G & G Specialties, LLC

Specifications

G & G Specialties and Giant Maintenance will provide all materials, blast media, paint coatings, quality workmanship and labor in the preparation and application of the blasting and painting of fire hydrants.

Complete removal of existing coatings by sandblasting to a minimum SSPC-SP6, one prime coat and one final coat at recommended coverage rate of 6.0 – 10.0 wet mils per coating, including, labor, vehicles, equipment and materials for various commercial, industrial, and residential areas.

All metal/cast surfaces shall receive an abrasive blast that will remove paint, and rust from each fire hydrant. This includes barrel, caps, and chains. The minimum blast profile shall meet SSP-SP6 NACE 4.

Commercial Blast Cleaning – A commercial blast cleaned surface, when viewed without magnification, shall be free of all visible oil, grease, dirt, dust, mill scale, rust, paint, paint, oxides, corrosion products and other foreign matter, except for staining. Staining shall be limited to no more than 33% of each square inch of surface area and may consist of light shadows, slight streaks or minor discoloration caused by stains of rust, stains of mill scale or stains of previously applied paint.

G & G Specialties and Giant Maintenance shall supply the appropriate blasting media that does not contain silica.

1) “Black Beauty” coal slag abrasive 20/40  Reed Minerals Division – Harsco Corporation 2) “GD4”  abrasive 20/40   Green Diamond  Grade #4 -  ClemTex

G& G Specialties and Giant Maintenance shall use a shield or shroud in high traffic areas and as needed to protect and help collect the spent media, insuring that no damage or harm will be incurred within reason to the area surrounding the fire hydrant while sandblasting. 

We shall within reason pick-up, collect and dispose of excessive blast media paint chips as generated in the preparation of the fire hydrant. 

G & G Specialaties and Giant Maintenance shall conduct and abide in accordance with local and state environmental rules and regulations pertaining to the blasting operation utilizing appropriate: - Containment - Blast Media (non-silica based) - Reasonable disposal of spent media and waste generated during the blasting process.

FIRE HYDRANT FLOW IDENTIFICATION 

Bonnet Top Colors

NFPA 291

YELLOW                           6” Pipe                                                    Main  Size

GREEN                             10’ or more Pipe                                  Main Size

ORANGE                          8” Pipe                                                     Main Size 

RED                                   4’ Pipe                                                      Main Size

Outlet Cap Colors (GPM Flow)

NFPA 291

BLUE                  1500 GPM or more                   Very good flows

GREEN               1000-1499 GPM                        Good for residential areas

ORANGE            500-999 GPM                             Marginally adequate

RED                     Below 500 GPM                         Inadequate

Many Communities Use These Outlet Cap Colors

(Note: This is a local deviation from NFPA standards that recommend cap colors also indicate flow!)

GREEN or BLUE    

Over 120 p.s.i           Extremely high pressure (caution!) 

ORANGE or Yellow           

50-120 p.s.i.            "Normal" pressure range

RED                                     

Below 50 p.s.i.        Must be "pumped"

“The pain of poor quality and bad service lives well beyond the thrill of a cheap price”   

-Anonymous

Recap of the pressure washing vs. abrasive blasting or with MBX Bristle Blaster.  

Power washing is a good alternative, under certain conditions. Such as painting hydrants with factory finishes or hydrants with very limited number of recoats.  Most times you can use this method, on properly maintained or recently installed units. The factory finish in most occurrences can be washed down with a non abrasive cleaning solution. The cleaner applied, then power-washed off is only to provide a clean surface to paint. However if there are cracks they can cause air pockets, paint peeling, and rust spots that bleed out from under the old paint.  

When fire hydrants are painted over and over (without abrasive blasting) there are many factors taken into account.  When brushing on the paint or using a spray cans method, the paint is often brushed or sprayed in one spot to heavily, creating a thick build up around the bonnets and the bottom of the hydrant. This has a direct effect on the adhesion factor of that coating. This is compounded by going over old coatings time and again causing thick layers. At this point “cracking” occurs under the top coat. Eventually this allows moisture to migrate behind the coating creating unsightly peeling or “paint popping”. This is the issue with the older hydrants in areas of many older communities they have just painted over and over and not correctly prepped.   Each application is truly different, so everything is dependent on the quality of the factory paint job or the previous type of prep work performed before re-coating the units. 

The one sure way to avoid this completely is with our abrasive blasting technique.   This process gets the best results. Eliminating issues with chipping and peeling in order to get the paint to adhere to the hydrant, with no issues of flaking or rusting they should have an abrasive blast first, followed up with a prime coated, then one top coat and one finish coat. Also with this process you’re given a warranty from Sherwin Williams. 

A second alternative, which is also effect, if a complete abrasive blast can’t be accomplished. This is used on the excessive built up areas, cracking and peeling its Giant’s Pneumatic 3500 MBX Bristle Blaster. This allows us to “feather the bad areas in to the “tightly” coated areas giving ability to bond on existing coatings that are not failing under the surface. 

 Based on my experience I would strongly suggest most hydrants be done with the Abrasive blast, Prime coat and Top/Finish coat Process. With the MBX as an alternative method as needed.  I hope I’ve explained how this will rectify the concerns about the Power washing process. Again not a bad method under the correct conditions. 

G & G Specialties and Giant Maintenance… Giving communities that “like new look” to hydrants for over 30 years. 

We offer the most complete and effective Commercial Power Washing, Sandblasting, and Graffiti Removal in the business. We are insured and bonded, and have over 30 years of experience as well as project recommendations from utilities all over the country. Give us a call to discuss your specific needs!