Alchatek Blog

National Sanitation Foundation develops public health standards and certification programs that help protect the world’s food, water, consumer products and environment.

On some jobs, it can be very important for you to make sure the products you use meet NSF/ANSI 61-5 standards for contact with drinking water. This testing covers all products that will be used in or around drinking water from source to tap. We have eight products that are NSF approved. These products are used for crack injection, curtain wall grouting and slab lifting.

The products are as follows:

A few years back I received a call from a large tunnel contractor asking me if we had NSF approval on our products.  They were using a competitors product and were having problems with what they were using. This particular tunnel was tasked with bringing all of the drinking water from upstate New York into New York City.  I set up a meeting with the contractor and the DEP to go over our products.  As it turned out, they accepted our product and are still using it to this day in potable water applications for this tunnel and many more. 

It can also be important to have NSF approval on products that don't come into contact with drinking water, in order to be sure they're safe for the environment in general.  Having NSF approval on your products is important and a market differentiator. 

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

It’s the end of the year and soon there will be all kinds of awards being given out for the best this and most valuable that, etc etc.   In that spirit I want to nominate AP Lift 430 as Product of the Year for the polyurethane industry.

Now some of you may think that’s kind of a bold move; but it’s also my blog post and I didn’t hear any other nominations.  Let me make the case:

Why a 3 Pound Density Foam?

We didn’t randomly make a decision to manufacture a 3 lb density slab lifting foam.  This was a calculated decision based on what we were hearing from contractors in the field and what we were able to do in the lab. 

Early in the history of Alchemy Polymers (one of the predecessors to Alchemy-Spetec), we manufactured only heavier density lifting foams to go along with our lines of leak sealing and soil stabilization resins.  The reason being that our focus was on the commercial, industrial, and transportation segments of the market. 

More Lifting Power Than Higher Density Foams

As we became more aware of the potential in the residential market, we decided to make a superior lifting foam for that sector as well.  Feedback from contractors using 2 lb and 2.5 lb density lifting foams seemed to indicate that they experienced too many callbacks - lifting jobs that resettled.  We also found out that some contractors were using foams that were not designed to work in wet conditions.  If they wanted something to work when it was wet; they had to pay a premium.   

Contractors were also told that these lighter density foams would increase in density as they pumped more under the slab, and that is true.  But it also means having to put a lot more material under the slab to ultimately get it to a density strong enough for the job.

From this information we developed AP Lift 430.  Working with our chemist, we were able to create a 3 lb density foam that had higher lifting pressures than even our 4.75 lb workhorse, AP Lift 475.  Clearly, this is not a product for snowflakes or wimps.

We also designed it to meet DOT specifications: Hydrophobic (displaces water and works in wet environments), 90% Strength in 15 Minutes, traffic ready in 45 minutes, and NO shrinkage.  One other thing… we don’t cut corners or put recycled materials in products to save cost.  Our green statement is that you only have to do the job once. 

NSF / ANSI 61 Approved for Contact with Drinking Water

In 2017, AP Lift 430 really shined for us.  Easily our number one product for residential slab lifting, its combination of excellent expansion rate for filling voids and high lifting power has made it the go to product for contractors.  Once you try it; you won’t go back.  It literally gets more done with less material required. 

And now...AP Lift 430 is officially NSF / ANSI 61 approved.  This means it is approved for contact with drinking water and that it is also the SAFEST slab lifting polyurethane to have installed around your family and pets.  Ask your current supplier if their product is NSF approved and I think you’ll find that it’s not.

Tired of callbacks? Tired of foams that shrink and fail in wet environments? Tired of foams made by insulation experts rather than geotechnical experts?  Make the move to something safer and more powerful - AP Lift 430 and the rest of our Lift series foams.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec slab lifting products?

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) gives the EPA latitude to impose criminal and civil penalties on industries not in compliance. In 2014 enforcement efforts policing clean water netted $163 million in penalties and fines, 155 combined years of incarceration for sentenced defendants, and $16 million in court-ordered project clean-ups.

Having products that may come into contact with drinking water certified to NSF 61-5 (approved for contact with drinking water), ensures compliance with the SDWA and guarantees peace of mind for stakeholders on construction projects where this could be an issue. Even when possible contact with drinking water is not a factor, this process assures the contractor that the product is safe for the environment in general.

To receive NSF approval, each product must undergo rigorous testing and the manufacturer's plant and quality assurance practices must pass a thorough inspection. Voluntarily undergoing such a rigorous certification process is invaluable because it provides assurance to all that, at the end of the day, our arsenal of products are not only the top-performers in the market, but also protectors of the environment.

The following Alchemy-Spetec products have received the official NSF seal of approval for contact with drinking water: AP Lift 430, AP Lift 475, Spetec F400, Spetec F1000, AP Seal 500, AP Fill 700, Spetec H100 and AP Soil 600.

Want in-depth information on Alchemy-Spetec Products?