How to Care For Your Spray Foam Equipment in Winter

Winter is a tough season for spray foam companies. Cold weather can cause quality issues due to low temperatures affecting the A and B materials. Many contractors winterize their spray foam equipment until the weather gets warmer. However, you can continue spraying foam throughout the winter with the right accessories and precautions.

At Intech Equipment & Supply, we carry the gear you need to keep your materials warm. If you continue your business during the winter, our experts recommend the following tips to keep your spray foam equipment working properly in low temperatures.

Caring for Your Spray Foam Equipment in Cold Weather

Your spray foam insulation equipment’s performance depends heavily on the condition of your spray foam materials. They must be processed at the correct pressure and temperature to create the conditions suitable for a reaction. If you plan to continue spraying foam in the winter, then you will most likely face these common problems:

• Materials get cold while in storage.
• Long start-up times due to cold materials.
• Materials get too cold in the spray foam rig.
• Materials freeze inside the hoses.
• Condensation in material drums causes crystallization.

When materials get too cold, the chemical reaction will not cause as much expansion as in warmer weather. This means less yield and inconsistent quality, which can compromise results and hurt your bottom line. Likewise, crystallization in the material drums due to condensation can cause clogs and seriously affect the quality of your work.

Materials are vulnerable as they pass through hoses and can fail when they get too cold. This means it is essential to protect all areas of your system that come in contact with spray foam.

Cold Weather SPF Solutions

Most spray foam material manufacturers recommend that A and B materials be stored between 60-80 degrees. Since cold causes contractors so much trouble, many opt to winterize their spray foam insulation equipment. Using the following accessories and following these tips help them complete spray foam projects during the winter.

• Use Powerblanket heaters: A Powerblanket heater wraps around spray foam material drums and is critical for extremely cold environments. It works like an electric blanket by wrapping around the material drum to insulate it and keep the materials warm.
• Use a desiccant dryer kit: When temperatures fluctuate, condensation can occur. Material drums are vulnerable to moisture throughout the year, even in the winter. Using a desiccant kit can keep unwanted water away from your materials so they don’t crystallize.
• Keep drums elevated off the rig floor: Place them on some type of barrier, like a pallet, so the drums don’t absorb the cold from the floor.
• Get an insulated rig: A rig that transports and protects SPF equipment should be insulated. This provides some protection against the cold. If possible, use a space heater to keep materials at the right temperature on the job, in storage, and in transit. Be sure to follow all directions to operate the space heater safely. You can also, insulate the floor of your rig so that your equipment isn’t in direct contact with the cold.
• Keep your rig in a garage or indoors. This will limit how much your equipment and materials are exposed to the cold.
• Use heated hoses with insulated covers. A hose exposed to cold will cause the chemicals within to freeze, but an insulated cover can take the sting off the cold. A heated hose that activates in sections can also be valuable if parts of the hose are indoors and outdoors during the winter.
• Place insulation under hoses that are outside. This keeps the hose from lying directly on the cold ground.

Winterizing Your Spray Foam Equipment

If you decide not to winterize your spray foam equipment, you can take a seasonal break and focus on other projects. This is the best route if you do not have the correct rig setup or accessories to spray foam properly in the winter.

Since each type of spray foam equipment has specific care needs, it is impossible to follow a “one size fits all” winterizing routine. Some machines, such as hydraulic ones, need to go through more winterizing steps than an electric machine. For the best winterization recommendations, consult your manufacturer’s guidelines.

Spray Foam Insulation Equipment at Intech Equipment & Supply

Intech Equipment & Supply is proud to be a leading spray foam equipment supplier. Whether you need spray foam insulation equipment, replacement parts, or accessories, you can trust our team to recommend a system that meets your needs and fits your budget. We also offer several flexible in-house payment plans. For more information, check out our financing calculator.

Are you evaluating spray foam equipment or need help winterizing your systems? Contact us to speak to one of our technical experts.

About Kevin Malone
Kevin Malone is a leading expert in the spray foam insulation industry with 34 years of experience in spray foam fluid handling and a passion for innovation. He currently offers his extensive knowledge to Intech Equipment and Supply customers by supporting them in selecting quality spray foam equipment to optimize their business. Learn more about Kevin here.