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
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 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.
This gallery contains 16 photos.
With its bold, red emblazoned name glimmering high above the exhibit hall floor, the SealMaster® banner filled the eyes of show attendees, SealMaster® competitors and partners at the 2013 National Pavement Expo. Representatives from SealMaster® Corporate Headquarters in Sandusky, OH as … Continue reading
SealMaster® Carolinas has had an exciting season providing our loyal contractors with quality coal tar and asphalt emulsion sealer products. As cooler temperatures move in to begin this off-season for parking lot maintenance, parking lot crack sealing at this time of the year is a beneficial first step to the next season’s parking lot maintenance procedures. Sealing cracks in cooler temperatures is ideal because the pavement is not continuously expanding as it does in higher, summer temperatures. The cooler temperatures allow the pavement to be in a more contracted state and provides for a more effective sealing of cracks.
SealMaster® Carolinas stocks a variety of crack sealing equipment and quality material to seal cracks in parking lots to reduce the damaging effects of water and weather. The equipment used and material applied is equally important to provide efficiency during the application process as well as sustainability after the process. Whether you are a contractor or a property owner looking for a contractor who uses quality SealMaster® products and equipment, we are able to meet your needs.
The Equipment
When sealing cracks in a parking lot, it is essential that you have the proper equipment to do the job. SealMaster® Carolinas carries the equipment to ensure that when used properly, your crack sealing task can be accomplished with confidence in doing the job right the first time.
The CrackPro® Turbo is a uniquely designed unit with an air compressor and torch to allow users to clean and dry cracks all at the same time. The force of the air from the compressor removes dirt and debris from the cracks. The torch dries any moisture from the cracks for proper adhesion of the crack sealing material down in the crack. With its 3 wheel design, the CrackPro® turbo is highly maneuverable to help you navigate tight spaces.
The CrackPro® 125 is a highly capable oil jacketed melting and application machine designed for hot pour crack sealing material. With 125 gallons capacity and an available electrically heated hose, the CrackPro® 125 provides the user with maximum safety, efficiency and performance by using diesel fuel to power the burner and the engine. Do you want to reduce time waiting around for material to melt before application? The CrackPro® 125 will have you ready to apply material within 1 hour. Have you a large job and need more gallon capacity? Ask about our CrackPro® 200 and CrackPro® 400 models.
Our MA-10 Melter Applicator is an affordable and effective unit to crack seal any area. The MA-10 has a 10 gallon capacity and is ideal for melting and applying CrackMaster™ Supreme Direct-Fire crack sealant. This unit is easy to operate and comes with a burner, hose and heat regulator. It is designed for use with a Vapor LP gas cylinder.
The SM-30 Direct Fire Melter is a great companion to the MA-10 Melter Applicator. The design of this 30 gallon capacity unit makes it easy to mount to an existing skid and convenient for melting CrackMaster™ Supreme Direct-Fire crack sealing. Use the SM-30 as a stand alone melting unit and refill your MA-10 to increase your efficiency.
The Material
SealMaster® Hot Pour Crack Sealants are excellent choices when you are looking for performance and durability in crack sealing material. Our CrackMaster™ Parking Lot Grade is a premium quality crack and joint sealing material that resists tracking in regions with high temperatures and is capable of retaining its flexibility down to -10°F. This material is designed for use in our oil-jacketed kettles only.
Our finest hot applied crack sealer, CrackMaster™ Supreme, is a direct fire and oil-jacketed kettle material. Its use is ideal for all crack sealing applications. With both these products, users can expect effective sealing of cracks from 3/8 to 3/4 of an inch. Coverage rates will vary depending upon the depth and width of the cracks. Contact your local SealMaster® Carolinas facility to find out about our other grades of CrackMaster™ Hot Pour Crack Sealants.
SeaMaster®Cold Pour Crack Sealants are economical and efficient measure when it comes to sealing parking lot cracks. With the convenience of their ready-to-use state, no heating or dilution is required for these crack sealants. Just apply by simply pouring or by trowel and smooth out consistently with a squeegee.
The SealMaster® Trowel Grade Crack Filler is a high performance crack sealing material that is fortified with mineral fillers for cracks not exceeding one inch in width. As its name suggests, this crack sealer is best applied by use of a trowel. When applied properly, Trowel Grade Crack Filler is effective in being a remedy to cracked pavement surfaces.
GatorPave™ is the ideal ready to use patching material for cracked and alligator pavement surfaces. An alligator like appearance forms on pavement in areas where the cracks form a block pattern. Using GatorPave™ will significantly reduce the damage caused by alligator cracks to your paved surfaces and improved aesthetics of the affected areas.
SealMaster® Carolinas is the area’s strongest authority when it comes to pavement and equipment products. Feel free to stop by one of our facilities or call for information on any of our products and services. Use the contact us page to find the SealMaster® nearest you.
SealMaster®Carolinas franchise owner Bob Krebs believes whole-heartedly in educating the managers of the franchise’s 7 stores on proper and improper procedures when it comes to seal coating. The more in tune his store managers are with procedures, the better they can serve the company’s contractors to minimize errors when applying SealMaster® sealers. Mr. Krebs shared the following 5 Proactive Steps When Seal Coating in 100 Degree Weather in a communication to his entire staff:
Fellow Employees,
In the Greensboro area today, we will have a temperature of 70 degrees with a dew point of 45 degrees and humidity holding steady at 41%. This is perfect weather for our industry. Our sealer will dry at an even rate throughout the material. However, I want to bring your attention to what happens when the temperatures rise considerably.
As the week progresses, we are expecting temperatures to rise to as much as 100+ degrees and pavement temperatures exceeding 130 degrees. It is possible that we may even have a higher dew point in the morning and evening with higher humidity throughout the day. Under these conditions, sealer will tend to “flash dry” on top and the material underneath may remain gummy. If a contractor puts a second coat over that, the result could be a real mess. Compound this with using too fine of sand (i.e., tennis court sand in PMM) and you will see tackiness and the undesired power steering marks in the sealer. Here are 5 Proactive Steps When Seal Coating In 100 Degree Weather:
1. Mist the pavement to cool it down before applying the first coat.
2. Contractors may need to add a small amount of water to PMM and PMCTS.
3. Use 3-4 pounds of FINE SAND not EXTRA FINE.
4. Give the first coat extra long drying time before applying the second coat.
5. Give the second coat extra drying time before opening up to traffic.
Following these steps will be useful to our contractors as the hot season unfolds and will help to eliminate the issues associated with these extreme temperatures.
Don’t look now South Carolinians, but SealMaster Charlotte has a beautiful new look. Because of the constant flow of traffic
on the property, the previously unsealed asphalt was due for a protective sealing to prevent any damage to the asphalt surface.
“All of our sealer products are excellent when it comes to protecting and beautifying”, says Hank. “ I am particularly impressed with the SealMaster® Acrylic Pavement Sealer because of its rich, deep black color which makes the traffic markings bright and vivid”, he added.
The SealMaster® Acrylic Pavement Sealer used for SealMaster Charlotte’s parking lot is a premium quality 100% acrylic emulsion. This high quality sealer is strong and resists scuffing and tracking into homes and buildings. Mixed with select aggregate, SealMaster ® Acrylic Pavement Sealer produces a durable, slip resistant coating in wet or dry conditions.
If you should choose to apply this acrylic sealer, it is important to understand that it must not be used on a paved surface that has been previously sealed with a coal tar or asphalt based sealer. The product will not perform the way it is designed if your surface has already been sealed with either of the sealers mentioned above.
If you are in the Charlotte area and would like to see how great this product looks, stop by SealMaster Charlotte for a first hand perusal. If you have questions for Hank, feel free to give him a call or an email. You can find his information by clicking on the “contact us” link at the top of the page. If you are outside the Charlotte area and want to know more about SealMaster® Acrylic Pavement Sealer, you may find more specifics here.
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SealMaster® Carolinas 