When you buy crack sealing equipment to begin a new business or upgrade your current gear, you will need to choose between machines with heated or unheated hoses and wands. Choosing a heated hose is a significant investment in both time and money, but it can also improve the quality of your work and keep your business operating when others will need to stay home. As you weigh your options, consider the following four advantages and disadvantages of buying equipment with a heated hose and wand.
Increasing Equipment and Energy Costs
Crack sealing equipment with an unheated hose only consumes enough energy to heat its material tank, where the sealant is stored. Heated hoses, meanwhile, draw electricity down their entire length as well as into the wand, which can noticeably increase your operating costs. Furthermore, the heated equipment is usually more expensive itself. If you are working with a tight budget or in an area where heated hoses are not necessary, it may be cost effective to go with the unheated hose.
Promoting Better Adhesion
On the other hand, heated hoses remain popular despite their price because of the increased sealant precision and adhesion they can offer. Even on a hot day, sealant passing through an unheated hose may cool noticeably before it reaches the cracked asphalt. This partially cooled sealant is more difficult to handle and may seal less reliably, producing inferior results. A heated hose ensures that the sealant is as hot as possible prior to application to maximize its quality.
Increasing Time Spent on Safety Protocols
However, anyone who works with a heated hose or wand must always be aware of their safety protocols. This includes taking a few extra minutes before and after each job to safely handle the hose as it heats up and cools down. If your wand has a variable temperature setting, always be mindful of its recommended limits. Your cleaning regimen will also likely be different and slightly more involved with a heated hose, given its embedded electrical wires and circuitry.
Working a Longer Season
The trade-off for using this equipment is that it allows you to apply sealant even on chilly spring or fall days, when other crack sealing equipment is still ineffective. This gives you access to jobs over a much wider window throughout the year, potentially providing access to jobs with fewer competitors to worry about. In states that never experience a frosty day, this advantage is relatively minimal, and an unheated hose may be all you need. If you live in an area that grows cold over winter, however, and want to work year-round, investing in a heated crack sealing hose may be the best option for your business.
For more information and options, talk with a company that supplies crack sealing equipment, such as Copperstate Hose.
