Ice Blast: Rescue 1 Restorations makes name in Springfield

Cole’s company, Rescue 1 Restorations LLC, finished its first Springfield job Dec. 7. Rescue 1 Restorations spent two weeks cleaning smoke damage from a Nov. 23 fire at Columns IV apartments on East Sunshine Street.

Cole didn’t take the traditional approach, though.

Rescue 1 Restorations specializes in dry-ice blasting, a technique that Cole said can clean anything from smoke-damaged apartments to a printing press with very little mess and hassle.

“It’s the best thing I’ve seen going,” said Columns IV owner Don Bracy about Cole’s dry-ice blasting.

Flash Freeze

Cole said dry-ice blasting was developed as a cleaning method 22 years ago, primarily by NASA.

Though dry-ice blasting is popular for fire-damage restoration, Cole really wants to tackle factories. He said dry-ice blasting cleans machines, and taking them apart isn’t necessary.

Crews blast the machines, and the impact and temperature of rice-sized, dry-ice pellets do the cleaning.. The ice, at 109 F below zero, travels at speeds of 600 feet per second to 2,300 feet per second.

The ice flash freezes the contaminant, which falls to the floor and is vacuumed up.

“It’s kind of cool stuff,” Cole said. “It’s very fast and efficient, and it’s just not messy.”

Cole uses ice pellets, which he scoops into a hopper. The ice is fed through a hose at an adjustable rate – usually about three pounds of ice per minute.

Cole also can remove lead paint with a high-pressure application of 7 pounds per minute. The process is environmentally safe, compared to solvents and sandblasting, according to Rescue 1 Restoration’s Web site, www.belowzeroblasting.com.

Jobs range from $6,000 to $30,000. To clean a 50-foot printing press, for instance, would cost between $9,000 and $16,000 and take about four days, Cole said.

Changing direction

Cole started his Springfield-based company as a traditional water-damage restoration outfit two years ago.

About a year ago, a contractor asked him if he knew anything about dry-ice blasting. He didn’t, but his curiosity was piqued.

After some research, Cole decided there was a market for it locally, so he spent about $60,000 for equipment and switched to dry-ice cleaning exclusively.

Since then, he’s done about 10 jobs in Kansas City, St. Louis and Neosho, but Columns IV was his first job in Springfield.

How it Works

Ice pellets are blasted through a spray gun, similar to a high-pressure washer, at extremely high speeds. Three physical actions occur upon impact:

1. Kinetic energy works as the speed, weight and density of the ice pellet hits the target. This starts to break down or knock off the unwanted material.

2. Microthermal shock takes place from the temperature of the dry ice, which creates contraction of the surface material. This cracking effect allows for faster penetration.

3. Microexplosions occur as the pellets strike the target. Upon impact, dry ice purifies and returns to a harmless CO2 gaseous state. This reaction forces the contaminant away from the surface.

Source: www.belowzeroblasting.com[[In-content Ad]]