Silos are used for storing and managing large quantities of materials and are at the heart of many industrial operations. Yet essential maintenance services like professional inspections can be overlooked or pushed back from a desire to reduce planned downtime or even in an attempt to save costs. Yet by proactively managing the maintenance of silos, professionals can prevent potential hazards, maintain the productivity of your facility, extend useful silo life, and even reduce overhead costs.

 

Regular silo inspections are essential for maintaining safety and efficiency in facilities that use concrete and steel silos. These inspections are vital for identifying potential structural issues early, such as foundation deterioration, roof collapse, wall delamination, and corrosion. Early detection allows for preventive maintenance, which is far less costly than addressing a full structural failure or emergency silo repair. Regular checks also ensure the structural integrity of your silos, extend their lifespan, and safeguard the personnel working around them. Moreover, these inspections help avoid operational disruptions by addressing issues before they cause significant damage or downtime.

 

While a good rule of thumb is to have your silos inspected annually or following two to five-year intervals, the most important factor is to make sure your professional silo inspections happen regularly. Proactive planning is not just about checking off a to-do list; it’s about ensuring that your silos remain operational and safe throughout the year. By scheduling inspections and maintenance tasks well in advance, you can help avoid the pitfalls associated with emergency services and unplanned downtime.

 

Scheduling inspections during seasonal slowdowns or planned shutdowns can help ensure that operations are not interrupted during peak periods. This strategic planning can enhance the safety and efficiency of silos, contributing to the overall productivity and profitability of the business. Scheduling your silo inspection at the same time as your silo cleaning and repairs not only helps you reduce unplanned downtime, it can also lower costs. Using one, trusted silo services company that can handle all aspects of your silo needs also simplifies the process for you.

 

Through inspection and maintenance, you increase the useful life of your silo, reduce unplanned downtime, and uphold production goals. What's more, the lack of silo maintenance is a leading cause of failure. The costs of keeping up with preventive maintenance are significantly lower than the price of major repairs or construction after a structural failure.

 

When it comes time to schedule your next silo inspection or repair services, one call to Marietta Silos can take care of it all.

 

A great way to preserve silos, silo roofs, and steel bins is by adding a protective coating to the exterior of the structures. In addition to being preventive, this coating can be used as a repair method to fix minor issues.

 

The most effective type of coating is a monolithic barrier that forms a direct bond to surfaces, like the rubberized coating offered by our sister company USA Silo Services. In addition to providing a direct bond, the USA Silo Services rubberized coating has a high elasticity coefficient that moves with silo vibration caused during loading and unloading. In addition, our silo roof-top coating has the flexibility to maintain its integrity through the changing seasons and protects against oxidation, humidity, and corrosive environments.

 

Our roof-top silo coating method is a proven industrial roof coating system that keeps elements out and stored materials dry. It reduces costly reapplications of surface protectants and can be applied to many surfaces.

 

Learn more about the benefits of the USA Silo Services rubberized industrial coating in their latest blog.

 

The best way to guarantee the stability and ongoing performance of your silo is to take preventative measures, including regular inspections and maintenance.

 

Catching potential issues as early as possible helps prevent silo failure and keeps repair or restoration expenses low.

 

Best practices recommend silo inspection intervals between two and five years, depending on several factors.

 

Silo inspections should include examining the main aspects known to be potential areas of failure. These inspections should include the foundations, walls, cones, discharge configuration, floors, shelves, tunnels, and roofs. For the most thorough inspection, the silo should be empty and a professional cleaning should be scheduled simultaneously. This allows silo cleaning technicians to remove material buildup that could hide signs of internal damage.

 

While a silo inspection is a great start, it is only as good as your follow-through with recommended repairs, restoration, or other silo maintenance. The sooner you complete a silo repair, the better, as minor silo repairs are always less expensive. To reduce silo repair costs further, complete your silo inspection and silo restoration or silo repair in one mobilization with the Marietta Silos, or USA Silo Service, Mobile Inspection Trailer. Finishing small silo repairs at the same time as your silo inspection reduces additional unplanned downtime and additional trips necessary to get your silo back up and running.

 

Our mobile staging trailer is designed to carry the essential tools, support equipment and other tools needed for our field crews to work safely and efficiently on silo inspections. Our standard on-site equipment package includes all materials and equipment required to maximize personnel safety per the OSHA Confined Space Standard 29 CFR 1910.146.

 

When requested, Marietta Silos can also transport equipment and materials to complete small and silo restoration and repairs on-site during the inspection. This allows us to complete silo inspections and repair quickly, safely and efficiently in one mobilization.

 

Contact us to schedule your next silo repair, restoration, or inspection.