Alchatek Blog

Using oakum with chemical grout is a way of sealing gushing leaks, as well as sealing the area (annular space) around pipes passing through concrete structures. When a pipe passes through a concrete structure and the annular space around the pipe is large, the saturated oakum technique can be used to seal off the water infiltration. Oakum saturated with grout can be used alone to seal off water flow. It can also be utilized to build a surface seal or “dam” behind which grout can be pumped. 

Procedures

This is a two-person process.

1. Clean the crack or space to be sealed of any loose debris and foreign material.
2. Cut the oakum in various lengths to fit the perimeter requirements of the area to be sealed.
3. Soak the oakum in the grout.
4. One person will wring out the soaked oakum and hand it to the other person, who will...
5. Dip the oakum into a pail of water to activate the grout and then place the activated oakum into the crack or space using a screw driver or a similar tool.

After the space has been packed with saturated oakum, you can inject grout behind the seal with an injection needle. 

For more information, see our previous post on this subject and call us at 404-618-0438.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec leak seal products?

Don't miss out on the AP Lift 430 and MixMaster Pro slab lifting gun product bundle offer!

AP Lift 430 Concrete Leveling Foam

AP LIFT 430 is a two component, high strength, high density, hydro insensitive slab lifting foam. 

• Traffic ready in 15 minutes.
• High strength.
• Works in wet environments - displaces water.
• Bonds with soil and concrete.
• Closed cell.
• Certified by Truesdail Labs to NSF/ANSI 61-5 (approved for contact with drinking water).

MixMaster Pro Concrete Leveling Gun

Two-component resin injection gun manufactured specifically for lifting concrete slabs, designed to handle back-pressure. As the essential piece of foam jacking equipment for Alchemy-Spetec’s expanding polyurethane foams, the resin injection gun provides highly-efficient concrete leveling. 

• Completely mechanical actuation
• No side seals or O-rings in the mixing block to replace
• Integrated rebuildable check valves to save your whip hose
• Easy break down and clean up at the end of the day
• Utilizes smaller 3/8” injection port
• Uses water based flush

Call 404-618-0438 to order your Slab Lift Product Bundle NOW!

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec Geotech products?

The new stainless-steel block for the MixMaster Pro concrete leveling gun is an option you may want to consider. This stronger, more durable gun block was developed to prevent stripping of injector ports (which can sometimes happen with the aluminum block if the ports are over-tightened). 

There are no problems with the aluminum block as long as all your crew members are trained not to over-tighten the ports.  But if you would like that extra level of projection and durability, consider spending a little more for the stainless-steel option.

Want more info on the MixMaster Pro concrete leveling gun?

Leak Seal & Geotech Products & Procedures

October 9th & 10th, 2019 at Alchemy-Spetec HQ in Tucker, GA

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

Wednesday - Leak Seal

• Leak Seal Product Line Overview
• Curtain Grouting
• Permeation Grouting
• Leak-Seal Product Mixing
• Pump & Packer Overviews
• Leak-Seal Accessories
• Municipal Applications
• Live Injection Demos
• Open Discussions

Thursday - Geotech

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Soil Stabilization
• Geotech Product Mixing
• Rig & Mobile System Overviews
• Geotechnical Accessories
• Slab Lifting Live Demo
• Deep Lift™ Overview
• Soil Testing with the
• GPR & Penetrometer
• Maintenance Discussions
• Pricing / Estimating / Cost Savings
• Open Discussions

Participants receive a Samsung tablet loaded with training material.

Your Instructors:

Stephen C. Barton (President/CEO), Jim Spiegel (VP Sales & Business Development), Andy Powell (Southeastern Regional Manager), Anthony Sandone (Eastern Regional Manager), Charlie Lerman (Western Regional Manager), and Michael Binyaminov (Western Sales Representative). 

Alchemy-Spetec offers a variety of accessories for use with the leak seal product line.  In this post, we'll take a brief tour.  If you have any questions about these products, don't hesitate to call us at 404-618-0438.

Electric Injection Pumps

Alchemy-Spetec offers world-class Titan electric injection pumps for sealing both small and gushing leaks as well as filling voids behind and below structures.  Read more here...

Additional Equipment

Additional leak seal equipment includes the High Pressure Crack Injection Valve, the F-Valve Assembly, the Flush Wand, Oakum, and an extensive line of Packers and Ports.  Read more here...

Spetec Pump Cleaner

Spetec Pump Cleaner is a non-flammable solvent for cleaning uncured polyurethane from injection equipment. 

AP Soak 130

AP Soak 130 is a reusable, non-flammable solvent for cleaning cured resin from metal components.

Spetec Surface Guard

Spetec Surface Guard is a temporary coating for protecting concrete from polyurethane resin stains during  injection jobs.

AP Lube 190

AP Lube 190 is a lubricant for preventing isocyanate from setting up inside pumps or hoses.

Spetec Gel Reinforcing Agent

Spetec Gel Reinforcing Agent is an acrylic latex additive used to increase the strength and flexibility of our AG series of acrylic gels.

Want more information on the Alchemy-Spetec leak seal product line?

Spetec Gel Reinforcing Agent is an acrylic latex additive used to increase the strength and flexibility of our AG series of acrylic gels: Spetec AG100, Spetec AG200 and AP SoilGel 200.

Advantages

• Improved adhesion.
• Increased hydrostatic pressure resistance.
• Improved resistance to wet/dry cycles.
• Improved low temperature flexibility.
• Minimizes hydrophilic shrinkage in dry cycling.
• Solvent free.
• Non-toxic.

Field of Application

• Soil stabilization in below grade structures when used in conjunction with the AG series of products.
• Leak seal in below grade structures when used in conjunction with the AG series of products.

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec products?

AP Lube 190 is a multi-purpose lubricant for use with both electric injection pumps and proportioner/reactor pumps. 

Advantages

• Extends the life of the electric injection pump.
• Protects and extends the life of pump packings.
• Prevents isocyanate from setting up inside pump or hoses.

Field of Application

• Lubricating electric injection pumps.
• Flushing out proportioner/reactor pumps for long-term storage.
• Lubricating A-side pump line on proportioner/reactor pumps.

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec products?

When your reputation is on the line, we’ve got you covered.
Sidewinder Scuff Guard incorporates the most advanced
insulation and abrasion-resistant materials to enhance application
and provide higher yields when pushing foam.

Available in both insulated and non-insulated versions, Sidewinder installs in minutes and offers unmatched hose protection from heavy abrasion, moisture, and temperature energy loss.

Forget the duct tape and nylon sock! Bundle up with Sidewinder’s “all-season” Scuff Guard from Alchemy-Spetec.

• RUGGED SIMPLICITY. Sidewinder’s sleek, low-profile design makes dragging hose a breeze.
  
  
• OPTIMIZED FOR SPF. Sidewinder’s specialized cover provides added protection in wet, high UV applications and remains extremely flexible in temperatures from -60°F to 250°F.
  
  
• UP TO 60% ENERGY SAVINGS. Insulated sleeve can reduce temperature loss by up to 60%.
  
  
• GETTING HEATED? Sidewinder Scuff Guard helps control viscosity & reduces wear to proportioners eliminating these headaches:
  
  • Inability to maintain ideal temperatures under varying conditions
  • Hours spent repairing heavy hose sock & replacing tattered duct tape
  • Replacing costly FTS cables, FTS sensors & defective whips
  • Loss of yield, cutting into profits

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec Geotech products?

We've blogged about this before, but it's worth repeating. Twin streaming is a technique in which you use a high pressure 3,000 psi 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 before they exit the coupler.

Advantages:

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

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.

Injecting Resin Into 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 Spetec PUR H100, Spetec PUR H200 and AP Fill 700 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 Spetec PUR GT500 and Spetec PUR 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 info on Leak Seal products?

A large part of the market is still using old sprayfoam insulation guns to do heavy concrete lifting work. Let's take a look at some of the benefits of using a gun that's custom designed for slab lifting...

The Problem with Sprayfoam Insulation Guns Adapted for Slab Lifting

Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight! Sprayfoam insulation guns are made for the simple process of spraying foam at constant pressures. Slab lifting requires a gun that is designed to deal with changing pressures and back pressure without backing up or crossing over. Issues like leaky port connections, constant cleaning, and constant fumbling around with a clamp can drastically reduce production - adding a lot of man hours to each project. Not to mention long nights spent rebuilding and cleaning the gun after EVERY job. Did we mention that feeling in the pit of your stomach every time you have to call in yet another expensive replacement parts order? 

The Solution: A Gun Designed by Slab Lifting Experts for Slab Lifting Contractors

The MixMaster Pro was designed based on years of feedback from slab lifting contractors working in the field. Every known point of frustration and difficulty has been addressed in this sturdy, single-purpose gun. Further benefits include a lower cost of consumables (you can reuse ports with this gun), beefy check valves designed to handle the back pressure, and a short 10-minute breakdown/cleaning session at the end of each day. Not to mention the fact that this gun is a production BEAST - no leaky port connections, no fumbling with clamps. Watch your man hours on each project shrink accordingly. Did we mention you’ll have less replacement part orders? There are only a few inexpensive replacement parts on this gun - PERIOD.

Want to see side by side comparisons with other guns, additional key benefits, and more?