Treat Concrete Now with Pene-Krete to Cash in Before Winter Downtime

As you’re sipping a drink by the pool and fighting off the potential heat stroke, take a moment to cool off in your mind and picture the snow on the ground. It’s not a reach to think of the damaging effects ice and freezing have on concrete. Add on the detrimental effects of salt treatments and de-icing chemicals, and you can imagine yourself being the Mr. Fix-It, doctor of all concrete… you can maybe even hear the ‘cha-chinging’ in your head as you begin to calculate the square footage of concrete that will be in desperate need of repair and rehabilitation before pool season comes around again!

Concrete is Susceptible to Damaging Effects of Winter

Simple fact is that concrete is porous, much like a sponge you’re using to shower off the chlorine from the pool. Concrete is susceptible to all contaminants and elements, including moisture vapor, greases and oils. These contaminants, and moisture, travel through those ‘holes’ in concrete to the path of least resistance. During the winter months, rain and water enter into the pores, and when the temperatures reach the point of freezing, the water inside the concrete also freezes.

When this freezing takes place, the water turns to ice and expands within the holes, causing the concrete to ‘pop out,’ ‘scale’ or ‘spall.’ This is a destructive cycle that can happen multiple times in a single day.

S-1300 Pene-Krete is Simple, Proven Treatment

Typically in colder climates (i.e. mountain regions), air entrainment is used in concrete pours to allow bigger ‘holes’ in the sponge, so to speak. But, it’s not always the solution, and more ‘holes’ typically mean a larger gateway for other contaminants to access.

After receiving a Pene-Krete treatment, these holes in the concrete are filled with a sold mass that is created after it reacts with the alkaline and free lime in common Portland cement. The contaminants in the concrete are purged to the surface for removal during this process. Sometimes, you can really see a visible purge on the surface. Depending on what was in the concrete, the results can vary. Sometimes minimal-to-no residue is apparent. Because each slab is different, it’s always best to test the concrete before and after treatment with a visual inspection and moisture and pH tests. There is a specific process you need to follow for proper application of Pene-Krete, using water to drive the material deep into the pores of the concrete. Other considerations and best practices include:

• All concrete should be treated with Pene-Krete because all regular concrete by nature is susceptible to the elements and contaminants.
• Be CERTAIN to test the concrete surface to make sure it is porous enough to allow penetration of Pene-Krete. Perform the ‘water test’ on the surface by pouring water onto the surface and visibly noting how quickly it is absorbed into the concrete. If the water puddles, then there’s likely a sealer or other protective material on the surface has to be removed. If the water penetrates into the concrete, that’s a good indication the Pene-Krete treatment will absorb as well.
• Pene-Krete is named as such because is it a ‘penetrating’ INTERNAL sealer for concrete. It is NOT designed for surface sealing. Allowing Pene-Krete to cure on the surface will cause it to be extremely slippery, and it will act as a bond breaker that can’t be removed should you ever intend to overlay.
• During the application of Pene-Krete, water is your friend. Three wettings an hour apart help drive the material deep into the pores where they will react with the alkali and free lime found in common Portland cement.

Pene-Krete Proven as Cold-Weather Concrete Protector

Pene-Krete has been the solution for protecting concrete against freeze/thaw damage since its inception in the early 1990s. Then called Crystal-Krete, Pene-Krete was approved by Virginia D.O.T. for use as a concrete treatment after receiving positive test results for significantly increasing the compressive strength of bridge decks. Since then, Pene-Krete has been proven in the lab and the field to significantly decrease permeability and chloride ion intrusion. For these reasons, we encourage all applicators to treat existing concrete with Pene-Krete. Doing so will not only yield a stronger, more durable concrete substrate, the treated concrete will leak less efflorescence and will be in the best condition to receive a cementitious overlayment that will resurface the concrete to make it look totally new again.

It’s not too late to start marketing your business to be the concrete treatment expert! For as little as $0.14/square foot you will have all the materials and equipment you need to be able to easily protect concrete from the damage it would otherwise be exposed to.

Now’s the time to earn business and your customer’s confidence in you. Sharing with your clients, especially in the freeze/thaw climates, that you can help them preserve their concrete, make it freeze/thaw resistant through another harsh winter, and prepare them for beautification in the spring is one more way for you to generate income through the winter and to be on track for a busy start to 2017.