Prevention is the best medicine, right?

Here at Spray Foam Equipment & Manufacturing, we strive to live by this principle. 

Life is plenty difficult without asking for trouble.

The idea of prevention as the best medicine can be applied to other areas of life, too - like your BOSS spray foam equipment!

It might sound more like this, though:

“Maintenance is the best repair.”

Alright, alright - stick with us, here!

We know that your spray foam machine maintenance isn’t the same as your physical health - but everything lasts longer if you take care of it! 

Each part of your BOSS spray foam equipment relies on the other parts to make spray foam insulation. So if there is a problem with one piece of your equipment, the other parts can’t do their jobs correctly.

To ensure optimal equipment performance, your BOSS spray foam gun, BOSS spray foam hose, and BOSS proportioner need separate maintenance.

Of course, you don’t HAVE to take care of your body OR your spray foam equipment.

But life is short enough already, man. Eat the dang ‘apple a day,’ already.

Furthermore, without the required maintenance, your BOSS spray foam machine will likely only last for ~100 sets of foam.

Even rugged equipment designed to stand the test of time has a short shelf-life if it isn’t treated with respect. (You don’t like being pushed around, either.)

Anyway, if buying a brand new spray foam machine for every 100 sets of foam sounds like an expensive investment, you’re right.

It’s not a quick process to get a brand new foam machine when yours breaks down on the job, either.

Nah - it’s best for your budget AND schedule to take care of your spray foam equipment.

So how do you properly maintain your BOSS spray foam equipment?

We thought you’d never ask!

Your BOSS spray foam equipment’s “apple a day” has three slices:

• Clean your spray foam gun
• Flush your A-side lines and regularly clean your wye screens
• Lube your fluid pumps and leave them in the down position

With these simple steps, you can keep your BOSS spray foam equipment up and running for years to come. They are made to last, you know!

Explore each slice of the proverbial “maintenance apple” with us below.

Maybe even while you munch on an actual apple, health boy.

Those things are tasty.

CLEAN YOUR SPRAY FOAM GUN

Plugs can lead to damage in multiple areas of your spray foam rig and are often preventable.

We recommend cleaning your BOSS spray foam gun after every use.

Yes, all of the uses.

Every. Time.

We promise it will make your life SO MUCH EASIER!

Don’t waste your day trying to find a plug in your lines.

Don’t even waste your day cleaning your spray foam gun, for that matter!

Use our BOSS Shot!

With this easy-to-use product, you can clean your spray foam gun hassle-free.

No taking it apart.

No struggling to put the pieces back together again, Humpty Dumpty.

Just connect to the spray foam gun, clean, and go.

Ship-shape in no time, flat!

If you want more information on our BOSS Shot or how to use it, reach out to us! We are always happy to help.

Okay.

Your spray foam gun is squeaky-clean.

That’s one slice of the maintenance apple down. Two to go! (These are big slices…)

FLUSH YOUR A-SIDE LINES AND CLEAN YOUR WYE SCREENS


FLUSH YOUR A-SIDE LINES

Let’s discuss flushing your A-side lines before starting each work day.

We have talked about this topic before - in our Spray Foam Tips & Tricks blog post - but it’s really important!

If you don’t ensure fresh A-side in your spray foam hose before you start spraying each day, a plug is imminent.

A-side - or “iso” - is, essentially, glue.

It’s sticky stuff!!

You want to make sure the A-side you spray through your spray foam gun is fresh and that any crystals that may have formed due to stagnation are re-dissolved BEFORE entering your gun.

What’s the best way to do this?

Cycle A-side through your lines before each day of work.

When you do this for ~10 minutes while your machine warms up for the day, you’ll banish any crystallized nonsense back to the barrel for redissolution.

Starting with fresh iso in your lines sets you up for a much better day - as long as you have a clean spray foam gun, of course!


CLEAN YOUR WYE SCREENS

One more thing - it’s a great idea to regularly check the wye screens on the back side of your spray foam machine.  

Wye screens are there to prevent anything too chunky (eww) from entering your BOSS Proportioner, but they can get mugged up with gook if you don’t care for them.  

No one wants gooky wye screens! (Eye roll. We know.)

Basically, the only good wye screen is a clean wye screen. 

If you need a new one, grab one here.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions! You can even set up an in-person training day if you’d like. Let us know. 

Okay - time for the third slice of the maintenance apple! It’s a good one, so settle in.  

(We may or may not have found some caramel dip in the cabinet…)

LUBE YOUR FLUID PUMPS AND LEAVE THEM IN THE DOWN POSITION

You’ve taken care of your BOSS spray foam gun and spray hose.

Time to check in with your BOSS Proportioner.

Regular spray foam machine maintenance involves two items:

1) Lubing your fluid pumps

2) Ensuring the pumps are in the down position at the end of each day

Both items are essential to the longevity of your BOSS spray foam machine.

LUBE YOUR FLUID PUMPS

If you don’t lube your spray foam pumps, you can end up with pitted and scarred pump shafts.

Pitted and scarred pump shafts are not fixable - you gotta buy a whole new fluid pump. That’s expensive.  

If a new one is what you need, you can purchase an A-Side fluid pump here or a B-Side fluid pump here.

With the correct maintenance, you shouldn’t need to replace them again for a very long while. If ever.

If your fluid pumps are still in good shape, hurrah!

You can find the pump lube to keep them that way here.  

Simply apply the pump lube to the fluid cups of your spray foam pumps, and revel in the knowledge that the packing nuts of your pumps are safe.

BOSS spray foam machines will teach you how to spray foam correctly, one way or another.

The easy way is definitely preferable, though. Take it from us. 

Maintenance is the best repair, remember?

LEAVE YOUR FLUID PUMPS IN THE DOWN POSITION

If you don’t leave your spray foam pumps in the down position after each day on the job, you invite a different kind of trouble to the party.

A-side is especially notorious for causing plugs at multiple locations along its journey to becoming spray foam.

If you leave your fluid pumps in the up position at night, the A-side will harden inside the pump.  

When you start spraying again, that hardened iso will shove against the chevron packing nut at the top of your fluid pump, eventually causing irreparable damage to the packing nut.

Ordinarily, that nut can be tightened with a spanner wrench to prevent fluid from weeping onto your machine. However, a damaged packing nut will no longer create a seal no matter how much you tighten it. Messy business, this.

In the end, a damaged chevron packing nut needs replaced. If you’ve found yourself in the market for a new nut, you can find one for your A-side here or your B-side here.

Have any questions? Call us!

Now, wasn’t that a tasty maintenance apple? That caramel dip really hit the spot.

CONCLUSION

With proper maintenance, BOSS spray foam equipment can last a lifetime.  

We designed your machine to spray through anything - and it will, given the appropriate care.

We know that being a spray foam contractor is difficult, and you don’t need another thing added to your plate.

But regular maintenance is seriously worth the effort.

It will most definitely save you headaches, money, and time down the line.

If you have any questions about any of the procedures or products discussed above, give us a call.  

Spray Foam Equipment & Manufacturing is always here to help.

Until we meet again, SPRAY ON!

- The Team at BOSS