If you are going to be concrete pumping in cold weather, you will run into problems you wouldn't have had to deal with when pumping in moderate weather conditions. You want to consider following the advice in this article to avoid running into a lot of avoidable problems when concrete pumping in the cold.

Mix with hot water

One of the major concerns you will have when you pump concrete in cold weather is having the concrete freeze up on you. To avoid having this occur, you want to use extremely hot water to mix the concrete. Insulating the boom will also help to prevent freezing. To insulate it, you want to take a piece of long foam tubing and wrap it around the pipe and use duct tape to secure it in place. This foam will help to keep the concrete warmer.

Pre-heat the boom pipeline

Another way you can prevent the concrete from freezing is to use the exhaust stack to pre-heat the boom pipeline. To do this, you are going to take the hose and put it over the exhaust pipe and put the other end into the end of the boom hose. This will keep things warmed up so you can complete the job without dealing with the concrete freezing up, putting a quick end to production until you are able to thaw the concrete and pour more in.

Allow extra time for warming

 On colder days, the hydraulic oil will be very thick. For this reason, you want to be sure to allow yourself plenty of extra time to allow the oil to warm up. You don't want to cause damage to the system by trying to force it before it's fully warmed up. You also want to be sure you have plenty of anti-freeze and fuel conditioner in the pump to avoid running into mechanical problems.

Store the unit indoors

Try to store your machine indoors the night before the pour so you don't start out with a frozen machine. If it must be stored out in the elements, then you want to make sure you try to keep it warm by putting a tarp over the area where it's stored and using a couple of portable heaters, if possible.

By following the tips above, you will decrease your chances of having the concrete freeze up on you. If you are able to watch the weather and choose a day when it's going to be a bit warmer, that would be the best option. For more information, contact a professional like Pumptex Concrete Pumping.

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