time to think through the reasons for targeting specific areas. For example, higher-income homeowners tend to care more about quality than price, jobs near your business reduce travel costs, and so on.
3. Dispute bad leads: Some leads will come in that aren’t relevant. For example, the homeowner didn't realize they were choosing the wrong job type category, or they just wanted to ask some questions but did not actually have a project available. You can dispute these types of leads via HomeAdvisor's website or by calling their customer service line.

Google Ads

Google is the most popular search engine in the world. Our top customers have learned to leverage Google's massive user base through implementing strategic Google Ads campaigns. They use Google Ads to target local people who are searching for specific keywords such as "concrete leveling contractor near me" or "sinking driveway repair", etc. This means you can continually refine your parameters so that the most relevant leads end up on your landing page. 

It's important to design a custom landing page for your Google Ads campaign, encouraging the visitor to download a brochure for more information. Your brochure download process should require the lead to enter their contact info. Some people recommend excluding website navigation menus on these pages, effectively requiring the visitor to download the brochure. In this way, you capture contact info from all types of visitors - even those who are not ready to buy yet but are in the information gathering stage. These types of visitors would otherwise scour a conventional website, take notes, and then continue searching without ever sharing their contact info.  If you need someone to create your Google Ads campaign and/or landing page, we can put you in contact with experienced freelancers.

This next section is excerpted from our brochure, Marketing Your Contracting Business. (The brochure download link is at the bottom of this article.)

Blogging for Leads

Cast a Wide Net with a Lot of Posts

The more pages you have on your website, the more chances there are for someone to find it when searching a specific phrase or term. Search engines are scanning your page names, heading text, and page text when someone types in a term or phrase to see if there are any matches. So, it’s in your best interest to have as many pages full of relevant content as you can. A blog is a perfect way to accomplish that goal.

Say, for example, that you are a slab lifting contractor in San Pedro, California. You can write up case studies of jobs you’ve performed in your area. Make sure your blog titles include terms people will likely search for. For example, a post about a warehouse floor job could be titled, “Warehouse Floor Slab Lift in San Pedro”. You get the idea.

Share Your Knowledge and Build Trust

You can also use a blog as a way to share your knowledge and experience with potential customers who are looking for answers. Take some time to consider all that you’ve learned over the years and jot down ideas for blog posts that potential customers may find helpful. In addition to case studies, you can write posts instructing people how to spot problems on their property, comparing your repair costs to the costs of replacing a structure, educating people about the materials you use, etc.

You can get quite a few ideas by browsing the posts on our blog. While our articles are aimed more at contractors than property owners, you’ll still find many useful subjects to get your brainstorming started. The more useful knowledge you share, the more trust you can build with potential customers. People are much more likely to buy a service from a known expert than from a complete stranger.

Offer More Value in Exchange for Contact Info

Driving up web traffic is a good thing. Establishing yourself as an authority by creating useful content is also very helpful. If you just do those two things, you should get more people calling you and filling out the contact form on your website. But if you REALLY want to jumpstart the leads, you need to offer something of value in exchange for your reader’s contact info. At the end of every article, include a link to a relevant brochure – or something else of value – and ask for their contact info in exchange. For an example, see the form download button at the bottom of this article.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

The great thing about a blog post with a lead capture form at the end is that, once you set it up – it’s there forever. We still get leads from blog posts we put up years ago. If you consistently write articles, you can create a compounding effect with more and more leads coming in each month.

Want more information on lead generation?