Powerblanket Curing Blankets at the Statue of Liberty

February 9, 2017

Concrete Blankets Concrete Insulation Blankets Construction Industry Curing Concrete in Cold Weather

Powerblanket® Goes to the Statue of Liberty

Reilly Construction out of Wrightstown, NJ won a bid from the U. S. Department of the Interior, National Parks to replace the roof of The Great Hall Statue of Liberty National Monument. The Great Hall, which now houses the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, is considered one of the most symbolically important structures in American history. The Great Hall-Ellis Island was proclaimed a part of Statue of Liberty National Monument and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Reilly needed extra heat in the form of curing blankets to make this job happen.

The project involved removal of the existing inverted roof membrane assembly (IRMA) and replacement with a new multi-ply modified bitumen roofing system over a complicated tapered insulation deck assembly, approx. 60,000 Sq. Ft. The project also included the replacement of custom fabricated copper flashings and accessories throughout and the installation of a lighting protection system. Reilly worked with the NYS Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to coordinate all the work.

Challenges Faced by Reilly

Cold winter weather and high winds at this waterfront facility
Working safely around thousands of tourists visiting this historic landmark daily
Implementing various overhead protection plans at this historic landmark daily
Mobilizing materials and equipment on a small island
Limited laydown and staging areas
Coordinating construction schedule with NPS & U.S. Park Police for VIP visits
Ensuring compliance with the NYS Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
Day & night work

Finding Powerblanket

Dan DeSantis, the Senior Project Manager for Reilly, found Powerblanket products online and left his contact information. Upon follow up, we discovered that Reilly needed a heating solution to cure the masonry block work at the proper temperature (~50°F/~10°C) during December in New York and with the added chill of the water. Reilly used five Powerblanket MD0520 concrete curing blankets for the application, and appreciated the increased temperature control.

A Cure for What Ails You

Powerblanket concrete curing blankets provide a manageable way to cure concrete effectively and confidently in the cold weather months. Even in warm weather, Powerblanket curing blankets increase production by rapidly curing with consistent, even heat.

Why Choose Powerblanket Concrete Curing Blankets?

Cure concrete 2.8 times faster than conventional, insulated blankets
Produce cold weather concreting strength of up to 3,925 psi in 72 hours
Maintain moisture throughout hydrating process
Easily installed and removed
Prevent a freeze cycle
Thaw ground and frost from job site prior to pour
Reduce downtime & increase profitability
Maintain ACI compliance for cold weather concreting

Concrete Cooling: Curing Concrete in the Summer Months

by Jeff Cheney

April 7, 2016

Concrete Blankets Concrete Insulation Blankets Construction Industry Cooling Products Cooling Solutions Customization

We talk a lot about the dilemmas posed to concrete curing during the cold winter months, and for good reason too. It’s difficult to get concrete to cure well when the temperature drops. But what about when the weather is hot? True, fewer problems exist for concrete curing during the summer, but excessively hot temperatures can cause concrete to cure too quickly. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered here too, with our concrete cooling.

Concreting in the Summer

We all know that summer is the ideal time for construction projects, and concrete pouring is no exception. But when the summer months get really hot, it can be a little too much of a good thing. In fact, concrete cures best in a range somewhere between 70° to 80° F. As you approach numbers as high as 90°, however, you’ll start to run into problems. Concrete experts suggest that if you anticipate experiencing temperatures higher than 77° F after pouring your concrete, you should have a plan for remedying the effects of the high temperatures. Since temperatures above 77° F are very common in the summer months, you’ll need to have a concrete cooling solution in place.

Why, you may ask? Because when concrete is poured in high temperatures, it can cure too fast. One of the major concerns with really short curing times is the reduction of strength due to the demand for high water content during high curing temperatures. Pouring concrete in hot weather also poses the risk of dehydrating the concrete, which will lead to shrinkage and cracking. With these risks in mind, it becomes imperative to have a plan in place for combating the hot weather, and we have just the solution for it too.

Powerblanket® ICE for Concrete Cooling

Our new Powerblanket ICE cooling blankets allow you to simplify the concrete work you do in the summer by eliminating the side-effects associated with hot weather concreting. Just look at these features:

Powerblanket ICE uses Powerblanket’s patented heat spreading technology in reverse to draw heat away from the concrete while simultaneously circulating coolant throughout the blanket surface.
All three types of Powerblanket ICE cooling products are portable. (Both the ice box and chiller driven systems require 120VAC). See the Powerblanket ICE cooling product pages on our website for details.
We can provide Powerblanket ICE cooling products for custom applications quickly and cost effectively, just like our heating products. Just get us the details, and we can have a product in your hands in just a few weeks.
Powerblanket ICE prevents shrinkage and cracking by maintaining the ideal curing temperature during hot weather.

Don’t take a chance with the hot weather this summer. Reach out to us today for a quote on Powerblanket ICE products.

Concrete Blankets From Powerblanket®

by Justin Hawkes

March 4, 2016

Concrete Blankets Concrete Insulation Blankets Construction Industry Curing Concrete in Cold Weather Freeze Protection Industrial Heating Blankets Winter Preparation

Cement Curing Blankets

Cement curing has always been a challenge in cold weather. Historically, experts have employed many different methods in order to aid in and speed up the curing process. Some methods are better than others. The best, in our opinion, is using concrete curing blankets from Powerblanket. Here’s why:

Concrete Curing Blankets

Why Electric Curing Blankets?

When placing concrete in cold weather, protecting the asset (the concrete) is not optional. For years now, experts have used insulated blankets to both protect the concrete and speed the curing process at the same time. Concrete cures due to a chemical reaction that generates heat as a byproduct. So insulating the concrete allows that heat to be trapped and used to aid in the curing process. Concrete cures fastest in very warm conditions, so this makes the use of an insulated blanket a practical and theoretically sound practice.

Of course, the use of traditional concrete curing blankets isn’t the only method employed among professionals. Other common curing interventions include:

Chemical additives
Hydronic heating systems
Electrically-powered concrete curing blankets
Poly/tarp cover with forced air heat applied

Sometimes the circumstance will allow for the luxury of a postponed pour, in order to take advantage of an expected temperature change. But more often than not, schedules and deadlines make it imperative to institute curing assistance to get through less-than-favorable weather.

This is where Powerblanket Concrete Curing Blankets come in. As much as traditional curing blankets aid in protecting and accelerating the curing process, Powerblanket curing blankets provide both insulation and heat, protecting and accelerating all the more. Our patented blend of technology delivers an even distribution of electrical heat to the surface area of the blanket, trapping the heat of the chemical reaction in the concrete and adding the additional heat needed to accelerate the process even further.

Since Powerblanket Cement Curing Blankets insulate and heat, they effectively accommodate the hydration of the concrete as well. How well do they really work? Take a look at our case study to see an example of curing nearly three times as fast with our blankets.

The technology behind Powerblanket curing blankets serves to achieve several primary objectives, including:

Preventing damage as a result of freezing in the early stage of curing
Producing sufficient, specified strengths in a timely manner
Insuring durability and long-term structural integrity
Keeping projects on schedule, regardless of weather

So before you’re faced with a project that must go on despite inclement temperatures, make sure you have a plan on how to protect your concrete and keep your deadlines met. When considering the options you have before you, we’re confident you’ll find our solution to be the best answer out there.

Read the Case Study for Evidence that Powerblanket Cement Curing Blankets:

Cured concrete 2.8 times faster than conventional insulated blankets
Cured concrete 1.7 times faster without adding additional heat (un-powered)
Produced cold weather concreting strength of 3,925 psi in 72 hours

Additional Features:

Maintain moisture throughout hydrating process
Maintain ACI compliance for cold-weather concreting

Precast Concrete and Throughput: How to Improve Cure Times

by Marlo Stradley

January 12, 2016

Concrete Blankets Concrete Insulation Blankets Construction Industry Curing Concrete in Cold Weather Custom Heater Custom Heating Solution Customization

The business of precast concrete manufacturing is one where you often have to hurry up and wait. Once you pour a precast form, you then have to wait for the time-consuming process of allowing the form to fully cure. The importance of proper curing can’t be undermined, but what if it could be efficiently and safely sped up?

Cure Precast Concrete 3 Times as Fast

What if we told you that you could speed up your precast concrete curing process, without the use of any additives, by as much as 300%? If you’re first thought is: prove it, then we would love to. In fact, it may interest you to know that the inception of Powerblanket heating solutions all started with concrete curing in the first place. We’ve been in the business of increasing concrete-curing efficiency for many years, and our solutions have been proven and tested innumerable times over to increase curing efficiency without any of the common side effects related to other forms of acceleration.

Additives can dehydrate your concrete and leave you playing a game of gains and losses. But Powerblanket custom precast concrete curing solutions keep your concrete insulated and hydrated throughout the curing process. Our patented blend of technology allows for the even and consistent curing of precast forms of all shapes and sizes.

So rather than balancing the pros and cons of using additives or accelerators in your concrete forms, let us show you a solution that creates no setbacks, only progress. To learn more about our precast curing blankets, select the button below for the infographic.

Powerblanket Receives Manufacturer of the Year Award from UMA

by Brent Reddekopp

December 4, 2015

Agriculture Barrel Heater Bucket Heater Bulk Material Heater Bulk Material Warmer Business Leadership Composite Curing Composites Concrete Blankets Concrete Insulation Blankets Construction Industry Curing Concrete in Cold Weather Custom Heater Custom Heating Solution Customer Feedback Customization Dairy Freeze Protection Dairy Winter Preparation DEF Tote Heater Drum Heater Drum Warmers Epoxy Epoxy Curing Frac Tank Heaters Freeze Protection Freeze Protection Valve Gas Cylinder Heaters Heated Art Hot Box Industrial Heating Blankets Instrumentation Heaters Insulated Band Heater Pallet Freeze Protection Pallet Heater Pallet Warmer Pipe Heater Process Temperature Control Programmable Logic Controller Propane Tank Heater Space Heaters Specialty Gas Cylinders Heater Specialty Gas Tank Heaters Spray Foam Heater Tank Heater Tote Heaters Valve Heaters Water Tank Freeze Protection Wind Blade Repair

If you haven’t seen this headline somewhere else on the web by now, we’re happy to tell you all about it here. Utah Manufacturers Association recently awarded Powerblanket something we’re pretty happy about. Read on to learn more about the UMA Manufacturer of the Year Award.

UMA and Manufacturer of the Year

Utah Manufacturers Association (UMA), recently awarded Powerblanket the prestigious award of Manufacturer of the Year. This award is given annually to the Utah-based manufacturer that proves to be the most innovative contributor to their space. There’s even more to it than this, but we’ll get to that.

UMA has been around since 1905. The organization prides itself on offering the “voice of industry” in the state of Utah, and they’ve been doing so for over 107 years now. UMA has clearly been talking Utah economy for a long time, but talking isn’t all they do. UMA is a trade association, and their goal is to enhance and improve the business climate in the state. UMA doesn’t only offer insight and expertise in the business of manufacturing, but the organization also has considerable experience in the legislative processes of state government. This is how they can do so much to vie for the interests of Utah businesses and the overall economic prosperity of the state.

UMA’s Manufacturer of the Year Award embodies the mission of UMA in multiple ways. By awarding the company that not only proves innovative in their respective markets, but also offers leadership in their industry, UMA’s award encourages and rewards the same idealism by which their organization operates. Powerblanket was chosen to receive this award for 2015, based on the embodiment of these characteristics and more. In fact, why don’t we just give it to you in their own words. According to UMA, Powerblanket received the award “for their outstanding performance in operational excellence, economic achievement, workplace safety, community outreach, and fidelity to the principles of free enterprise.”

Powerblanket is honored to receive such accolades from a high quality establishment like UMA. The credibility of UMA and the Manufacturer of the Year Award lends a great addition to our own image and ethos as a company devoted to “operational excellence, economic achievement, workplace safety, community outreach, and fidelity to the principles of free enterprise.”

So, from all of us here at Powerblanket, thank you, UMA for this great privilege.

Concrete Curing: Not Just a Wintertime Problem

by Justin Hawkes

July 21, 2015

Concrete Blankets Concrete Insulation Blankets Construction Industry Curing Concrete in Cold Weather New Technologies Winter Preparation

If you’re in the business of concrete, then you know that winter poses the most complications when it comes to proper concrete curing. However, you’ll be equally aware of the fact that summertime also has its challenges.

Summertime Concreting

Sure, winter is a far more difficult time to deal with when pouring concrete. Proper curing involves ideal temperatures, and winter imposes on these ranges more than any other season. That’s why when it comes to pouring concrete in winter, you need the assistance of a good concrete curing blanket. But what can be done to counter the challenges of summer, and what are those primary challenges?

In the summer months, you don’t have to worry about freezing temperatures. Instead, you need to watch for levels of relative humidity, temperature fluctuations between night and day hours, and an increase in the water demand for concrete curing. With these factors to consider, careful monitoring of the concrete is still an important element of the job. Hotter temperature and low humidity can increase the need for additional water, and large fluctuations between the daytime and evening temperature can pose significant problems too.

If there is the risk of a rapid drop in temperature, then there is the risk that your concrete could crack. Even though the temperature may be ideal for curing during the day, that doesn’t mean it will be at night. Certain regions can experience significant temperature variances between daytime and evening hours, and these variances should be considered potentially problematic while your concrete cures.

Using a Concrete Curing Blanket in the Summer?

It may seem a bit of a stretch to suggest the use of a curing blanket during the summer months, but the reality of the situation is that it can be a very reasonable call. Think about the potential scenario of dropping temperatures at night. If your concrete is curing well during the heat of the day, and then experiences a drastic drop in temperature at night, then it’s going to affect the cure and even cause potential cracking.

Using a concrete curing blanket at night would allow you to regulate the temperature range even if it’s dropping. This would produce a more uniform cure and would also speed up the process significantly. The blanket likely wouldn’t be needed during the day, but applying it at night could greatly decrease the fail rate of an expensive and time consuming project.