Hello, my name is Tony and this is my concrete installation and maintenance blog. I am not a professional concrete contractor but I am very passionate about DIY. My dad was a contractor and when I was growing up he taught me all kinds of neat tips and tricks. Once time, he took me out into the yard and made me inspect the concrete wall. The concrete was crumbling away, exposing the metal bars beneath. My father explained that this was concrete cancer and then demonstrated how to repair the damage. I hope you find my blog useful and entertaining.
If you need concrete for a project, there are cases where you can just pour the concrete out of the truck, but there are other cases where you need to use a concrete pump. The standard option is a line pump, but there are also crane pumps (which are a bit newer). Here are five signs you should opt for a line pump.
1. You are working on a relatively small project.
Line concrete pumps handle less concrete than most crane pumps. For relatively modest residential or even commercial jobs such as pouring a patio, putting in a pool or similar tasks, a line pump is the right option. For pouring the foundation of a large industrial facility, however, you may need the volume capabilities of a crane pump.
2. You have limited accessibility.
Line concrete pumps are connected to trucks, but as long as the pump is strong enough, you can easily snake the line into all kinds of areas. For instance, if you're pouring a backyard patio, you can park the truck in front of the house and bring the line out to the back.
3. Your project is relatively at ground level.
Line concrete pumps are best for projects that are relatively close to the ground. If you need to pour concrete on multiple stories of a high rise building, for example, you need the flexible height of a crane concrete pump.
4. You don't want to worry about the safety risks associated with cranes.
Cranes, including concrete pump cranes, have been linked to all kinds of safety issues. That includes electrocution when the cranes aren't positioned safely around power lines, falls from heights and dropping items on workers below.
There are key safety steps you can take to reduce the dangers associated with a crane, but if you don't want to deal with managing those risks at all, you may want to just opt for a line pump.
5. Your budget is tight.
If the above points don't lead you to a conclusive decision between line and crane concrete pumps, it may all boil down to cost. In most cases, because there is less equipment involved, a line pump tends to be cheaper. It can also be less labour intensive because you don't have to worry about putting together a crane.
To get more guidance on the right type of concrete pump for your project, contact a concrete pumping specialist.
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