Another coating application issue is the application method. Coatings than can be applied or repaired with brush, roller, or common spray equipment by almost any contractor can prevent a budget and planning disaster. Along the same lines is the issue of the transportation of the epoxies to the job site. Many or most epoxies must be shipped as regulated haz-mat cargos. Shipping haz-mat epoxies in quantity is not much of a problem, but try to ship a few gallons for a repair, or because the contractor was short a few gallons, and the problems and costs quickly escalate.
Smart contractors make note of whether the epoxies to be used are haz-mat regulated.
City officials should too. Decision makers should also look closely at the manufacturer's mixing directions when selecting manhole coatings. Too often manufacturers promote a single solution to manhole rehabilitation without regard for the condition of the substrate. While odor may not be much of a problem, moisture certainly remains a curse to most epoxy manufacturers. Let's face it, most manholes are either wet, damp, moisture saturated, highly humid, or wet from dew, rain, or waterjet surface preparation.