Maintenance & Service

Maintenance & Service Recommendation for K-MASS® Coating

The following information outlines recommended care and precautions that should be taken to preserve the integrity of all K-Mass® coated components. These suggestions are intended to address in general the types of circumstances that may exist, but do not cover every possible application or situation. Items not mentioned here may require that the Thermal Designs factory or authorized representative be contacted directly.

WEATHERPROOFING: The K-Mass® coating is an epoxy based material that is basically inert to all moisture and chemical agents. It is recommended that where possible, all seams in the K-Mass® that could entrap moisture should be sealed with weatherproof caulking. A silicone or latex caulking serves this purpose well. Any recess or hole in the coating where moisture or chemicals may collect or pool should also be sealed. Periodic inspection of the caulked areas should be done, to insure that no corrosive agent has penetrated the seal.

TEMPERATURE LIMITATIONS: K-Mass® must not be exposed to ambient temperatures in excess of 65°C (150°F) or continuous steam impingement. Coated equipment used in areas where the exposure is suspected to be at or near the maximum operating limits should be inspected routinely for signs of degradation. This will normally be evidenced by slight bulging, or bubbling of the coating surface. Excessive heat exposure may cause cracking and flaking of the K-Mass® surface. A simple gauge of excessive exposure to temperature is a discoloration of the paint on the surface of the coating. Recommended use of a heat shield will eliminate most excessively high temperature related problems.

PAINTING: It is recommended that K-Mass® be top coated with polyurethane paint to improve the surface appearance and to provide protection from Ultra Violet rays. The surface coating should be inspected routinely (3-5 years) for chipping or flaking. If repainting is required, then, whatever surface preparation is suggested by the selected paint supplier, should be followed.

K-MASS® PIPES AND PLUGS: Most K-Mass® coated parts are supplied with the essential opening left accessible through the coating. Other more significant openings may have been protected with K-Mass® coated plugs. Valve actuator stem openings should be protected with coated pipe plug/stem extensions. Periodic checks should be made of the equipment to insure that the plugs are in place.

HANDLING: Care should be taken when handing any part that is K-Mass® coated to make sure the coating is not gouged, chipped or cracked. Soft straps and pads should be used whenever parts are lifted or moved by means other than by hand. Never use chains or steel cable! Please note that a large chip, deep gouge or crack, if it occurs in a particularly vulnerable area of a K-Mass® coated item, can render the coating ineffective! This same measure of care should be taken when technicians are working on K-Mass® coated equipment so that the coating is not pried or hammered on in an effort to gain entry.

MACHINING K-MASS®: The K-Mass® material is easily drilled and ground with standard wood working or machine tools. It is recommended that Thermal Designs be consulted before any such modifications are attempted to the coating. When minor modification are made, care should be taken to insure that the tooling is cooled or the grinding that is done is not so vigorous that the heat generated by the process begins to adversely effect the surrounding coating.

K-MASS® PATCH KITS: The repair kits are supplied to facilitate any minor field repair to the coating that may be required. These kits have a shelf life of one year. They should be stored indoors and kept at room temperature to preserve the integrity of the material. The mixing and application instructions should be followed very carefully! Major repairs should only be done by factory trained technician.

REPAIR OF THE FIRE EXPOSED K-MASS® PARTS: In the event a K-Mass® coated part has been exposed to direct flame or radiant heat to the degree that the coating has begun to soften or has actually charred, a factory trained representative should be consulted before attempting to restart the equipment or repair the coating. The factory service technician will best be able to offer an opinion about the condition of the coating and relative protection that the un-reacted coating can still offer.

REMOVAL OF BURNED CHAR: The removal of the burned (intumesced) char from a fire exposed object should be done very carefully! The char contains come potentially hazardous crystalline silica that workers should be properly protected against. The Material Safety Data Sheet should be consulted before proceeding. The process of removing the surface char is easily accomplished by use of a high pressure, water blast or sandblast. The char may be wire brushed or hand sanded, if there is only minimal char present. Once the K-Mass® char has been properly removed, the exposed surface should be cleaned and re-coated with an approved paint.

For support or information, feel free to contact our office and we will be pleased to help.

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