Spray Guns in Colder Weather

Spray Foam Gun — An applicator spraying spray foam on a project.

Photo courtesy of Anton Deina via iStock / Getty Images Plus Collection

You may not realize it, but there is a different process to taking care of your spray gun and insulation in cold weather than there is in warm weather, according to Spray Foam Advisor.

Spray Guns

Spray foam guns are made from metal, so they lose heat quickly in cold weather. Cooler temperatures can also cause O-rings to become frail, as well as oil and grease to compact.

Since O-rings, oil and grease are used to make the gun parts slick and moveable, them not working correctly could cause the spray gun to fail. If you try to use the spray gun and it is unable to work, it could cause foam to become trapped in the spray gun’s head.

Fixing this issue can be expensive, as it would include parts, labor and downtime.

The way to avoid this issue is to keep your equipment warm. Keeping the foam gun in your truck’s cab is one way to do this, especially if you do not have a heated rig.

Iso

Iso compacts as it gets cold, which can cause it to crystallize as the molecules attach to one another. When this happens and you try to use the spray gun, the crystals can be stuck in the spray gun’s full system, causing an expensive fix.

However, you may be able to remove the crystals if you increase the temperature of the spray gun’s drum. After the temperature has risen, you can pour the iso over a screen and filter the crystals out. You have to be wary of using a pump though.

To avoid getting crystals in your spray gun, keep the iso warm.

Resin

Resin is typically more affected by cold weather than iso, as it has a shorter time before it compacts, especially if it is water-blown foam. However, you may be able to thaw and use some water-blown foams, but check with the manufacturer first.

To get the best performance from your resin, make sure its inlet temperature is between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, note that when the resin lowers in temperature, its thickness rises in an exponential, not linear, fashion. When the resin is thicker, the spray gun has a harder time getting it out.

As with the spray gun and iso, you want to keep the resin warm to avoid it thickening. A couple ways to do this are by using drum blankets or band heaters. However, make sure to put the band heater at the bottom of the drum. Also, be careful of overheating the band heater, as it can break the drum liner, getting its debris into the resin. Because of this, the best option for keeping resin warm may be climate-control, whether storage or a rig.