As 2022 comes to an end, you need to get ready for 2023 and maintain your equipment. It’s even more important this year thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act programs kicking off in 2023 and its ultimate impact on the insulation industry. With new opportunities right around the corner, breakdowns will be more costly than ever. Your trucks, trailers and equipment are extremely important to your livelihood. What you do today helps prevent costly breakdowns and keeps your crews producing at their top levels. Don’t forget, in a world where labor is hard to find, keeping equipment running properly makes happier crews.
When it comes to blowing machines, take this time to deep clean your equipment and remove insulation buildup. Normal cleaning should be done daily, but getting everything out of the nooks and crannies, is something that rarely gets done. Be sure to clean around gas engines and electric blowers. They should be free of any insulation due to being air cooled and their need to have air freely passing around them to operate properly.
Changing airlock seals is another important maintenance item that gets overlooked. If you use your machine regularly, the seals should be changed at least once a year. If you’re not sure when or if the seals have ever been changed, it’s a good bet that they need it. If your seals are damaged, you will see an immediate improvement in production. An easy way to check seals is to let the insulation run low in the hopper of the machine and look for “blow back”. When the airlock seals are worn the air will leak through the seals into the hopper and blow the insulation into the air. Watch this video to see our own Chris Fuerst do a step-by-step replacement of an airlock seal on a 2800G blowing machine.
To make things easy, IDI has maintenance kits available for each machine. Electric machine kits come with airlock seals, blower filter, bearing grease and chain lubricant. Gas/diesel machine kits come with airlock seals, blower filter, bearing and blower grease, chain lubricant, blower oil and engine oil with an oil filter. Each kit comes with everything you need to perform regular maintenance and set your insulation business up for success with the new demand stemming from the Inflation Reduction Act. In fact, this may be the best time to stock up on parts and accessories for all of your equipment, in order to minimize downtime.
Also, don’t forget that old blowing hoses really do eat away at profits, so replace those hoses. Ridges in blowing hoses are a critical component for getting your yield, which is why you need to flip them, or run them in the opposite direction, every three months of continuous use. Then, be sure to replace them about every 6 months of continuous use. See the difference for yourself in this old vs. new hose comparison video and keep those yields up!
Maintaining trucks is also imperative. Doublechecking oil changes, checking tread depths and replacing tires, is better to do in the slow season rather than pulling a truck out of service in high season. Tire inspections also help prevent having a blowout on the way to a job.
Be sure to check out our maintenance guides for gas and electric machines here. Following these schedules will help you sleep better at night and start the year off ready to go. If you have any questions on maintaining your fiberglass, cellulose, or spray foam equipment, or any of the products we carry, reach out to your local rep, or contact us at the corporate office where we look forward to earning your business every day.