6 Signs Your Food Processing Flooring Needs Attention
If you manage a facility in the food processing or food packaging industry, you understand how the corrosive effects of acids, frequent washdowns and cleaning, extreme temperature fluctuations, and heavy vehicle and foot traffic found in these environments will inevitably have an impact on your flooring. Surface Solutions has installed flooring for all types of food industry facilities, so we’ve seen floors in all states of deterioration. Noticing the early signs of wear and tear can help save money and labor in the long run. Here are some of the top signs your food processing flooring might need some attention.
1. Corrosion from acidic substances
We work with many clients in food and beverage processing, so the type of corrosion shown in the image below is one we see frequently in our flooring evaluations. This one is from repeated exposure to acidic fruit and vegetable waste in a food recycling facility. It’s important to address these issues before the corrosion can permeate too deeply into your foundation and become a structural hazard.
2. Wearing away of your topcoat
If you begin to see traces of the substrate beneath your floor coating in high-traffic zones, you know there are vulnerabilities that should be addressed before your floors become seriously compromised.
For many of our industrial clients, Surface Solutions installs a high-performance urethane topcoat as the final layer of protection for your industrial flooring system. It provides resistance to abrasion, chemicals, and scratches, and it also protects against humidity, temperature fluctuations, and UV discoloration.
3. More frequent slips and falls
Are your high-traffic zones seeing a greater occurrence of slips and falls? If workplace mishaps are on the rise, it’s important to examine whether the slip resistance in your flooring remains optimal. Surface Solutions can include a sand aggregate in your urethane topcoat for durable and long-lasting slip resistance.
4. Standing water, condensation, or moisture seeping up through the substrate
If you notice condensation or “sweating” on the surface of your floors, this could be due to moisture vapor issues in the concrete. It can lead to worsening deterioration of your flooring, causing paint and directional floor markings to deteriorate and chip, not to mention creating a dangerous slipping hazard for your staff and visitors. Additionally, standing water can also occur if your flooring is not properly sloped toward your drains. Ask us to perform an evaluation to determine what type of flooring solution will resolve these issues.
5. Cracks, pitting, and spalling in the concrete
When your concrete floors are subjected to extreme temperature fluctuations such as hot water washdowns, or the freeze/thaw cycles found in blast freezers and commercial refrigeration units, the expanding and contracting will cause deterioration of the concrete over time. Again, high-performance urethane concrete will help protect against this type of degradation longer than concrete alone.
6. Accumulating dirt, grime, and residue
If you see residue building up that is not easily washed away, this could mean that your flooring is holding onto potentially harmful bacteria. The active ingredient, Polygiene, in our USDA-approved, antimicrobial formula inhibits the growth of bacteria across the surface as well as throughout the flooring material.
Get a Quote
If you’re beginning to see signs of deterioration in your food plant, manufacturing, or warehousing facility, talk to one of our flooring experts about a safe and durable flooring system that addresses your unique challenges and budget goals. Call 888-785-4029 or request a quote today.