One challenge that many contractors face is work delays that compel them to operate in extreme temperatures. For instance, you may find yourself using a concrete pump during winter. This article discusses some tips that a new concrete contractor will find useful if he or she ever has to work in cold weather.

Use Hot Water

Concrete can freeze in the hopper or boom when temperatures drop during the concrete pouring process. Once the concrete freezes, it will become impossible for you to continue pumping normally until the frozen portions are removed. This can cause a major setback to your work schedule unless you take steps to prevent it from happening.

One way of preventing concrete from freezing during cold weather is to use very hot water as you prepare the concrete mix. This tip applies even if you are getting already prepared concrete from another source. The hot water will keep the mixture warm as it is delivered or pumped at the site.

Pre-Heat the Unit

Another trick you can use to avoid dealing with frozen concrete is to make use of the exhaust stack of your concrete pump. Buy an exhaust hose that was designed to cope with very high temperatures. Get that hose and connect it to the exit point of the concrete pump's exhaust pipe. Put the other end of the heat-resistant hose at the tip of the pump's boom and let the heated air exit via the hopper. That heated exhaust air will heat the pipeline and the concrete that you later pump will not freeze in the system. Ensure that there are no obstructions as you use the exhaust air to heat the pipeline; otherwise, you will end up straining the engine of your truck with the back pressure from the exhaust.

Insulate the Boom Pipeline

An alternative way to avoid frozen concrete is to wrap the boom pipeline in insulating material. The most common material is foam tube. Cut the foam tube and wrap it around the boom pipe, then tape it in place. That insulation will do a good job of protecting the pipeline from the cold outside. The concrete you pump through the boom pipe will flow normally (as it does during warmer weather).

Consult a concrete pump hire company for additional tips on how to ensure trouble-free pumping during cold weather, and you will soon become as good as the concrete pumping pros who have been at it for decades.

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