General Chipping’s silo cleaning crew will arrive at your site at the time and date determined when you spoke with our office staff. These appointments typically take place during 12-hour overnight shifts, but we are happy to accommodate any special scheduling needs that come into play.
Silo Cleaning
Cement Silo Cleaning Services Keep Material Flowing
A crucial element of any concrete company’s maintenance routine, cement silo cleaning services help break up hardened bits that can hinder cement’s release, ushering the unusable material out.
Clumps and clogs are common inside cement silos. They impact the ingredients your crew relies on, can slow or halt the dry cement’s flow — and have a costly impact on your business as a whole. Experts recommend hiring a licensed crew like General Chipping to carry out the work every three months. At General Chipping, our silo cleaning pros aren’t just here to help — we’re here to help on your terms. With 24/7 availability and a nationwide reach, you can rest assured our trained team is ready to hit the road at any time day or night to get your down-and-out equipment back in proper working order, or to keep healthy equipment working as it should.
Why Would My Cement Storage Silo Require Cleaning?
Unlike ready mix truck drums, which have wet concrete moving through them on a regular basis, your cement silos deal exclusively in dry material. So, why is maintenance necessary? It’s largely because of unwanted moisture which makes its way inside, creates clumps and impedes the cement’s flow. And there are a number of ways for moisture to find entry.
Humid Outdoor Conditions
Rainy weather in hot environments, temperature changes throughout the day and even close proximity to large bodies of water can all create scenarios that lead to increased condensation inside your cement silos. If your plant is in an area of the country that experiences higher than average humidity levels, it’s even more crucial that you adhere to a regular silo cleaning schedule.
Structural Damage to the Silo Itself
As with any equipment, your cement silos are at risk of dents and punctures that leave them open to the elements. We recommend doing regular walkthroughs around your silos on a weekly or monthly basis. During these inspections, keep an eye out for signs of wear and tear which could spell trouble.
Untended Openings
Even the best-run cement plants find themselves at risk of human error. Covers left unlatched or improperly installed ventilation elements can allow unwanted moisture, insects and other elements in.
How Do General Chipping’s Silo Cleaning Services Work?
Every cement silo cleaning appointment will vary slightly, based on a company’s preferences, environmental factors and the silos themselves. In general, however, here’s what to expect when we take on your silo cleaning work.
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Once on-site, our team does a little stretching to prepare for the job, grabs the right personal protective equipment (PPE) and gets to work.
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After entering your cement storage silos from above, team members perform a visual inspection of your silo’s interior, keeping an eye out for clumps and clogs which might cause problems —and even structural damage that might allow unwanted moisture and other nuisances in.
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Once team members have the lay of the land, they use pneumatic tools to break clumped material down into smaller, more manageable pieces. They usher those pieces out through the cement silo’s bottom opening. Meanwhile, the dry, usable material remains inside, ready for the concrete work to come.
Please Note: During a majority of cement silo cleaning appointments, our crew tackles concrete chipping work and central mixer cleaning services at the same time they’re tending to your silos. This isn’t a requirement, but most companies seem to prefer taking care of all such maintenance at the same time
Leave Silo Cleaning Services to the Professionals
Cement silo cleaning presents a wide range of hazards, including fall risks, the potential for suffocation and even impacts from falling debris. Put simply, you should never allow an untrained team member to carry out such work.
At General Chipping, our professionals are specially trained in OSHA safety precautions and industry best practices. The goal is to ensure they’re not only taking on your silo cleaning work in the quickest, most efficient manner possible, but that they’re doing so in a way that keeps your equipment safe and protects the lives of those around them.