Although summer is slowly coming to an end, we could still see some high temperatures and endure long, hot days of scalding sun. For those of us that work in those conditions, we’ve long since learned how to hydrate and protect ourselves from the elements. But, what about machinery? Let’s take a look:

Hazards of High Heat

Protecting your equipment with rubber and urethane is a great way to slow the impacts of abrasion, corrosion, and chemical attack. It also offers a helpful protectant from blazing hot sun on a warm summer day. Allowing your equipment to run in the heat for prolonged periods of time in high temperatures can decrease the longevity and reliability of your machinery. There is no hard and fast temperature where things start to fall apart, but most equipment will start to fail at or around 120℉. Machinery buckles, burns, swells, and breaks in high heat. Exposed metals are scalding hot and dangerous to handle. 

How To Protect Your Equipment From the Summer Heat

Some facilities, whether indoor or outdoor, have a wide variety of temperatures– especially when a lot of equipment is running in a concentrated area. A protective coating of urethane will help to provide a layer of thermal protection to your equipment to keep it from failing on a hot day. Painted or glued-on coatings will buckle, crack, and fail in high heat and extreme temperature fluctuations. Our urethane blends are formulated to be flexible and expandable, even growing and shrinking to fit your machinery as it fluctuates in the heat. A protective coating of urethane on any and all parts of your operation will help to guard against extreme temperatures, humidity, and fluctuations throughout the season.

Be Mindful of Heat Limits

Rubber and urethane offer a great heat barrier, but even these wonder products have their limits. Rubber is more likely to break down and melt in high temperatures. Because polyurethane is a thermosetting polymer, it burns rather than melts at high temperatures. Certain bonds will begin to decompose at temperatures of 100-125℉, so it’s important to be mindful of how many hours your machinery is working uncovered in the heat. On extremely hot days, be sure to rotate the machinery that is working outside, utilizing shade and necessary breaks to help the machine to cool down. 

Midwest summer is not for the faint of heart, but fortunately, we’ve got tools and systems in place to keep your operation humming through the heat. Curious about how to protect your equipment from the elements? Reach out for a quote today!