EXPERT ADVICE
EIGHT TIPS to Getting the Most ROI from Your Sealcoating Equipment
By Maury Bagwell
M
aximizing return on investment
doesn’t take a mathematician. To
bring in the most green, have the
right setup and select a sealcoating
machine that’s powerful, easy to maintain
and supported by a reliable manufacturer.
Follow these eight tips to get equipment
that will quickly pay for itself.
1. Eliminate Daily Cleaning
Cleaning a pump daily adds up to a lot
of downtime, and that downtime quickly
eats into profits. Unfortunately, diaphragm
pumps require daily cleaning to avoid the
risk of rubber deterioration. Skipping this
step can reduce the pump’s life by as much
as 50 percent and add up to more than
$1,000 in labor costs per pump. Sealcoat-
ing machines with piston pumps, on the
other hand, must only be rinsed once a year
before long-term storage, saving time and
money.
2. Choose Leather Seals
Minimal maintenance means more up-
time. Look for units with leather seals rath-
er than rubber, since they do not require
daily maintenance and last nearly twice as
long. Rubber seals also require more re-
placement components, which can cost
as much as $1,200 to repair or more than
$2,000 to replace.
3. The Right Agitator
Consider agitators, too. Staggered agitators
ensure only one or two agitator arms are
engaged with the material at a time, result-
ing in smooth operation even if sand settles
at the bottom. Machines that submerge all
agitators at once could stall the agitation
system. Also, choose an agitation system
with chain reduction, which gives the mo-
tor additional torque for effectively break-
ing up settled sand. Avoid agitators with
rubber wipers as these often break and get
stuck in the system, causing damage. Also,
a hydraulic agitation system, rather than
a manual version, eliminates the need to
manually turn a crank to stir the sealcoat,
which reduces the project’s overall time.
Note, too, that plastic tanks lack the
durability of steel or other types of metal.
They quickly age and may crack in cer-
tain weather conditions. For the best ROI,
choose a steel tank, which can last longer
than 30 years.
4. Save With Storage
A storage tank can cut long-term costs,
too. With a tank, contractors have the abil-
ity to buy material in bulk, which generally
reduces the price per gallon. Plus, storage
tanks save transportation costs by reducing
the trips to a sealcoat provider. Contractors
simply refill the application vehicle on site,
and the less time the area is closed off for
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