Creeping darkness; dry air; frozen ground. There’s not much to like about winter construction. Winter challenges contractors’ efforts to excavate trenches, dig footings, adhere to schedule, and stay safe. While we can’t do anything about the temperature, Pro Tool and Supply can provide equipment and expertise to make working in the cold a little less miserable. Our full line of heaters, apparel, and other gear helps project managers keep their workers comfortable and productive. With safety assured, contractors can turn their attention to speeding the construction process by warming the site, equipment, and products so they perform optimally.
Get the Most out of Your Heated Construction Blankets
No winter construction project should be caught without an ample stash of heated construction blankets. These tarps keep everything under them toasty and workable with an insulated barrier that traps warmth and moisture. Heated construction blankets are handy for a variety of applications; they are essential for at least three:
- Concrete Curing – Any time the temperature may drop below 40 degrees, contractors run the risk of their concrete failing to properly cure. Since that is a given during New England winters, builders must take steps to keep flatwork warm and moist. Equally efficient on tilt-up and precast, concrete curing blankets create the proper atmosphere for pours to harden and achieve sufficient strength. Covering newly poured concrete insulates it and traps the heat it produces during the curing process. The barrier allows the concrete to retain the right amount of moisture, expediting curing. Proper curing, of course, guards against concrete’s cracking and salt efflorescence.
- Ground Preparation – In most circumstances, contractors cannot even start pouring concrete if the ground itself is frozen. Frozen earth also poses a problem for digging and trenching. Placing construction heating blankets on the ground to be excavated makes the work easier and faster. Rectangular blankets can be placed side-by-side and end-to-end to thaw large areas. The blankets are simple to install and require minimum oversight, so they can be employed overnight on secured construction sites to deter frost and avoid delays the next morning. Place the blankets in areas where block or brickwork will be performed, or paving stones laid.
- Material Readiness – Many of the materials used on construction sites perform at suboptimal levels when they drop below certain temperatures. Spackle gets brittle; paint flows less freely; asphalt binds less freely. Heating construction blankets solve these problems and more. Simply drape the blankets over piles of cold patch, roofing shingles, and other site-staged materials overnight so they are ready to use the next day. Covering piles of damp gravel, aggregate, or sand will prevent temperatures underneath from dropping low enough to freeze the moisture and bind materials together. Heated construction blankets are also perfect for safely warming fuel lines while consuming less energy than heaters. Heated construction blankets also can protect supplies kept in unheated warehouses, on pallets, and in drums. Much more efficient and safer than space heaters, blankets can be fitted to barrels and totes. ThermaTech heated construction blankets, for example, easily fold into whatever modular shape is required. ThermaTech even manufactures a blanket that form fits 55-gallon drums for efficient protection against liquids freezing. The company offers custom-made shapes and sizes to keep specialty equipment running. The company uses advanced technology to distribute heat evenly throughout the blanket, making thermostats unnecessary.
Finding the Right Tools to Help Mitigate Winter Conditions
Construction work in December and January will always present challenges, but with the proper use of heated construction blankets, crews can still stay productive and keep projects on schedule. Contact The Pro Group for all your cold-weather construction needs. We carry a full line of ThermaTech heating blankets and concrete curing pads in sizes from 4½ feet by 15 feet to 9×15. These 110-volt pads feature reinforced waterproofing, microform insulation, and 6-foot power cords. Our sales team is standing by to help you choose the products that best fit your application.
