7 Ways Team Elmer's is Overcoming High Gas Prices

You want me
to go where?
Team Elmer's goes deep for City of Ludington.

A clarifier at the City of Ludington's waste water treatment facility recently got an upgrade. Team Elmer’s implemented Sprayroq to fix a leak in the side wall of a 65 ft by 15 ft clarifier, as well as fill in deteriorated areas of concrete and eliminate any future erosion.

Sprayroq is a VOC-free polyurethane coating applied to deteriorating underground structures such as utility tunnels or sewers. When structurally rehabilitated, these Sprayroq treated structures gain up to 50 years of life with minimal disruption to a community and generally at a lower cost than other rehabilitation or replacement techniques.

Limited access to the leak in Ludington sparked Team Elmer’s creative engineering. Since the clarifier was in the building, we started by bringing everything in through the pump room, up a flight of stairs and into the clarifier, then lowering everything down into the clarifier.

A ladder was used to enter and exit the clarifier during the project, accompanied by a mere 3 ft by 3 ft window to run the hoses through for the spray gun, ventilation fan and jet heater.

The first three days of preparation were key in the success of this project. Pressure washing the walls and floors removed greasy film that might have hindered the application, while hydraulic cement repaired cracks and deteriorated concrete.

A jet heater was used through the night to help dry out the concrete for the spraying process to follow. 7,030 lbs of Sprayroq was used to complete the project, with 125-mils applied to the walls, floor and sump.

Seven crew members and five days of work later, the City of Ludington welcomed the newly reinforced clarifier. After the success of this project, we are now scheduled to update another Ludington clarifier later this year!

Seven Steps to Overcome High Gas Prices

Everyone is wincing at the pump. Is there any relief in sight? Team Elmer’s recently implemented seven changes to help tighten the belt and stifle the sting.

1. Engine Tuning – Take One: (This is more than just a tune up or using the specified oil in the owner’s manual!) According to studies backed by the Department of Energy, for those in cars, running 55 mph is most efficient. As speed increases, efficiency decreases. Highway driving? You are 23% less efficient at 75 mph.

To ensure our fleet is running most cost-effectively, we are implementing state-of-the-art computer science that allows our mechanics to reduce our engines’ top speed, reducing inefficiencies.

2. Engine Tuning – Take Two: So if speed is a gas sucker, traveling slowly is a surefire money saver, right? Wrong. Efficiency decreases when driving under 45 mph—mainly due to engine idle and other inefficiencies.

What’s Team Elmer’s doing? Break out the high tech gear again...we are programming our tractor engines to automatically shut off after ten minutes of idle time. This will help with wait time on job sites when things inevitably take longer than anticipated.

3. Tire Type: Team Elmer’s is changing over many of our trailers from dual tire systems to super single tires. The super single tire has reduced rolling friction and adds to the fight against fuel costs.

4. Tire Pressure: When was the last time you checked your tire pressure? Something as simple as properly inflated tires can reduce fuel costs by up to 3%. Check your manual for proper inflation – the maximum pressure printed on the side of the tire may not be optimal for your vehicle type.

5. Equipment Changes: Purchasing smooth sided trailers for reduced wind resistance saves 1% - 2% on mileage. Purchasing aluminum trailers reduces the weight of the vehicle, needing less energy to pull the material to the job site. Added benefit, no rust from winter road salt!

6. Scheduling Efficiencies: Team Elmer's is fueling equipment on-site to save travel time. Moving equipment to the next job site rather than back to the home office saves time and money. Any travel eliminated is gas money saved.

7. Liquid Asphalt Futures: Liquid asphalt, the “glue” that binds sand and aggregate together to make asphalt, is a product of the gasoline refining process. (Sidenote: check out this website that explains how crude oil is refined.) When gas prices go up, liquid asphalt pricing suffers. One way to bet against increased prices is to buy into the futures market. This locks in future contracts at an established price. The drawback? If oil prices drop, we still pay the higher price. It helps control costs while bidding future projects, but it is unpredictable.

So grab the tire pressure gauge, carpool with your friends, and plan your trips for greater efficiency. We’ll all feel better for it. Even if we are still wincing at the gas pump.

What gas saving tricks are you implementing? Click here to share your tips on our Facebook page.

e-News: Wed May 04 2011

7 Ways Team Elmer's is Overcoming High Gas Prices

You want me
to go where?
Team Elmer's goes deep for City of Ludington.

Seven Steps to Overcome High Gas Prices

Home Office:

e-News: Wed May 04 2011

7 Ways Team Elmer's is Overcoming High Gas Prices

You want me to go where? Team Elmer's goes deep for City of Ludington.

Seven Steps to Overcome High Gas Prices

Home Office:

You want me
to go where?
Team Elmer's goes deep for City of Ludington.