Flame Seal Offers Qualified Applicators Program

HOUSTON, TX – November 28, 2012 – Most spray foam contractors and applicators are familiar with training programs designed to teach proper spray foam application techniques, but Flame Seal Products, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of certified thermal and ignition barrier Flame Seal-TB™, has established a Qualified Applicators Program that focuses primarily on intumescent coating applications.

Flame Seal Products has been in business since 1992 and Flame Seal-TB™, an intumescent coating initially used for the aerospace industry, has been on the market for the past three years. Flame Seal is fully certified by the ICC and currently provides training to help contractors and applicators better understand the proper application and purpose of their product.

The Qualified Applicators Program, which has been offered for approximately a year now, is available online 24/7 and takes about 45 minutes to an hour to complete. Flame Seal staff, including President of Flame Seal, Michael Kiser, and Vice President of Sales & Marketing Craig Keyser, can manage the webinar. The managed webinar is offered by appointment only to companies who want to train multiple applicators.

"The reason we developed this program was because we wanted to make sure contractors who spray our product understand what to do to make it a successful application," said Keyser. The company also believes there is room for better training programs when it comes to intumescent coatings. "There are a lot of details people overlook when applying coatings and, in the training program, we go over all of those details," he added. "All the little details contractors are sometimes unaware of – we want to make sure that's all there for them."

According to Keyser, the program addresses what he feels are the three biggest issues for coating applicators, which include dew point, air circulation, and climate. Another concern is addressing critical coating application issues, which could otherwise lead to product failure and possible liability ramifications.

"Dew point is a big issue," Keyser said. "It's different when you're putting a couple of mils on a wall, but when you're putting 25 or 30 mils on top of foam, that's another thing. Even if the walls are dry, but you are "close" to dew point, in some conditions, it's never going to cure – it's never going to adhere over the long term."

Air circulation and climate are also crucial factors. "You can't have stagnant air. Air circulation is very important. You need to have fans," Keyser said. "Application temperature is also very important. Water based coatings and paints won't dry or cure properly in these environments."

Also addressed in the Qualified Applicators Program is when and where to use different types of intumescent coatings. For example, a thermal barrier is required for areas that people occupy in a building such as living space. An ignition barrier, on the other hand, is adequate for areas such as crawlspaces and attics.

These are just a few of the topics covered during Flame Seal's program. Once a participant completes the program, they answer questions based on what they've learned and submit their answers to Flame Seal for review. Upon review, Flame Seal will provide the participant with a certificate of completion.

According to Keyser, the Qualified Applications Program has been a success. "The feedback has been very positive," he said. "Responsible applicators want to learn – to anyone who is in this business for the long term, education is key."

Keyser believes everyone benefits when all the proper steps are taken. "We want to partner with people who are responsible too – at the end of the day, if it isn't done right, the end use customers lose, the foam manufacturers lose, and the coatings applicators lose," he said.

Since the company originated, Flame Seal's focus has been about safety. "Mike founded this company 20 years ago and it's all about safety," Keyser said. "A lot of things that we do go beyond the call of duty – we're not just selling a product, we're selling a product that's going to protect people and their property, and because of the importance of that work, we emphasize long-term service to all customers and applicators first and foremost."

About Flame Seal Products, Inc.: Flame Seal Products, Inc. is a developer and manufacturer of aerospace qualified intumescent coatings and is selling this technology as Flame Seal-TB™ to foam contractors and applicators, providing as much as a 30 percent cost reduction. Flame Seal TB™ is certified as a thermal and ignition barrier. Flame Seal has developed support services to add value, control liabilities, and reduce time intensive evaluations that can arise before, during, and after the application process. Services are an essential part of their support system. For more information about Flame Seal Products, Inc. and its Qualified Applications Program, please use the contact details and links provided below.