The seal coating season is winding down. As winter months approach and final jobs for the season are being scheduled, what steps should you take to protect your equipment? SealMaster® has provided necessary steps to winterizing your equipment for ensuring … Continue reading
Ask any business owner or manager, and they will all confess that productivity is an essential element to the consistent success of their operation. Maintenance crews for the City of Asheville understand this principle too. On a recent underground pipe … Continue reading
SealMaster Myrtle Beach is now open! Located at 234 Dayton Street in Conway, South Carolina, the newly constructed 5000 square foot facility serves the needs of contractors in and around the Myrtle Beach area. SealMaster franchise owner, Bob Krebs, states that, … Continue reading
Just about every other day in the “Dog Days of Summer”, I hear the sirens of either ambulances, fire trucks or policemen, just shortly after it rains.
Yesterday, I pulled up to an area on a public road that was being paved. The man attending the make shift traffic flow, was holding a traffic sign in one hand to stop traffic, in the other hand a walkie talkie radio. Did I share that it was pouring rain, not just a light mist, but literally a down pour. I thought to myself, this is a pretty dangerous spot in the road to be stopping traffic, wondering if I could make it before getting rear ended, I kept an eye on my rear view mirror. I was glad to see the third car pull in behind me thinking I had a cushion of safety. About that same time a large tree limb fell from a tree and landed right beside the road worker and he startledly jumped. He then looked at me, motioned to hold tight, set down his radio and sign and hoisted the large limb to the side of the road and kicked the branches to the curb. Not wearing a safety helmet, he had come close to making his last stop. Finally, in waiting my turn, I drove down the new paved road when signaled. In following behind the pilot truck, I passed by other employees of this group that were at intersections diverting traffic while the work had stopped in this seasonal rain.
One thing that stood out to me was that there were not enough signs or visible markings out, even at the intersections. Evidently, the employees had put on rain coats or ponchos over their light reflective and protective vests. I remember that the first man had a dark green poncho and dark blue jeans, which blended in with the natural landscape of rhododendrons and mountain laurels. They all were not wearing safety hard hats, and there were no safety cones or reflective upright barriers visable. Later in the evening, I noted that two of the larger home improvement hardware stores had completely, SOLD OUT, of all of their ponchos. Somebody was better prepared! Yes, bright yellow or lime green ponchos with the reflective tape would have been a much safer option for these folks directing traffic, I thought.
It takes just a few minutes to THINK SAFETY, be prepared for your job in having the right equipment, safety tools and protective gear necessary, when needed. I like most people watch the weather, it was obvious, these men were not prepared for the sudden rain on this day, yet they were unfortunately willing to risk their lives while doing their job.
Don’t make a costly mistake while working on the roads, as an employee or an employer. THINK….SAFETY!
SealMaster Carolinas willingly gets involved in some of the many professional organizations in the cities in which we operate. Last night we attended a great event put on by The Charleston Apartment Association. The organization’s annual trade show at the Omar Shrine Club in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was the place for many businesses in the Charleston area to come and network.
Robert Rooks, Business Development Director of SealMaster Carolinas, accompanied
Robert Rooks with Jeff and Ximena Romszewicz of Pro-Seal Asphalt Contractors at the CAA Trade Show.
Darren Spears, Facility Manager of SealMaster Charleston in last night’s CAA Trade Show. It was great to see familiar faces in the crowd as well as new ones. “The opportunity to network at an event like this is always a positive gesture in a region that is enjoying a wave of economic success such as Charleston”, says Mr. Rooks.
This is SealMaster Charleston’s 4th CAA Trade Show. Each year has been rewarding with the connections we have made with the Charleston Apartment Association and other business owners and property owners and managers alike. We love having the opportunity to connect with the end user because it gives us a platform to explain the true scope of asphalt maintenance and allows them to choose their contractors with a strong idea of what to look for when it comes to quality workmanship. In our recent publication, Best Practices To Avoid Seal Coating Scams, we highlight very important initiatives for end users to apply when it comes to the maintenance of their properties. As the Carolina’s leading supplier of quality sealer products and equipment, we care about who is applying our product as well as how they are applying it.
Katie Chapman, Tammy Carvajal, and Susan Smits of CAA making all of us feel welcome. How can we not feel comfortable with these smiles?
The setup of the show floor was very impressive inside the Omar Shrine Club. We were able to get a great spot for our booth and the atmosphere was free flowing. Some show floors will have a crowded feel. The folks at
Charleston Apartment Association made sure last night’s event was nothing of the sort.
There was a meet and greet before the doors of the show opened for all the vendors to get acquainted. The food stations were very nicely placed throughout the show floor. Harbor Breeze Restaurant did not fail to “WOW” us with great quality foods and displays. The service attendants were personable and professional and kept the food stations full, fresh and hot.
We are looking forward to next year’s CAA Trade Show. And as we have done this year and in year’s past, SealMaster Carolinas will be there. We would like to thank all of the staff of the Charleston Apartment Association that put this show together. We were happy to have been a part of it.
Here is a small slideshow of some of the sights around the show last night.
SealMaster Carolinas is seeing a substantial increase in the number of commercial parking lots and residential driveways undergoing pavement maintenance. Seal coating, among other asphalt maintenance initiatives, extends the life of your asphalt surface. With demand so high for pavement maintenance from businesses, gated communities, apartment communities, and residential property owners, pavement maintenance contractors have a workload they are pleased to have. But how do you know that the contractor you have chosen is qualified? How do you know that their workmanship is backed by some of the best pavement maintenance products in the industry? Furthermore, how can you be certain they are following manufacturer’s specifications prior to and during installation?
This can be hard to determine as an end user, especially with the plethora of choices available. We think it is imperative that we share with you how to avoid a substandard pavement maintenance installation by using an actual receipt provided to an end user in our territory a year ago. Identifying information of the end user has been obscured from the document. Let’s dissect this receipt in steps and provide you with useful information when either seeking pavement maintenance for your property or if you are solicited.
P1. The SealMaster banner you see here is used by the National Office
headquartered in Sandusky, OH and the many franchises in the United States and around the globe. There are other identifying banners as well. We can assure you that none of them are defaced in the manner in which you see in exhibit P1. SealMaster, whether national or in your area, does not hire contractors to place their business name on the SealMaster logo. And as an added measure, SealMaster is a manufacturer and supplier of pavement products and equipment. We do not install, except in instances a demonstration of our fine products and equipment is being done. We do not have contractors that represent us or install pavement sealers for us under the SealMaster name.
What should you do if you encounter such representation at your property? Call your local SealMaster branch and inquire. Get the name, address, and phone number, if possible, of the person representing and give to the branch manager. He or she will verify the information for you and provide you with instruction on what to do next.
P2. Liquid Road is one of SealMaster’s premium sealer products. We are extremely selective about where and who installs this product. Thus, Liquid Road is not readily available at our storefront locations. It is highly unlikely that a contractor shows up at your business or residence with a few hundred gallons of our Liquid Road product ready to
One of these stuffed in the back of a pick-up won’t get you a Liquid Road installation!
install on your parking lot or driveway. The link above will provide you with more information on this “next generation” product.
What should you do if you encounter a Liquid Road installer outside of your local SealMaster? Ask the contractor which manufacturing facility he purchased the Liquid Road Material. Call your local SealMaster storefront and confer with the manager about what you’ve learned. Be sure to have all relevant contact information of the contractor when calling.
P3. The small print here in this exhibit outlines the contractor’s workmanship. The most noted item here is the 6 year guarantee. We think very highly of our products and equipment. When a contractor follows the mix design and installation specifications of our products, it will indeed last a number of years under certain ideal conditions. It is, however, a stretch to guarantee 6 year workmanship on any sealer application.
What should you do when an installer gives you a 6 year guarantee? Tell the installer that you understand the guarantee. Politely ask what the industry standard guarantee is and why this company’s guarantee is much higher than the industry standard. Compare with other contractors in your area and make a sound decision.
P4. In this exhibit, you find the name of the company. Compare this name with the company you see in exhibit P1. We have two different entities here. Actually, there are three if you count that they have defaced our company logo with their business name. It is rather difficult to determine who is actually doing the work on your property.
What should you do when you have multiple companies represented? Ask the installer to verify which company is the correct company to identify as doing the work. Once this is determined, consult your local SealMaster and inquire of this company. Chances are we will know of this company. It is wise not to allow any work to be done until you have spoken with your local SealMaster representative.
P5. The scope of work here is short in detail. However, the installer has listed what will be done and what products will be used. Most often, there will be products listed that you may not be familiar with.
What you should do when details are listed about what will be done to your property? Always ask your installer to see specification sheets and Material Safety Data Sheets on the products they will be using. If they are provided, be sure to verify the source of the information. Also be sure to ask and verify that the mix design outlined in the specification is being adhered to and that the installation is per the specification. If your contractor can not prove to you that these principles are followed, do not allow work on your property.
This list is not all inclusive of situations you may encounter when trying to avoid a pavement maintenance scam. However, we are confident that it will help you get a quality installation. It is important to understand that good work isn’t cheap and cheap work isn’t good! Settling on huge savings when maintaining your asphalt can turn into a huge expenditure in the future.
Contact your local SealMaster for any questions or concerns you may have related to pavement maintenance products and equipment and product specifications.
Every seal coating contractor knows that weather conditions play an important role in the planning of sealer applications. If there is rain in the forecast, experienced contractors don’t take the chance of starting an application only to see the sealer material get washed away. Time and money are important. When a sealer application is done when weather conditions aren’t ideal, a considerable amount of unnecessary time and money is spent to correct what was preventable in the first place.
There are specific atmospheric conditions that have a direct effect on a successful and long enduring seal coating application. These conditions are temperature, humidity, wind speed, and sunlight. Understanding these conditions and how relative they are to each other is essential in the proper planning of seal coating applications. Let’s take a look at each of these items in detail.
Temperature
When it comes to sealer application, the surface temperature of the pavement is equally as important as the ambient temperature. This is especially true when attempting to apply sealer material in cooler temperatures. In milder winter climates such as Charleston, SC, there aren’t particularly long strings of freezing or sub-freezing nights and days. However, caution should be exercised when there are those few occasions of freezing temperatures.
Suppose tonight’s low temperature is 32º F and the high temperature tomorrow is 41º F. Tomorrow night’s low temperature dips to 28º F but the following day brings a big warm up 63º F. Sixty-three degrees is a decent temperature to apply sealer. However, that number represents the ambient temperature. What is the surface temperature? It is unlikely that the surface temperature is the same as the ambient temperature. Let’s assume that the surface temperature is 40º F and the second coat of the sealer application is applied as the ambient temperature has fallen to 55º F. The low temperature for tonight is 36º F. Unless the treated surface will be closed 3 days or more, the chances of the application drying properly are minimal.
SealMaster® specifications on Coal Tar sealer, for example, recommends that the temperature be not less than 50º F and rising when applying the sealer film to the surface. It is also a good practice to ensure this temperature standard is implemented the day before the scheduled application and the day after. This gives the sealer film a stronger chance to dry properly before opening to traffic.
There are also instances during hot summer months when the surface temperature being too hot can cause drying and curing issues. You can read more what to do when the surface temperature is considerably warmer than the ambient temperature here.
Stay tuned for our next post where we will be discussing humidity and wind speed. If you don’t want to miss out on the next discussion, follow SealMaster® Carolinas blog to be notified of promptly of the posting.
A proper seal coating mix design doesn’t leave behind power steering marks.
SealMaster® Carolinas takes pride in being a trusted authority when it comes to the maintenance procedures for the parking lots and roads in communities throughout our territories. With years of pavement maintenance experience circling the administrative offices and manufacturing facility at our Madison, N.C. headquarters and dedicated storefront managers serving our contractors 6 days a week, we are able to provide end users a satisfying experience from the initial phone call to a local storefront manager to the last stripe that goes down on their parking lot. However, there are those occasions when seal coating goes wrong…terribly wrong! On those occasions when something goes wrong with a seal coating application, we get the call at the end of the job not at the beginning. We don’t particularly enjoy those calls because we often have to be the bearer of bad news.
The photographs that you see in this posting are from the parking lot of a well-known hotel brand. The exterior of the building itself is very attractive with meticulous landscaping throughout the grounds of the property. Unfortunately, the parking lot is not as aesthetically pleasing as the rest of the hotel. The hotel’s owner and manager were very vocal in their dissatisfaction with the parking lot. Then a question rang out that we didn’t really want to answer – “Why does it look like this and the hotels across the street look perfect?”
Armed with SealMaster® Coal Tar Specification Sheets, we highlighted the mix design and application processes that we
When not cleaned and sealed, oil spots bleed up through the newly applied sealer application. SealMaster® Petro Seal oil spot primer prevents oil spots from returning. Click on the picture to find out more about PetroSeal.
recommended contractors follow to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of problems. After the upset duo read the specificied mix design and application procedures on what is required to go into a sealer mix design and how it should be applied, one of them made a statement that made all the sense in the world – “I should have called you first!”
SealMaster® Carolinas knows that we aren’t always going to get the first call. However, when we do get the first call we can usually prevent instances of sealer application failure(s) that are depicted here. Property managers and owners who secure a seal coating contractor on their own to protect and beautify their properties should thoroughly understand the entire process and ensure that the contractor understands their expectations. If in doubt, contact your local SealMaster® storefront manager first for expert advice on seal coating initiatives.
When not adhering to SealMaster® specifications, issues such as these tire markings appear throughout the parking lot. Be sure to see the link above to our specifications on sealer mix design and application processes.
As an added benefit to property owners and managers, SealMaster® Carolinas conducts Pavement Maintenance Seminars throughout the Carolinas. We discuss different types of systems that are available in the marketplace for your pavement and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Find out why and when to perform pavement maintenance and determine what factors signal that your pavement is too far gone. These issues, along with many others, will be answered during the seminar. Would you like to schedule a seminar to be held at your facility? Use the contact us page for our Business Development Director, Robert Rooks Jr., who will assist you in scheduling your seminar.
The Charleston Apartment Association held its annual 2013 Diamond Awards on March 22nd at the prestigious Francis Marion Hotel in downtown Charleston. The Diamond Awards ceremony is a yearly celebration among peers in the local industry. The awards are based on the CAA’s standards of the 4 c’s. Those standards are:
1. Commitment to Service
2. Community Quality
3. Champion Team Effort
4. Creative Application of Knowledge and Skills
Annually, members are extended the opportunity to nominate industry peers in a number of categories due to their superior service over the span of the prior year. This culminates into an awards celebration dinner at the Francis Marion Hotel where the winners are unveiled.
CAA President, Wendy Tucker, illuminated the stage as she addressed the crowd at the opening of the awards ceremony. Tommy Madden and Cathy Hontz were dazzling as program emcees and kept the attendees entertained throughout the awards presentation. To ensure the atmosphere was continuously filled with music, the band “Loose Change” provided live renditions of some of music’s most recognized tunes. The tasteful and visibly pleasing dinner prepared and served by the professional, courteous Francis Marion hotel staff was impressive.
Armed with a bevy of support from local sponsors, the Charleston Apartment Association displayed how effective their presence and mission is to the city of Charleston. The association holds 11 meetings per year that include dinner/business meetings with local and national speakers relevant to the industry as well as an Annual Trade Show and Golf Tournament. One of the great benefits of being a member of the CAA is that it allows vendor members, locally and nationally, the opportunity to network in a fun and friendly environment. Advertisements and sponsorships in the association are also immeasurable benefits for vendor members.
The Charleston Apartment Association’s website is filled with useful information for visitors. You will find a calendar of events, a list of committees, and information on government affairs to name a few. Are you interested in becoming a member of the CAA? Visit the organization’s website to learn more about being a productive member. Here are a few photographs of some of the award winners at CAA’s memorable celebration at the 2013 Diamond Awards. Visit the CAA’s Facebook Page for more deserving winners.
Ashley Atkinson, Manager of the Year, Colonial Grand at Quarterdeck
CAA President, Wendy Tucker, Regional Manager of the Year
Roe Galati, Assistant Manager of the Year
Charles Tompkins, Vendor of the Year
Mary Ann Demster, Associate Member of the Year
Travis Harmon, Maintenance Supervisor of the Year
A great SealMaster ® day in Greensboro, NC.
Greensboro, NC was the site for a most exciting day on Wednesday, February 27th for the SealMaster® Carolinas team. The grand opening of SealMaster® Greensboro was a monumental event as this was the 8th storefront to open in the Carolinas for the Krebs Corporation. SealMaster® franchise owners, Bob and Linda Krebs, have expertly developed the Carolinas territory. With such a strong presence throughout the region, seal coating contractors benefit greatly from the availability of sealer products and equipment and expert advice and service from the professional staff at each of the 8 locations. Contractors have also expressed their high satisfaction with the consistency and quality of sealer material from anywhere in the territory. That consistency is part of the formula that has fueled the growth of the Carolina territory since 2004.
The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce along with other special guests and contractors were in attendance for the grand opening ceremony. To ensure that all in attendance wouldn’t leave empty, informational seminars on SealMaster® products and equipment and the products of our trusted vendors were conducted. Evan Sieler, Store Manager of SealMaster® Greensboro, stated that the contractors who attended the event found the seminars extremely beneficial to the success of their business. Evan and SealMaster® Carolinas Business Development Director, Robert Rooks Jr., spent countless hours getting the store in supreme operational condition as well as coordinating the events that took place at the grand opening.
To cure even the thought of being hungry, Fuzzy’s catered the event with exceptionally good food. With food as tasteful and fulfilling as Fuzzy’s, it was a good thing that the seminars were exciting so as to keep the sleepy bug away. While everything at the event went well, the highlight of it all was the awesomely customized SealMaster® cake pictured below. It looks too good to eat!
To find out more about SealMaster® Greensboro, use the contact us link. You will find Evan’s phone number as well as store location information. SealMaster® Greensboro and the SealMaster® Carolinas team look forward to another exciting year serving our property owners and managers and our ever-growing list of contractors who allow us to enjoy what we do. Browse the picture gallery below for some of the captured moments at the Greensboro grand opening. Be sure to browse our forum and become a member for answers to your questions or post a question that is not already in the forum.
The landscapers certainly made the job look easy! This is a tasteful arrangement and design surrounding the front lawn sign.
Where do I begin? This is not going to be easy. I’m sure of it!
The grounds were all prepared for the sod installation long before the grand opening.
SealMaster® Carolinas franchise owner, Mr. Bob Krebs, right, and Director of Manufacturing, Mr. Wray Mabe.
Mrs. Linda Krebs and Mr. Wray Mabe preparing the cake for its first cut!
There’s nothing like a beautiful looking cake for a SealMaster® grand opening. Still looks too good to eat!
A wide angle shot of the show floor!
Wide angle view of the roomy warehouse!
Here is the show floor from another angle!
With 3 different sealer materials, contractors can count on us to have what they need to get the job done. Each of these tanks holds 10,000 gallons!
Contractors and attendees at one of the informational seminars held at the grand opening.
Front view of a great looking facility for our Greensboro contractors.
SealMaster® Carolinas 