Fusion Concept |
Portable hydronic heaters were originally introduced about 12 years ago to the construction market as
ground thawing equipment. They were designed to help contractors stay busy through the frozen winter
months by taking the frost out of the ground. But industrious contractors soon learned that hydronic
heaters could be used to allow concrete pouring through winter as well.
As concrete cures, it puts out heat. The warmer the concrete, the faster it cures. When it’s frozen or very cold,
concrete can stop curing altogether.
According to the American Concrete Institute (ACI), concrete placed at or below 42 degrees must have heat
protection for a proper cure. So contractors don’t have many choices during the cold months of winter:
protect the pour, use additives or don’t work.
There are various methods for protecting a concrete pour, including concrete insulation blankets, propane
heaters with tents, etc. There’s also portable hydronic heating systems, which are designed to help keep
concrete pours at their ideal curing temperature — 65 to 75 degrees F.
Keeping a concrete pour at its proper temperature during the curing process not only speeds up how fast it
cures, it also helps the concrete develop strength in a shorter amount of time. Simply put, cold temperatures
slow the speed of the concrete’s cure, which increases cost and causes schedule delays for your customers.
Hydronic heating systems can thaw ground and cure concrete in a fraction of the time of traditional
direct- or indirect-fired gas heaters. Not only does this help contractors to more accurately quote and
plan their jobs, it also allows little downtime for their crews and equipment, which equals further savings.
“To put it simply, hydronic heaters help contractors take the unknown factor of weather out of the picture,”
says Ken Cannella with Ground Heaters.