Happy Holidays from Wickens Dry Ice Blasting

Happy Holidays from Wickens Dry Ice Blasting

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Happy Holidays from Wickens Dry Ice Blasting

It’s that time of the year to start celebrating the holidays. Despite the challenges we all faced in 2020, there is reason to be optimistic about what lies ahead. The team at Wickens Dry Ice Blasting wants to wish you a joyous holiday season and a prosperous new year. We look forward to working with you in 2021 and providing solutions for your cleaning needs.

Holiday Hours

December 25: Closed
December 28: Closed
January 1: Closed


Wickens Dry Ice Blasting tackles the toughest jobs across Ontario, offering fire restoration, mould remediation, asbestos abatement, lead paint abatement, and more. Contact us today for a consultation or emergency service!

Roger White

5 Reasons Why Dry Ice Blasting is Worth the Investment

5 Reasons Why Dry Ice Blasting is Worth the Investment

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5 Reasons Why Dry Ice Blasting is Worth the Investment

There are lots of different industrial cleaning solutions on the market today – and dry ice blasting is quickly becoming one of the most popular. Upfront, dry ice blasting may appear to have a higher cost, however, it’s important to consider a number of factors to see how each industrial cleaning method can impact a business.

Clean up costs, potential downtimes, and other factors also affect a company’s bottom line – and should be considered when choosing an industrial cleaning service.  Coincidentally, they’re also a few of the reasons why we believe dry ice blasting is worth the investment.

Read more about the advantages of dry ice blasting below:

Dry Ice Blasting is Quick

The carbon dioxide dry ice pellets that are blasted out at high speeds almost immediately turn into a gas. That’s the perfect recipe for getting into hard to reach spaces that would be nearly impossible to clean by hand.  While traditional methods may require equipment to be disassembled and moved to a designated cleaning area, dry ice blasting can be performed right on the line, resulting in a cleaning process that can begin – and end – within hours, rather than days.

Dry Ice Blasting Will Shorten Potential Downtimes

Dry ice blasting’s unique cleaning process – using an extreme cold shock to break the bond between the coating and the substrate – eliminates many of the negative elements usually associated with industrial cleaning.  Dry ice blasting requires no additional hand scrubbing, drying or cool downtime, and results in no residual blast clean up.  All of that helps to minimize any potential downtimes for a business and getting it up and running as quickly as possible.

Dry Ice Blasting is Non-Abrasive

Other industrial cleaning methods may damage switches, panels, or belts, as gritty material, such as sand, is blasted out under high pressure.  Dry ice blasting, on the other hand, is non-abrasive.  Instead of friction, dry ice blasting uses the vapour that’s formed when dry ice pellets are blasted out at high speeds to remove dirt and grime.  Therefore, dry ice blasting can deliver a high quality clean that’s safe for a variety of materials and surfaces.

Dry Ice Blasting is Safe for Electrical Components

While the more traditional industrial cleaning methods can damage electrical components, dry ice blasting can be used on switches, wiring, photoelectric sensors, and other typically sensitive materials.  That means that any dirt, build-up, or grime can be removed quickly and thoroughly, as part of the blasting process – saving a business the added time and effort of trying to cleanse electrical elements by hand or taking apart heavy machinery.

Dry Ice Blasting is Environmentally Friendly

Unlike other industrial cleaning solutions, dry ice blasting leaves no carbon footprint.  The process does not produce carbon dioxide, or add carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, thanks to being obtained from reclaimed carbon dioxide.  Since the dry ice pellets vaporize during the cleaning process, all that’s left behind is the removed dirt and grime.  Unlike sandblasting or soda blasting, dry ice blasting produces no secondary waste that needs to be properly handled and disposed of following the cleanup.

Our mobile fleet is ready to tackle the toughest jobs in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, London, Burlington, Windsor, Barrie, and Northern Ontario. Contact us today to see how we can help with mould or fire restoration needs.


Wickens Dry Ice Blasting tackles the toughest jobs across Ontario, offering fire restoration, mould remediation, asbestos abatement, lead paint abatement, and more. Contact us today for a consultation or emergency service!

You Might Also Like:

Why Dry Ice Blasting is the Number 1 Solution for Mould Remediation
History and Usage of Dry Ice Blasting

Roger White

Dry Ice Blasting: Effective Cleaning Method for Fire Restoration and Cleaning of Commercial and Industrial Ceilings

Dry Ice Blasting: Effective Cleaning Method for Fire Restoration and Cleaning of Commercial and Industrial Ceilings

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Dry Ice Blasting: Effective Cleaning Method for Fire Restoration and Cleaning of Commercial and Industrial Ceilings

The ceilings of factories and commercial properties are often overlooked in the cleaning process – but ceilings need some attention too.

Dry ice blasting is a particularly effective method for cleaning commercial and industrial ceilings that have corrugated steal decking and trusses.

Dry ice blasting can be done as part of a regular cleaning routine, after a fire, or in instances where paint is flaking off and falling into the production and process areas. It is also a great method for cleaning up production residue, such as grease, oil, and dirt.

For fire restoration, dry ice blasting is the most effective approach for a quick recovery that saves money by restoring instead of replacing the ceiling. It takes care of smoke odor and soot removal, providing better and cleaner results. The need for additional cleanup is also eliminated as dry ice pellets sublimate on contact.

In the case of wood ceilings, dry ice blasting equipment can be used to shave wood surfaces, exposing clean timber and a HEPA vac system is used to contain the particles for transfer.

Here are three things you should know about commercial and industrial high-level cleaning:

Sediment Accumulation Can Turn into a Health Issue

Accumulating dust and sediment on ceilings are more than just an aesthetic problem (though it can make locations look worn out and dull). The dirt and grime can also lead to health issues for employees. Dry ice blasting removes the buildup of grease, dirt, and even paint, to keep facilities as safe – and as clean – as possible. Furthermore, falling dirt and debris can affect machinery and disrupt production lines, ultimately impacting product quality. Therefore, regular cleanings can ensure a more productive workplace, and we can repaint ceilings after cleaning, to further improve the look of the space.

High-level Cleaning Can Be Performed with Limited Downtime

The biggest barrier to commercial and industrial high-level cleaning is usually finding the time to get the job done.  Businesses understandably hesitate to interrupt production, but we are able to minimize factory downtimes. Dry ice blasting is a completely dry method that is able to get into all of the hard to reach nooks and crevices of ceiling decking and trusses. It also produces no secondary waste, other than the residue removed, so the disruption to a business’ production is limited. We also offer the flexibility to schedule the cleaning around specific requirements so as to make the cleaning process as efficient as possible.

Only Work with Professionals

Cleaning at high levels can be dangerous. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the company carrying out the cleaning has had its employees complete a “working at heights” training program, delivered by a certified training provider, to meet government requirements.  With decades of industrial cleaning experience, we pride ourselves on creating safe work environments for our customers and employees.

If your ceilings could use some TLC, contact Wickens to learn more about high-level cleaning and how we can provide this service in your facility. Our mobile fleet is ready to tackle the toughest jobs in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, London, Burlington, Windsor, Barrie, and Northern Ontario.


Wickens Dry Ice Blasting tackles the toughest jobs across Ontario, offering fire restoration, mould remediation, asbestos abatement, lead paint abatement, and more. Contact us today for a consultation or emergency service!

You Might Also Like:

Why Dry Ice Blasting is the Number 1 Solution for Mould Remediation
Case Study: Toronto Condo Fire Restoration
Case Study: Using Dry Ice Blasting to Clean the Canadian Plaza Canopy in Niagara

 

Roger White

What Is Soda Blasting, and Where Is It Used?

What Is Soda Blasting, and Where Is It Used?

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What Is Soda Blasting, and Where Is It Used?

Soda blasting is a cleaning method similar to sand, bead or grit blasting. The difference is in the materials used as well as the application. The soda used in the process is a type of sodium bicarbonate. Using specialised blasting machinery, soda particles are propelled at high velocity towards the affected surface. On hitting the surface, energy from the soda particles is transferred onto the substance to be removed, causing it to detach. The substrate remains intact.

What Are the Benefits of Soda Blasting?

Soda blasting is recommended for applications where extra cautions are required in protecting the surface because it is a non-abrasive process. What does this mean in practice? This means that it won’t scratch the surface like other blasting media – sand and bead blasting is often likened to rubbing sandpaper onto a surface. These methods may not be best suited for sensitive materials such as aluminium and wood. Minimal preparation is required to start of soda blasting, which saves time and money. Although there may be a need to mask and close areas depending on whether a wet or dry method is applied. The soda particles can be vacuumed or washed away using water. Care and attention may be required in removing and disposing depending on the contaminant.

Applications Requiring the Use of Soda Blasting

One of the first uses of soda blasting involved restoration work on the Statue of Liberty in the 1980s. These days the versatility of soda blasting lends itself to many applications including:

Mechanical

The soda particles act aggressively against the contaminant yet remain gentle with the substrate. It is this feature which makes this cleaning method ideal for equipment and equipment components as the risk of damage to internal mechanisms is greatly reduced. Soda is a natural degreaser, which makes it the blasting media of choice for engines and engine parts.

Food processing

Soda properties include deodorising and neutralising; hence it is perfect for use in food preparation areas, on cooking appliances, and surfaces.

Steel

Sand blasting can cause ferrous materials to rust within hours. When soda blasting is used the risk of rust is greatly reduced allowing more time to recoat.

Paint stripping

Since there is no heat generated during the soda blasting process, paint can be stripped from surfaces without the fear of distortion or rippling.

Soda blasting works well on graffiti removal and boat hull cleaning.

If you’re in need of soda blasting services, our mobile fleet is ready to tackle the toughest jobs in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, London, Burlington, Windsor, Barrie and Northern Ontario. Contact us today to see how we can help with your restoration needs.


Wickens Dry Ice Blasting tackles the toughest jobs across Ontario, offering fire restoration, mould remediation, asbestos abatement, lead paint abatement, and more. Contact us today for a consultation or emergency service!

You Might Also Like:

Why Dry Ice Blasting is the Number 1 Solution for Mould Remediation
Why Fire Restoration and Clean-Up is Best Left to Professionals
Check out Our New Case Study: Toronto Condo Fire Restoration

Roger White

Why Dry Ice Blasting is the Number 1 Solution for Mould Remediation

Why Dry Ice Blasting is the Number 1 Solution for Mould Remediation

Blog

Why Dry Ice Blasting is the Number 1 Solution for Mould Remediation

The last thing a business wants to discover in their premises is mould. Not only is it a potential danger to employees, but the appearance of mould also means unplanned shutdown times in order for the affected areas to be properly cleaned. There are several methods that claim to help with commercial mould remediation, but we believe that dry ice blasting is the number one solution.

Dry ice blasting can be carried out as part of a regular cleaning routine, following fire or flood damage, or in places where you need to get rid of heavy production residue, like grease, oil, or dirt. It’s fast, environmentally friendly and effective. These qualities – in addition to dry ice blasting’s versatility – make it one of the most popular industrial cleaning methods on the market today.

Click here to watch our experts use dry ice blasting to clean mould.

Here are three reasons why dry ice blasting is the top choice for getting rid of mould:

Dry Ice Blasting Can Be Done Anywhere.

Dry ice blasting works by propelling dry ice pellets at extremely high speeds.  Upon impact, the pellet sublimates almost immediately, breaking the bond between the debris and the substrate with minimal impact. That makes it safe to be used in all areas of a facility, including in production areas around machines, and most electrical equipment.

Instead of having to use different cleanup methods for different areas of your plant, dry ice blasting is the best single solution for removing mould.  The blasting can be carried out in a variety of spaces, from attics and ceilings, to crawl spaces, basements and foundations.

Dry Ice Blasting is Effective.

Dry ice blasting removes 99.9% of mould spores from wood and other inorganic and organic surfaces – and it does so without using any toxic chemicals during the remediation process. Dry ice pellets use sublimation to break the bond between the mould and the substrate with minimal abrasion. A HEPAvac system is used to contain mould particles for transfer, and aside from properly removing and disposing of the mould, dry ice blasting requires no additional clean up.

Dry Ice Blasting Delivers Quick, Thorough Results.

Dry ice blasting is effective and environmentally friendly. Moreover, companies are often impressed by the speed at which dry ice blasting achieves results. Since it’s safe to use on a variety of surfaces, machines and production lines can be cleaned in place. Couple that with zero need for dry time, and dry ice blasting can help get your business up and running much faster than traditional mould remediation methods.

We Offer Mould and Fire Restoration Solutions

So, if you have a mould problem or are facing the aftermath of a fire, contact us for professional cleanup services. Our team of professionals are experienced in cleaning industrial and commercial structures and production and plant equipment, and our work meets the highest industry standards.

Our mobile fleet is ready to tackle the toughest jobs in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, London, Burlington, Windsor, Barrie, and Northern Ontario. Contact us today to see how we can help with your mould or fire restoration needs.


Wickens Dry Ice Blasting tackles the toughest jobs across Ontario, offering fire restoration, mould remediation, asbestos abatement, lead paint abatement, and more. Contact us today for a consultation or emergency service!

You Might Also Like:
History and Usage of Dry Ice Blasting 
Check out Our New Case Study: Toronto Condo Fire Restoration
Check out Our New Case Study: Subway Restaurant Fire Restoration

 

Roger White