FAQ

The concept of infrared repair in layman’s terms is the process of heating up a repair area using infrared wavelengths to a temperature of 350˚F in order to rake, lute, and compact the repair area leaving a seamless and thermally bonded transition between the repair area and the surrounding asphalt.

Click Here for a Step by Step Infrared Guide

Infrared repair takes 1/3 the time and costs of saw cut R &R. In addition to the time and costs savings infrared repair creates a thermal bond between the new and existing asphalt drastically reducing the chance of water penetrating into the repair and causing future issues.

Standard heating times will be 7-10 minutes for an inch to 1 ½” of penetration. Heating time will be dependent on how clean the repair area is, the age of the asphalt, and the outside ambient temperature. After the area is heated up, the rest of the repair should only take about 10-12 minutes. So a good rule to go by is an infrared repair in total will take 15-20 minutes.

Infrared repair is intended to be an alternative repair method to saw cut remove and replace, so anywhere you are currently doing saw cut R & R you can use infrared. Potholes, spider web cracking, oil spots, birdbaths, drainage covers, utility cuts, the list goes on and on.

Although infrared repair can be used in 99% of asphalt repair applications there are some instances where infrared may not be the best solution. Using infrared repair to repair an entire asphalt driveway is probably not the most economical solution and you will leave the driveway looking very “spotty”. Another instance where infrared repair can be used but may not be a permanent solution is when there is a sub base failure.

If you are using a true infrared heater, then NO. KM International infrared heaters are equipped with heat cycling technology which cycles the heating times to ensure you are not burning the top layer of asphalt. If you are using a unit that does not cycle heat or using a unit that is “blue flame technology” then you do in fact run the risk of burning the top layer of asphalt.

The price will differ regionally but we will generalize some numbers to give you a starting point. Generally speaking, you should start around $200 per heat. Based on the market you are in you can raise or lower the prices.

In addition to the infrared machine you will need an asphalt rake, lute, shovel, plate compactor, rejuvenator. In most cases you will need to have to add 4-5 of fresh asphalt, so having an asphalt hotbox to keep your asphalt hot is essential.

If you are running an infrared unit on back to back heats all morning you will most likely need to replace the propane tanks at about the midway point in the day. If you are doing intermittent heats you may be able to get a full days use out of the propane cylinders. Since KM international infrareds units are equipped with heat cycling technology you will use less propane than competitor’s units.

As asphalt ages it begins to oxidize and loses some of the chemical properties that makes it asphalt. Rejuvenator is a liquid that replaces the moltenes and volatiles that the asphalt has lost due to oxidization. A rejuvenating agent is applied through a chapin sprayer and KM recommends spraying a heavy mist paying special attention to the outside edges. Spraying a rejuvenating agent will help prevent future raveling of the repair.

An asphalt hotbox is typically a single wall box heated by a propane torch. An asphalt hotbox reclaimer is thermostatically controlled and allows you to keep asphalt hot for up to 2 days. A reclaimer type unit also allows you to bulk store virgin asphalt and reheat that material over a period of 8-10 hours.

If you have leftover asphalt from a job and plan to use it the next day you can keep that material in your hotbox reclaimer for up to 2 days to be reheated. If you do not plan on using the material for over 2 days, you can bulk store it and the reclaim/reheat it in your hotbox the day prior to when you need it.

Click Here to see the Step by Step Asphalt Reclaiming Guide 

KM International suggests storing bulk stored virgin mix in 12” x 12” single lift asphalt blocks and putting them on a pallet with some type of steel in between to prevent the blocks from sticking together.

Click Here to See the Step by Step Asphalt Reclaiming Guide

An asphalt hotbox is a static heat source that is intended to reheat VIRGIN asphalt. In order to “recycle” millings you need to have a mixing and tumbling action that a static hotbox simply does not provide. So to answer the question if you put millings into a hotbox you will not be happy with the quality of the material that comes out so we suggest not trying to reclaim asphalt millings.

Air Jacketed: Heat source works of convection/conduction heating system with high temperature insulation to retain heat.

Oil Jacketed: Wall of oil is inserted in between the inner and outer wall of the asphalt storage compartment.

KM International hotbox reclaimers are air jacketed. After testing both heat retention system we concluded that an air jacketed units retains heat more efficiently and does not include the flash point risk associated with oil jacketed units.

All KM trailers are manufactured using a combination of 6” and 8” channel steel. Tubular steel because of its design is more susceptible to rust from the inside out and become a major issue. Channel steel because it does not have any enclosed sides does not retain water and therefore does not have a highly likelihood of rust or trailer fatigue.

No, asphalt can only absorb heat at a certain rate. If you expose the asphalt in the hotbox to too much heat, then you run the chance of burning the material inside the hotbox. A single 105,000 BTU diesel burner is more than sufficient to reclaim asphalt overnight.

The burner is arguably the most important component so keeping it fully protected is essential. Unlike most of our competitors KM international located the burner above the frame and protected in a steel enclosure. Burners that are mounted below the frame are exposed to the environmental elements such as dirt, debris, salt, etc. therefore are more susceptible to damage and higher maintenance costs.

The 2 ton units are equipped with a single cantilever handle requiring less than 15 lbs. of applied pressure to open. The 4 ton units are equipped with two cantilever handles again requiring less than 15lbs. of applied pressure to open.

The KM T-2 will recycle a load of 2,600lbs every 15-20 minutes or approximately 4 tons per hour. Recycling time will be dependent upon the outside ambient temperature and the quality and moisture content of the material you are recycling.

The KM T-2 will produce plant like HMA for approximately $15-20 a ton.

The KM T-2 will produce a plant quality and often times better than plant quality mix. You can add as much asphalt cement as necessary to customize your recycled asphalt to meet your exact needs and specifications.

Yes, in order to bring your recycled material up to plant grade you need to re-introduce Asphalt Cement (AC) into the RAP. In most cases one or two 3.5lbs. bag of AC will replace the give you 5% AC content in the mix. AC can be purchased directly through KM International.

Not only should you clean the crack but you should also dry the crack and “etch” the walls. By cleaning and drying the crack you are clearing the debris inside of the crack wall to ensure the rubber will adhere better. Etching the wall is creating small pours inside the crack wall that act like fingers for the rubber to grab onto giving you a longer lasting crack fill job.

Yes, the KM Crack Jett II puts out 2800F at 90 CFM so the mixture of heat and air pressure will remove any direct, debris, or vegetation.

The cost of a good wire wheel will cost about $50 each. Most guys will go through 1 wire wheel every day or so. With the CJ2 not only are you cleaning the crack with forced hot air it actually etches the inside wall of the crack for better rubber adhesion. If you get some rain in the course of the day wait for the rain to stop fire up the CJ2 and boom dry the crack….

It will take approximately 45 minutes to melt the material to a temperature of 400˚F.

No the KM 55 is air jacketed a works off convection/conduction heating system.

A couple things. The first is the KM 55 is thermostatically controlled which means you can set it the thermostat at the recommended temperature and the unit will automatically maintain the temperature without constant monitoring. The second is the KM 55 is triple wall constructed with 2”-3” of high efficiency insulation, resulting in better heat retention and a lower usage of propane.