How to clean the gun for foam?

In the construction and repair business assembly gun has long become an indispensable attribute. Without it, it is not so easy to carry out various important processes: put plastic windows, install interior and exterior doors, install slopes, seal engineering systems, insulate facades, and so on. But this device is often clogged, so when you buy it, you need to immediately clarify how to clean the gun for mounting foam.

By means of a sealant and a pistol for its supply, different gaps and voids are sealed up, and various manipulations are made. But, despite the simplicity of the design, this unit requires special attention and care.

There are several types of devices that determine the method of its cleaning:

1. Metal pistol. The most reliable and durable tool. Its service life reaches an average of 5 years.Easy to use and clean.
2. Teflon. The device has metal surfaces coated for protection with Teflon. Due to this feature, the gun is easy to clean. The method of removing the sealant is the same as that of the metal counterpart.
3. Plastic. It is a disposable device, so cleaning it is impractical.

There are several options for removing sealant from a gun:

1. Cleaning without removing the bottle. The easiest way to clean the device for dispensing foam. Suitable for frequent use of the tool and involves the replacement of containers with mounting foam when they are completely empty.
2. Using a chemical reagent. Washing the gun is carried out by chemical compositions, carried out after the completion of all installation work and the removal of the cylinder. This method of cleaning is ideal in the case of short-term operation.
3. Mechanical cleaning. Provides for disassembly of the apparatus and thorough cleaning of all its parts.For this operation can be used special remover, penknife, cotton fabrics.

The degree of contamination of the gun determines the way it is cleaned. The easiest and most affordable option is applied when pollution is removed immediately after using the unit. It provides for the removal of visible particles of the pistol and forcing out the residual masses of sealant from the barrel.

Mechanical cleaning provides complete disassembly of the tool:

1. It is necessary to unscrew and remove all that is possible. The instructions that come with the kit should contain detailed information on the design of the product. When disassembling, you need to try not to damage anything and not to disrupt the thread.
2. When disassembling a gun, you should clean all parts of the foam and wipe them with a dry cloth to purge the barrel. For these purposes, a ramrod is useful, it can be made by hand from improvised means, for example, wire.
3. Pour the washing into the barrel, then clean the tube from the remnants of the foam mass with an improvised rod. Repeat all manipulations until the ramrod moves easily in the barrel and its tip appears on the reverse side.If the foam in the trunk has dried, remove it only by chemical substances will not work.
4. The barrel must be cleaned very carefully, so that with further work the foam remains do not interfere with the passage of a new polyurethane foam sealant.
5. After cleaning the tool, it is necessary to lubricate its connecting nodes and assemble.
6. The tool is ready to use.

Disassembling a gun is an extreme case, and it is better not to bring equipment to such procedures. Even after thoroughly cleaning the gun, a new sealant may not easily pass through the nozzle, and the gun will become useless.

The following method of cleaning is used if the barrel of the gun is completely clogged, and the adjustment lever (trigger) is not pressed. In this case, you must carefully clean the nozzle from the foam material and lubricate it with a solvent. The barrel must be omitted. After a few minutes, the lever should start moving. If this happens, you can continue the subsequent cleaning.

If the trigger mechanism does not come into motion, then you should use the third method. In the area where the foam container is connected to the gun, there is a small ball. It must be treated with a solvent. Such actions will help with cleaning if the foam has blocked the flow valve very strongly. Not earlier than in 15 minutes it is possible to fix the bottle with the cleaner, and to clean the barrel with its contents.

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that when starting work with a foam gun, you should always have a bottle of cleaner available. Forethought will help in time to clean the expensive equipment from residues of not yet hardened foam, to extend the performance of the device. If the sealant is frozen, the use of brute force can damage the gun, especially if it has a Teflon coating. The device in this case becomes unsuitable for reuse.

If the tool at the end of the work remains contaminated, and there is a possibility of foam drying, you should not pull the trigger before carrying out the cleaning procedures. Such actions may cause damage to the mechanism.

It is necessary to clean the gun from the stiffened polyurethane foam according to certain rules:

1. Immediately you need to clean the barrel from adhering sealant. For these purposes, you can use a knife, only carry out cleaning very carefully so as not to damage the valve.
2. The valve / gun nozzle must be lowered strictly downwards. The mechanism of descent must be filled with dimexidum. After a minute, you can gently pull the trigger. If it began to oscillate, and sealant dripped from the nozzle, it means that the gun can be used further. If this does not happen, you will have to proceed to the next stage to remove the accumulated sealant.
3. There is a small ball near the place for connecting the balloon. It is necessary and apply a small amount of Dimexidum on it, and then attach a bottle with a cleaner. After a minute or two, you can try to press the adjustment lever.

This method of removing foam should be carried out only when more than 7 hours have passed from the end of work. During this time, the foam dries out completely, because the tool must be cleaned mechanically. After such a cleaning device can produce less pressure than before. Therefore, it is better to immediately take care of the device and remove all possible extraneous masses immediately, before they have time to dry.

There is another method that allows not to resort to the procedure of mechanical cleaning and complete disassembly of the device, thanks to which the nozzle of the gun will always be in good and ready to work condition. To do this, you need a tube, better plastic, (can be removed from a single-use tool), wire, and the gun itself.

Using a wire, you must hook the tube to the nozzle of the apparatus, and after working with the gun, remove it. For the subsequent use of the pistol, a new plastic tube is taken. Thus, the tool will always be clean and ready to go.

The mechanical method is a fairly effective way to clear the gun from the assembly foam.However, if the foam has hardened in the cavity of the barrel, then removing it to the last particle will be very problematic. As a result, with each subsequent use, the foam head will become weaker and weaker, because the sealant will cling to the remaining fractions of the substance. To solve the problem will help the timely removal of residual sealant, and if the situation is running - flushing equipment.

Rinse the gun qualitatively, observing two important rules: speed and forethought. These moments imply the acquisition of a special cleaner and its quick use. Experts advise to buy a cleaning agent of the same brand that produces foam and work only in such a duet.

Washing the gun takes place according to simple rules:

• The can is removed with a sealant, and instead is fixed a bottle with an aerosol for cleaning.
• Click on the trigger. From the spout of the apparatus will begin to drip liquid.You need to hold the trigger until the jet is clear - this is the main sign that the flushing substance was able to dissolve the dried foam.
• The balloon must be removed and re-pulled the trigger. If he moves in spurts, it means that it was not possible to clean up all the pollution, and you need to repeat the procedure again.

Solvent can leave burns on the body, so when working with it you need to be extremely careful and attentive. You can not smoke near the balloon, keep it near the fire, in the sun, open the container. If the substance gets into your mouth, eyes or nose, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.

Spray remover can be replaced. If at home there was no special means, you can use acetone instead. Pour it into the nozzle of the device and clean the gun with iron wire. Rinse slowly, so that all parts are unharmed.

The main thing you need to remember when buying a gun for mounting foam - this type of equipment should be cleaned after each use, without delaying the cleaning procedures.

The main cause of breakdowns of these devices is clogging with hardened foam. Occlusion can occur in such places:

• in the vial spout;
• in the ball;
• in the supply valve.

These failures are related to the type of mechanical, and in order to eliminate them, it is enough to clean the tool, you should not immediately throw it away. But if sticking occurred in the barrel of the gun, cleaning will not help, and repairs will not be possible.

A simple way to prevent this kind of trouble is to follow the rules of operation and proper care. Repair of the gun, as a rule, is not carried out, more often the procedure of mechanical cleaning and lubrication is performed.

Installers with extensive experience know that it is very important to keep the tool clean. Therefore, experts give advice to beginners using this type of auxiliary equipment.

It is important to clean up any contamination immediately after completion of the work. Due to the timely cleaning of the gun for supplying sealant will serve a much longer amount of time. The cleaning method depends on the degree of complexity of contamination, as well as on the time that the sealant spent on the device. If the foam is still dry, wiping it off is pretty simple.

If it is expected to replace the sealant bottle with a container from another manufacturer with different characteristics, it is imperative to remove the gun and wash it. Sealants of different companies are distinguished by their chemical composition, and if the substances react inside the device, then material can be formed that cannot be removed. Therefore, it is better to take a cleaner and sealant of the same brand. Special chemicals work much more efficiently than universal liquids.

Each company produces foam with different characteristics. The cleaner of the same series adapts to the characteristics of the sealant, so the result of cleaning is always perfect.

On how to clean the gun from the dried foam, see in the video below.