Maintenance such as
chipping concrete from your ready mix truck drums and mixers — and
ridding your cement silos of clogged material — is all about keeping your tools of the trade free from unnecessary burden. We like to frame things in a way that is easy to visualize. In this instance,
think of your central mixers and concrete truck drums as if they were water bottles flipped on their side. Even if you drank every possible drop from that bottle (and overturned it to get the rest of the moisture out) some water would remain behind along the bottle’s walls. The same thing is true for your concrete work. No matter how thorough you are when it comes to your pours, some amount of material will remain behind. That’s no cause for concern in the beginning, but as that material accumulates, it can impact your mixers’ mechanics in a big way.
Lowered carrying capacity, subpar
concrete blends and
thrown-off balance are all unfortunate side effects of concrete buildup. And eventually those issues can result in
equipment breakdowns that require costly repairs or replacements. Of course, your cement silos matter, too. And on that front, it’s all about helping you avoid
clumps and clogs (often
brought on by humidity) that can slow or halt your pours and grind work to a stop. Put simply, a
strategic approach to preventative maintenance can keep your fleet healthy and your crew
ready to roll.Fun Fact: Most concrete chipping appointments involve more than concrete chipping. Because the goal is to ensure your operations as a whole are working as they should, a traditional appointment involves cement silo cleaning, concrete truck chipping and concrete central mixer cleaning services. Here’s what goes into that work:
- Concrete Chipping: Using handheld jackhammers, crews physically enter your ready-mix truck drums to remove hardened material that has dried along the walls. This improves your carrying capacity and helps ward off mechanical issues which can lead to costly slowdowns, repairs and replacements.
- Silo Cleaning: Members of your chosen company’s silo cleaning crew are lowered down into your cement storage silos. Once inside, they remove clumps and clogs that slow the release of your cement — and can hold up your projects. Those clogs are ushered out the bottom of the silo.
NOTE: Cement silo cleaning work is especially important in areas that experience extreme humidity or sit near bodies of water, such as New Jersey, since excess moisture leads to clumped cement.
- Central Mixer Cleaning: Similar to concrete chipping services, central mixer cleaning involves crew members reaching inside your team’s mixer to remove hardened material from drum walls. This results in a healthier mixer capable of holding more material than before.
When it comes to concrete chipping work, it isn’t just about finding concrete chippers who are willing to dig in on your maintenance needs. It’s important to find a crew that can tackle such work safely and efficiently — and who you feel safe doing business with, too. Here are some guidelines to make your decision a bit simpler.
- Hire Concrete Chippers Who Will Work with Your Schedule: Just like you run a one-of-a-kind operation, your company has one-of-a-kind concrete chipping needs. When interviewing potential concrete chipping companies, keep an eye out for those that are willing to learn the way you run your operations — and ready to factor any special considerations into your appointment, too. For instance, concrete plants situated near residential areas might require concrete chipping appointments that take place outside of traditional hours. Drums and silos that have experienced past damage might need some added TLC. Meanwhile, issues such as noise ordinances might mean your concrete chippers need to find a different way to carry out their work. Whatever the case, we recommend communicating special circumstances with your concrete chipping company early on in the process.
- Hire a Concrete Chipping Company Your Friends and Colleagues Trust: We’re big believers in the idea that a company’s quality of service remains fairly steady from one job to the next. For that reason, it’s a great idea to talk with trusted industry colleagues about companies they’ve had experiences with previously. Which concrete chipping companies have they done business with? Would they do business with them in the future? Were there any surprises? What would they change? If you still aren’t convinced, or if you simply believe further research is in order, take a look at your potential company’s online reviews or Better Business Bureau (BBB) You could also contact the company itself regarding testimonials or references.
- Hire Concrete Chippers Who Have All the Bases Covered: You might be surprised at the number of people who are chipping out concrete without being adequately trained to do so. The truth is, leaving such work to an untrained individual can lead to irreparable (and expensive) damage to your drums, silos and mixers, and life-threatening injuries on the job site. The short of it is, concrete drum chipping and cement silo cleaning are incredibly dangerous undertakings, and should only be left to professionals who are prepared to take them on safely. When interviewing potential companies, ask to see proof of their certifications and insurance. While you’re at it, ask about any continuing education they require of their team members. At General Chipping, for instance, we’re all about safety. OSHA safety training, safety-focused toolbox talks and other considerations all help us ensure our team is operating as safely and efficiently as possible, and that they’re in the know regarding industry best practices.
As we mentioned above, your operations aren’t like anyone else’s. It stands to reason that your unique concrete chipping schedule will be the same way. Although your chipping needs will depend on issues such as
the type of concrete your company pours, the brand of redi mix trucks that make up your fleet and even the amount of work your crew takes on, you should generally plan to have your
drums chipped and
silos cleaned every three months. Booking such work on a regular basis means you’re more likely to ward off buildup that can have costly impacts, and to spot potential issues with your drums or silos before they become full-fledged problems.
NOTE: We recommend booking your appointments well in advance, so you can avoid issues such as rush fees or packed schedules on your concrete chippers’ end.
