Concrete Science

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Came across this site, and wondered if anyone knew about them. No I am not thinking of going for this, just wanted some feedback on it.

Note that they are affiliated with Prosoco, Hence the name Concrete Science.

Site has some good reading on it, so despite the price of their venture, it is worth looking into for the education factor.

They also use Prochem carpet machines for their washers 3000@4.5gpm. The floor tool is the original Steel Eagle Fury tool, until they designed their own. Some nice looking trucks and trailers, to bad they are way overpriced.

http://www.concretescience.net/main.php

[One Tough Pressure 580]

I am suprised that in 4 years, nobody has seen and commented on this. The company is still around, but i have never seen any of their trucks or trailers.

[John T 744]

Nice set-up and I guess it would be interesting to look further into this if you are planning on doing this as your primary business. It looks like there basically reclaiming the flatwork with hot water and then you seal it with there products. Nothing you can't build yourself and do it on your own.

Is this a Franchise opportunity??

[Craig 111]

Well all be darned. This is almost exactly the same thing we are doing. The only difference is that we are not using colors yet but will in the next few months. We also are experts at removing mineral stains, providing a beautiful new surface and sealing it appropriately. We increase slip resistance and help companies in the prevention of slip/fall situations.

[Tmrrptr 164]

Thanks for the head's up Alan. Will check it out.

r

[MMI Enterprises 289]

'ConcreteScience Catalyst business development platform '...wow!!..sounds fancy!

They implying 'concrete extraction' does something of a hoopla?..good gravy!. use a freaken wetvac or autoscrubber to suck the dirt off top if yer too lazy to rinse and call it a day. Is bogus idea IMHO this extraction of concrete having advantage to end look or making for a more proper sealing situation. Once you pressure wash or scrub and either sqweegie or vac off the top dirt concrete is clean as it gonna get. I've sucked plenty of concrete and nothing beats a hot pressure washer with proper chem for the actual cleaning. The only advantage of sqweegie or vacuuming is when ya still have dirt via a non proper clean and the standing water whicks dirt from underneith sorta like in carpet cleaning. I don't think the vac aspect dries a pad much if any quiker than a sqweegie does though and they dry plenty fast to prevent whickback even if ya only mop them. Standing water can be different situation, but again that is on a non properly cleaned pad. And but so what makes this process different then regular old deco concrete job?

[Craig 111]

It is a little bit of an exaggeration but with the proper setup and hot water, using clean and capture equipment definately helps the concrete dry faster and more importantly promotes a cleaner product. Also, it is the only way to prevent chemicals from running into the grass. If you are going to do any serious cleaning with acid based chems the setup with clean and capture is the only way. It's a bit faster if you have lots of control joints or are working on porous aggregates, but slower if the concrete is pretty smooth.

Only some situations you can get away with just using the surface cleaner and rinsing. With acid based chems you need to know what they are or you could be faced with some serious damage to grass and plants.

Using clean and capture helps in the neutralization of the cleaning solutions. With just a normal surface cleaner you push the chems to the side (and into grass etc. The neutralizer stays on the top and does not properly mix with the acid. The extra aggitation provided by the recovery surface cleaner plus the water generated by the process creates a neutralized waste water product in your tank..(actually the PH comes in around 7.8 to 8.4 on a 5.6 gpm).... a much more controlled process and cleaner product. There are no chemicals to wick back into the sides of the substrate.

Now, if you are just cleaning with detergents, degreasers etc, that is a different story. Clean and go. Rinse it good and the sealer will bond just fine.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Yea true true Craig... Whether going the route of wet chem etch, mineral deposit clean or even detergent cleaning, recovery methods should be inacted for sake of plant life alone. Seems also that the surface cleaner recovery methods could be big advantage on any type pressure cleaning of back yard patio/walk situations where puddles form due to drainage not keeping up. Then there is all that interior type work that can be done with them too.

In terms of general recovery..The fish downstream and the overall satisfying the fed runnoff rules should be on our minds as well. You hear about that recent case of acid runoff killing a bunch of fish?

Interesting to hear the ph range you give. Ya think the figure come by way of low acid ph getting adjusted up by the contaminants of the crete alone or by your addition of a slight neutralizer? Often times on unsealed interiors up my way like say on warehouse floors I'll see recovery water up still around 9 or more after using neutral cleaner through autoscrubber so I believe the natural state of many slabs is that of alkaline from minerals leaching up. Could see how you could end up about neutral even if you don't use much actual neutralizer after a low ph acid bath. Likely good point to make on prepping unsealed crete for sealer or finish would be that it usually best to rinse with a low ph product.

On the already sealed/finished floors where I am just in a maintenance mode I strive for and often end up right at neutral by way of using neutral cleaners.

[Scott Stone 604]

Alan,

Back in the day, Prochem and Steel eagle developped the recovery system together. This must be really old, because they used to make it public knowledge. Of course, this was at least 10 years ago.

[Craig 111]

The neutralizer I use is much more than slight. If I were to use no neutralizer my ph runs from 2.6 to 3.8 combined with the water from my surface cleaners. I would rather run my waste water slightly more basic than acidic. The alkalinity of my waste water depends on how strong I mix my neutralizer and how thick I spray it on.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Thanx Craig..

I'de say as long as yer between 5 and 8 it's good to go.

http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/chemicals-safety/10206-ph-levels-common-chemicals-products.html

For sake of any metals in my equipment I would prefure a slight alkaline as well. Most stuff generally available and put down drains lean that way.

With that said though if we consider possable runoff we would be better off at the 5-6 range as the water will only pick up more contaminants likely to be alkaline as it heads to bodies of water. By the time it comes out the storm drain pipe to be tested by the local enviro dude it's been boosted to high heaven by every other polluter in the vacinity. The natural ph of the drainage system itself is likely different from region to region.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Alan,

Back in the day, Prochem and Steel eagle developped the recovery system together. This must be really old, because they used to make it public knowledge. Of course, this was at least 10 years ago.

I knew that, I was just mentioning that the tool they use is the original fury tool so people do not think Pro Chem copied Steel Eagle. For those that do not know, the original Fury system was a stripped down carpet cleaning machine with no pump, or heat exchangers. Basically just a rotary blower and an engine, but still housed in a monster of a cabinet and took up alot of room. Not that the new style is much smaller, but really refined and modern looking.