Do address material flow issues as early as possible.   If you've noticed decreased production in your silo, it's best to schedule a professional silo cleaning. Material flow issues cause strain on silo walls that can result in cracking and even structural failure.       Do schedule regular silo cleaning through a trusted professional like USA Silo Service.   Through their proprietary cleaning method, The Boss, USA Silo Service moves more material per hour, saving time, money and downtime during silo cleaning.       Do conduct regular in-house inspections.   It's easy to take your silos for granted, but it's a good idea to get in the habit of inspecting your silo for any changes, including cracking of concrete or peeling and chipping of roof-top coatings.       Do follow up with recommended silo repairs, restoration, and maintenance.   Following a thorough, professional silo inspection, you receive a detailed list of recommended silo repairs. Implementing the recommended silo repairs and preventive maintenance sooner rather than later helps keep your silo healthy and can prevent larger, more expensive silo restoration later.

Don't attempt to clean your silo in-house.   Using unskilled workers to break up material buildup is extremely dangerous for your workers and your silo. Falling materials can cause severe injury or death, damage silo cones, and even cause silo-wall failure.       Don't enter the silo.   Using untrained, in-house workers to enter a storage silo puts workers at risk of injury or death from falling materials as well as toxic fumes and potentially unsafe oxygen levels.       Don't use in-house inspections to replace a professional silo inspection, which should be completed at annual, two- or five-year intervals.   Professional silo inspection is the only way to identify essential preventive maintenance needs. Trained silo inspectors or silo engineers examine your silos in-depth to look for serious issues and provide preventive maintenance suggestions that can help keep your silo in the best shape possible.       Don't attempt to save money by ignoring problems.   When it comes to silo repairs, the earlier they're caught, the better. If you have a crack and it's starting to move and expand, this is a sign of silo failure. Call in the experts.

If you've noticed a change in your production schedules, a clogged silo could be to blame. As material builds up inside your silo, it causes material flow issues that can slow down your daily operations. These blockages can bring your entire operation to a standstill when left unchecked. Blockages and material flow issues can also stress your silo beyond what it was designed to withstand, resulting in delamination, cracking, and even structural wall failure.

 

While it's true that getting your silo professionally cleaned necessitates planned downtime, that's always preferable to unplanned downtime. You can also help make the most of professional silo cleaning by choosing a silo cleaning company that can get the job done quickly without sacrificing quality or safety.

 

Silo cleaning methods generally involve specialized equipment and vacuum truck services. Silo cleaning equipment is typically one of three different types of silo cleaning machines: whip, pneumatic, or enhanced pneumatic. The most powerful system available in the US is used exclusively by USA Silo Service. The enhanced pneumatic system, The Boss™, uses a unique clean-out head and is up to two-thirds more powerful than conventional silo cleaning methods. In addition, the Boss USA accelerates the cleaning process by removing more material faster and more efficiently than any other clean-out method, including the whip system.

 

Our silo-cleaning machine is the boss of silo cleaning because it is the fastest and most efficient approach in the industry. This means less time spent on-site and less downtime, which equals immediate cost savings. USA Silo Service further maximizes your cost savings by evaluating material removed during cleaning to see if it can be salvaged for use. Anything that cannot be used can be removed via our vacuum truck service.

 

Schedule your next silo cleaning today. The Boss silo cleaning machine and USA Silo Service can help you get back on a regular silo cleaning schedule to maximize your efficiency, production, and safety.

 

Storage silos, bins, and silo buildings fail at a higher rate than almost any other form of industrial equipment. That's because silo failure can include minimal events that do not cause safety concerns and catastrophic events where the silo and stored material are lost, neighboring structures are damaged, and serious injuries or death occur. To help ensure your silo can withstand daily stresses from stored materials and adverse weather, selecting the most durable silo construction material is essential.

 

Both steel and concrete silos are commonly used in industry to store ash, coal, lime, aggregate and more. Yet there is a clear winner when it comes to the durability of steel versus concrete for silo construction. Steel structures are notoriously susceptible to costly corrosion issues, especially with corrosive or moist stored materials. They are also highly susceptible to catastrophic failure from extreme weather conditions, including high winds. Concrete silos are favored over steel silos because they can withstand various harsh weather conditions and pressures that would cause steel silos to buckle. Concrete silo construction also provides better corrosion resistance, including corrosion of internal walls due to the stored bulk solid and external corrosion caused by moisture.

 

Concrete offers numerous advantages over steel in silo design and construction, resulting in minimal maintenance to sustain overall function and safety. However, all silos, regardless of construction material, are still susceptible to deterioration and wear due to environmental conditions and structural stress from normal usage. Periodic inspections can locate areas of concern and prevent issues, such as wall failure, cracking, and structural deterioration, that could lead to workplace injuries or deaths. Silo failure can happen for a number of reasons that are often preventable and easily corrected if caught early. A proactive inspection program can safeguard your team members and ensure your structures' safety and continued operation.

 

Ready to move forward with the construction of a new silo? Learn how to choose a silo contractor or schedule an inspection of your existing structure.