EQUIPMENT & MAINTENANCE
THE TMF WINTERIZATION GUIDE
By Joe Kennedy
A
s freezing temperatures and record lows
sweep the nation it’s important to think
about protecting our equipment. By spending a
little time to properly protect our tools we can
literally save thousands in repair bills and down
time. While this article is not all inclusive it
gives a basic understanding of how temperature
affects our Truck mounts and Equipment.
a simple solution is at hand. The electric ceramic
space heater!
Ice Basics
Most recommended steps to properly winterize
a piece of equipment target the formation of
ice. Since water expands when its freezes it can
Destroy hard lines, Solidify or Crack tanks,
Damage heat exchangers and More. Water
freezes at 32°F, 0°C or 273.15K However ice
crystals will begin to form at 39°F. As a rule
I recommend keeping your equipment and its
accompanying chemicals at +50°F or higher.
The simplest way to avoid such costly repairs is
to control the temperature inside your Van, Box
Truck or Trailer. If you have access to a garage
It is an inexpensive (under $25) addition
that would be the best idea however for us
to keep temperatures inside tolerable for your
outside only drivers don’t feel left out in the cold equipment. By running a single electrical cord to
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