Alchatek Blog

Did you know you can finance a slab lifting rig, a PolyBadger mobile lifting system, and other equipment you purchase from Alchemy-Spetec?

Let's take a look at some estimated monthly payments. These figures are based on a 60-month payment period.  Shorter terms are available. Estimates are of course based on good credit.  Actual numbers may vary. 

Financing Slab Lifting Rigs

Purchase Price Range: $50k to 85k, depending on the rig and options.

Estimated Low End
$1,045/month

Estimated High End
$1,777/month

Financing PolyBadger Lifting Systems

Purchase Price Range: $22k to 25k, depending on the options.

Estimated Low End 
$460/month 

Estimated High End
$523/month

As you can see, the purchase price breaks down into easy monthly payments.  Call support rep at 404-618-0438 to discuss your options.  If you've already discussed your equipment options with a rep, click here to apply for Alchemy-Spetec financing now! 

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec Geotech products?

Alchemy-Spetec manufactures 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.

See these amazing lifting foams in action at World of Concrete 2019!  Drop by to see us at Booth # O40551 in the Silver Lots (same location we were in last year). 

There will be a LOT to see and do at our booth this year: 

• See the Polybadger Lifting System in action. 
• Learn about preventative waterstop products. 
• Get in-depth instruction on using and cleaning the MixMaster Pro slab lifting gun. 
• View leak seal and curtain grouting displays. 
• Mix foam samples at our live mixing station. 
• Learn about the Deep Lift process. 
• Tour a fully stocked slab lifting rig.

 Want more info on slab lifting?

Want to schedule a one-on-one consultation with a rep at World of Concrete?

We had a great response to this blog post when it was first published last year.  All the sentiments still apply and all the key points are still critical, so we're sharing it once again...

It’s the Friday before Christmas and the marketing department is trying to get one more blog out of me before the holidays.  They wanted a Christmas themed blog that is somehow industry related so I’ll do the best I can.

This time of year most people will spend a little extra time with their loved ones.  It is also a time to reflect on the loved ones we miss that are no longer with us.  In the past year, some people I know in our industry have either been lost or have suffered through a loss.  In those cases there was nothing that could have been done to stop it.  However, there are things that we can do to guard against job related safety hazards.

I recently had the opportunity to spend a day in an OSHA safety training class.  It was required in order to be present supervising a project at a chemical facility.  Signing in at 6 AM, I’ll admit I was not looking forward to spending all day there.  By the end of the day I was glad that I went.

In an intro video, the narrator said that every morning when you kiss your loved one goodbye before you go to work, keep in mind that someone, somewhere will not come home from work that day.  Workplace accidents are almost entirely preventable.  Investigations typically find the cause quite easily. 

The class I attended contained a dozen or so modules, each one with a video case study followed by the teaching.  Every case study module covered a different accident where people didn’t come home from work that day.  All of them could have been prevented.  I learned about fire, electrical and chemical safety; as well as confined space, ladders, scaffolds, and working in trenches.  I have worked in the construction industry since my teenage years, so it was sobering to look back and think about some of the close calls I had.

If you're a contractor or industry related business owner looking for a good $100 investment, send your employees to one of these classes.  It’s a good opportunity to learn safety principles that can protect you, your coworkers, and your business from being lost.  It’s a gift that will keep on giving.  You don’t need Christmas as a reason to do this, but in the spirit of the season, you may want to make it the reason.  

Click here to find an OSHA safety class near you.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Get a complimentary Alchemy-Spetec pocket knife at World of Concrete 2019!  Drop by to see us at Booth # O40551 in the Silver Lots (same location we were in last year).  Show us a social media post you made with the hashtag #AlchemySpetecWOC and you'll receive one absolutely free!

There will be a LOT to see and do at our booth this year: 

• See the Polybadger Lifting System in action. 
• Learn about preventative waterstop products. 
• Get in-depth instruction on using and cleaning the MixMaster Pro slab lifting gun. 
• View leak seal and curtain grouting displays. 
• Mix foam samples at our live mixing station. 
• Learn about the Deep Lift process. 
• Tour a fully stocked slab lifting rig.

Want a personlized one-on-one meeting at World of Concrete?

Contrary to popular opinion, as a contractor, you don’t have to put up your equipment and rigs due to cold weather. There are many jobs to be done and many ways to keep your material conditioned. Use this season to your advantage and gain valuable business.

Cold Weather Markets

Seasonal attractions such as theme parks are a great place to start looking for winter work. Many of these parks (the ones that aren’t in Orlando) shut down for the winter and this is the time they do maintenance and repairs. Think of all the concrete lifting and leveling that can be done.

Factories can be less active in the winter months with production slowing down in many industries. This is a good time for them to do maintenance and floor repairs as well.

Warehouses typically operate year round, so there is always work available. Warehouse floors are used and abused on a daily basis and will sooner or later need some form of repairs done to keep business running at a steady pace. In addition, many warehouses have dangerous voids beneath their floors that require repair.  

Exterior concrete slabs are still worth considering, even in the cold weather. These slabs experience the most wear and tear from the environment itself (think erosion) and daily traffic. You’ll need to lift concrete slabs before the ground freezes and only after your materials have been thoroughly conditioned.

Conditioning Materials

Your slab lifting equipment probably has built in heaters and a heated hose. Each brand and model of pump has different sized pre-heaters and different ∆T (∆ = Delta and T = Temperature). This sounds complicated, but is actually quite simple.  ∆T is simply the change in temperature.  Let’s say your material has been sitting in a cold trailer all night and the temperature has dropped to 40 degrees F. If the required temperature of your B side material is 120 degrees F, then your pump better be rated with a ∆T of at least 80 degrees. However, if your material is preconditioned to 70 degrees F, then your machine only has to be rated for a ∆T of 50 degrees. As I said, every machine is rated differently based on the size of the heaters. What is important to know is that there are limitations to how much heating your machine can do.

Keeping your materials conditioned in the winter months is a lot easier than it sounds. The main point is to keep your AP Lift products above 60 degrees at all times. Keeping the polyurethane at or above that temperature can be accomplished in a number of ways.

If you have an insulated rig, it should stay around 40 degrees warmer than outside temperatures. Most foam rigs have built in electric heaters that require an extension cord to a power outlet at the job site or at your facility for overnight storage. Alternately, you could buy an electric radiator heater. Other available heating devices include drum band heaters and heated drum mats (be careful not to scorch the polymers by turning band heaters up too high). For a more DIY approach, you could build a hot box around the material storage area in your rig.

Heat Sink

Another consideration when lifting cold slabs is the heat sink factor. AP Lift products come out of the gun hot and get even hotter as they react. However, cold concrete acts as a heat sink and sucks the energy out of the foam as it starts to react. This can slow down the reaction speed of the foam. If you are pumping into a void, it will have little effect because most of the foam is not in contact with the concrete. If you are trying to lift a slab with little void, it will have more of an effect because more of the foam is in contact with the cold concrete and cold soil. More volume = more energy.

Conclusion

Don’t let common preconceptions deter you from slab lifting in cold weather. As noted above, there is no need to shut down completely for the upcoming winter months if you don’t want to. Opportunities still exist and one of them may just be the job you’ve been looking for all year. There are many ways to keep your equipment and materials conditioned to efficiently work in lower temperatures. Have more questions about slab lifting in cold weather? Call us at 404-618-0438.

Want more in-depth info on slab lifting?

This video demonstrates how concrete crack injection works for leak seal problems. Leaking concrete structures can be permanently repaired using a water activated flexible polymer. Pressure injection of these liquid resins forces the material into leaking cracks, joints, and other defects. The resin rapidly reacts with the moisture to form a flexible, watertight seal. From hairline cracks to gushing leaks, virtually any defect can be corrected with our leak seal resins, optimized for stopping water flow.   

In this case the concrete wall in the basement of an apartment complex was leaking water, slowly flooding the area at the base of the structure. Needless to say, these types of situations can eventually present a fairly serious issue for property owners. Fortunately, they can attack the problem head on by hiring a contractor skilled in the application of Spetec PUR GT500 (formerly known as AP Seal 500).

Spetec PUR GT500 is a single component, low viscosity, flexible hydrophilic polyurethane injection resin. This grout is a proven industrial concrete crack sealant. A powerful polyurethane resin that is optimal for sealing hairline cracks, pipe penetrations, joints and larger defects in concrete structures.

Want in-depth info on leak seal procedures and products?

Are you familiar with our Waterstop line of preventative waterproofing products? Make sure to ask us all about them when you visit our booth at  World of Concrete 2019! Drop by to see us at Booth # O40551 in the Silver Lots (same location we were in last year).

A Brief Overview of the Waterstop Line

Newly constructed floor/wall joints with no waterstop lining can be vulnerable to water infiltration. Neglect to line the joints, and water will seep into the structure and out onto the floor. Needless to say, water on the floor can be an inconvenience, it can be a safety hazard and it can damage property. In addition, floor/wall joint leaks can cause the concrete to decay and spall over the long run.

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.

Spetec R-ITS
The Spetec Re-Inectable Tube System is a primary waterstop in cold joints and pipe joints. When used with acrylates like Spetec AG 200, it can be flushed with water at a pre-determined set time, creating a clean tube ready for subsequent use. It can also function as a standard single-use injection tube system with polyurethane injection resins like Spetec PUR H100 and Spetec PUR F400. The Spetec R-ITS is compatible with combination grouting techniques involving microfine cements.

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 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.

Learn more about the Waterstop line in our booth at World of Concrete 2019!

Want to schedule a one-on-one consultation with a rep at World of Concrete?

Want more info on the Waterstop line?

This video documents the raising of a driveway slab at an ATM drive-through in a busy bank. Customers’ cars were getting damaged when they suddenly dropped down onto the sunken section of the driveway. Needless to say, the property owner was highly motivated to resolve this liability in a timely yet reliable manner.

Sunken concrete slabs can be lifted back into place with two component polymer foam designed to work in wet or dry conditions. The expansion force of the foam coupled with the pressure of a specialized pump generate enough controlled force to lift virtually any structure back into position with 1/8" precision. Slab settlement can be restored at a fraction of the cost and time required for replacement using our AP Lift series of resins.

Want in-depth info on slab lifting procedures and products?

Live PolyBadger lifting demos at World of Concrete!

Learn all about the PolyBadger at World of Concrete 2019!  Drop by to see us at Booth # O40551 in the Silver Lots (same location we were in last year).

The Alchemy-Spetec PolyBadger lifting system is tough and compact. This system is an affordable entry-level option for new contractors, as well as an extremely portable addition to the experienced contractor’s arsenal. The PolyBadger is a lot less expensive than your standard 20 foot trailer rig.

The genius of the PolyBadger is the auto calibrator. It keeps the flow of A and B on ratio, eliminating the possibility of a crossover in the gun or the whip hose. The two low-pressure transfer pumps and auto calibrator are literally the only moving parts in the whole system. That means less downtime, less maintenance, and more productivity on the job. The cart set up is very simple to use, even when compared to the few other compact lifting units on the market.  The entire system can easily fit in the back of a pickup truck!

Want to schedule a one-on-one consultation with a rep at World of Concrete?

Want more info on the PolyBadger system?

This last year has been crazy busy; we have been on so many slab lifting projects with our contractors. From residential to commercial/industrial, slab lifting with polyurethane is proving to be a huge success. However, there are some patterns that have emerged in terms of the challenges that contractors face. Probably more than 99% of slab lifting jobs go just fine, but these tips should help you maximize your results.

Something’s Gotta Give - Bound Slabs

The AP Lift series of polyurethanes are very powerful; capable of lifting slabs several feet thick. So if you suspect you have a slab that might bind or hang up, you need to take precautions. Otherwise you risk breaking it. In this business you’re going to deal with control joints, expansion joints, and cracks (both hairline and major). You have to do your best to clean them out. A proactive saw-cut on a joint might make your life easier. Routing out a joint or a crack with a diamond sawzall blade, a thin trowel, or some compressed air is going to pay dividends. Lubricate joints, cracks, and edges with AP Flush 125 for rapid results.

Heavy Structures with a Small Footprint

These types of lifts are the toughest. A typically sized two foot thick slab with equipment on it will often come up easier than a set of front steps, a chimney, or a footing. Polyurethane foam likes to have a little bit of room to spread out and lift; when there is concentrated weight on a small base, the poly will try and squeeze out the sides. If the soils are soft or water saturated, it is even more challenging.

Try making the foam work for you. Use short, controlled shots of material that don’t travel very far. Inject a few perimeter shots to create a damming effect that will retain additional foam injected inside of the perimeter. Finally, don’t be afraid to use some mechanical assistance. There have been some unique lifts of this type done with the help of various jacks, levers, and beam systems.

The Wrong Part of the Slab is Lifting

I was on an interesting sidewalk slab lift project awhile back. We had finished several jobs over two days and were feeling pretty good about things; so I wasn’t paying close attention. My contractor, however, was paying very close attention to the joint where he was trying to get lift. So much focus that he did not notice the slab was actually lifting behind him and not where he wanted or anticipated it to.

So how do you avoid this? First of all keep your head on a swivel. ALWAYS be paying attention to what is going on around you – looking for movement, escaping foam, cracks developing.

Secondly, be patient. Use short controlled shots of foam, let that material set up and gain some strength. Then drill through it and inject more material below. This keeps it concentrated in one area instead of allowing it to push under areas you don’t want to lift.

Third – monitor the slab at various points with dial indicators, zip levels, string lines, or laser transits so you know what is going on at multiple points. And last of all, perhaps that joint that won’t move is bound and needs to be saw cut.

Cracking the Slab

If you have worded your contract correctly, you should have some language covering you in case cracks appear while the slab is being lifted. Concrete slabs crack as they settle so it is logical to assume that they may crack when being raised. To keep cracking to a minimum, here are some tips:

• Short controlled shots of material – no need to be in a hurry – constantly monitor the slab for movement.
• Use common sense – a long slab will need support as it is being lifted. I usually start at the lowest point and start my injections there. I will spread out and hit other points and bring the slab up gradually. As it is lifting it will create voids that need to be filled with supporting foam.
• Know when to stop – sometimes it is that last shot of material that cracks the slab. You are trying to get that last 1/10th of an inch lift to make it perfect and the slab doesn’t want to move; then a crack appears. If a slab stops moving it is probably binding, and this can sometimes occur right when it is a hair from being back in place.
• Last of all, don’t panic if you crack the slab. If you act or look like you just did something terribly wrong, the property owner will pick up on that and then you may have an issue. The slab you just lifted is now supported and stabilized from below; the crack is not a sign of something wrong. Usually the cracks that occur are of the hairline variety and will often close right back up as you complete the lift. So be cool!

Property Damage

Damaging someone’s property is a sure fire way to turn a profitable day into a loss. The main type of property damage I have seen is from getting polyurethane on things that you’re not supposed to. Keep these tips in mind:

• Don’t pull off an injection point too soon. Let the material get its initial set before removing the port or the gun. This is the most common way to get foam on yourself and others.
• Don’t get too far ahead drilling holes. So many contractor crews I work with have one guy who wants drill all the holes before the other guy even starts injecting. Unless this is a giant warehouse job; don’t be in such a hurry. Too many times I have seen foam shoot out of an uncovered drill hole and get all over something. If you insist on it, then place dowels or plugged ports into those holes to prevent a blowout.
• Cover stuff with plastic – take the time to do this. And even better, create a simple shield to go around the injection gun. A 30 gallon plastic garbage can with a doghouse opening cut into it makes a very effective containment shield.
• Do your gun and hose maintenance in the rig, not on someone’s driveway or pool deck. B side drips typically clean up with water; A side drips however, clean up with time or money.

Over-Lifting

So you have gone and over-lifted a slab. Welcome to the slab lifting hall of shame – ha ha. This is one of the questions that I get asked a lot: “What happens if I over-lift a slab?”

In all my years of consulting, I’ve heard of this happening only a handful of times - and I’ve only witnessed it once. Lifting with polyurethane is very precise. Slab lifting doesn’t typically get out of control. With short controlled shots of material (do you sense a theme here?) you can anticipate how much a slab will continue moving after you stop injecting.

Monitor the slab in multiple places and keep your head on a swivel, as I recommended earlier. If you’re lifting near a doorway, constantly check the swing of the door to make sure it isn’t starting to stick. Take your time, think through what you’re doing, and you are unlikely to ever over-lift a slab.

Want in-depth info on slab lifting procedures and products?