Take a moment and think about your business and processes. What’s your most important asset? If you said your equipment, then you’d be right on the money.
Without the ability to remove insulation from a loft or cavity wall efficiently, effectively, and safely, there’s really not much you can do. And if your client is banking on you finishing on time ready for new insulation being put in, you need to ensure that you’re providing a timely service that really delivers on your promise.
When your income relies on being able to offer a specific service, you need to make sure you’re up to the task. And while it’s always possible to buy new equipment should yours fail, remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Risks of poorly maintained equipment include:
Maintaining Your Equipment
The good news is that, if you’re buying from a high quality and reputable brand like Extract Vac, performance issues are uncommon. However, every piece of equipment needs a little TLC ever now and then. When it comes to insulation removal tools, there are a few things that can sometimes go wrong, such as slower-than-usual motors, or hose seal weaknesses that reduce air pressure.
Maintaining your equipment may be easier than you think. Along with regular visual inspections of the tools, it’s important to monitor efficiency of the equipment on-the-job, taking note of any sub-optimal performances which may be among some of the first signs that your insulation removal solutions require an inspection.
Should something go wrong with your equipment, there’s no need to panic. When selecting equipment such as Extract Vac’s blown loft insulation vacuum and cavity wall extractor, it may be possible to replace worn parts rather than purchase brand new equipment. We offer replacement engines and exhaust extenders to help your equipment keep running smoothly for longer, extending the equipment’s lifespan.
Support from the Experts
As part of our training programme, we can help businesses to better understand the need for regular equipment servicing, and help develop a tailored preventative maintenance strategy to reduce the risk of unexpected, on-the-job tool failures.
]]>We are thrilled to announce that, following an application made by Extract Vac company owner Scott Ormston in May 2021, the Extract Vac trademark application was approved 5 months later in October by the UK Intellectual Property Office. This means that the Extract Vac name can only be associated with our quality systems.
A Trademark is a legally protected name, logo, or phrase that identifies an organisation and prevents any other business from utilising that trademark.
The Extract Vac trademark is filed with the UKIPO in the 017 category for rubber and plastic products, under the ‘vacuum insulation materials’ subcategory. To find out more about our trademark filing and registration, you can search for our registration number - UK00003645668 - on the Intellectual Property Office website here.
The trademark helps to protect our Extract Vac name and products, ensuring that no other business in the UK is able to leverage the power of our brand’s name or reputation to promote their own products which may not be of the same quality.
The Extract Vac trademark protects our company, our products, and most importantly, our customers. It means that we’re now the only company legally permitted to manufacture products under the Extract Vac name, so our customers have complete confidence that, when they purchase an Extract Vac machine or accessories, they’re getting exactly what they bargained for: unrivalled excellence.
The trademark prevents any third party organisation from selling products under the Extract Vac name, giving you complete peace of mind that when you order an Extract Vac machine, you’re getting an Extract Vac machine, not a poor imitation. It means we’re able to maintain a reputation built on quality and top craftsmanship.
Ultimately, our trademark is a way for our customers to easily and instantly recognise our products, and ensure you’re always making the best decisions for your business.
Through our approved trademark application, we’re making sure that our customers are never confused about whether they’re purchasing a legitimate Extract Vac product or a poor quality alternative. And we’ve done this to ensure that you’re better able to protect your own clients, using cutting edge technology and leading equipment to deliver exceptional work, remove old and defective insulation efficiently, and generate a clean, prepped, ready-to-go space for new insulation.
Your customers want Extract Vac quality. Isn’t it time you gave it to them?
]]>Here at Extract Vac, we have a vision: We want to see improved standardisation in the cavity wall extraction industry, generating greater consistency in technique and equipment usage to provide homeowners with predictable results, every time.
One of the biggest issues in the cavity wall extraction sector today is unpredictability. As the number of businesses offering insulation removal services increases, we’re seeing more and more deviation in the processes and tools that are used to extract, clean, and prepare a space for a new installation. This means that homeowners can never be sure what to expect, nor can they have true confidence in the work done.
In 2021, CIGA received almost 3000 complaints, the majority of which were related to water penetration, condensation, and mould. Homeowners today are looking for guarantees; they need to know that the businesses and professionals they choose to work with are utilising best practises in all areas of operation to deliver quality results.
We believe that a significant driver of the problems within the sector today is the fact the cavity wall insulation remains an unregulated industry. Contrary to what many homeowners believe, Ofgem does not regulate this field, making it difficult for standardised processes and equipment to be rolled out amongst businesses.
At Extract Vac, we’re taking steps to make our vision a reality by manufacturing a new range of cavity wall extraction equipment that standardises how we all work.
Through our cavity wall extraction machine and blown loft insulation removal vacuum, we’re helping businesses create new operations processes that not only remove insulation effectively and efficiently, but also clear the cavity of dirt, dust,
rubble, and debris, making the space clean, suitable, and ready for re-insulating.
By choosing to use tried-and-tested equipment and processes that have been developed specifically to create more consistency and predictability in what is otherwise a very varied and unregulated industry, you’re doing your part to transform the sector and deliver improved, impressive results for homeowners.
At this time especially, we believe it’s critical that trust and confidence is rebuilt in customer minds. Our vision is to instil this trust and confidence through excellence.
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How is it absorbing moisture? While there are a number of possibilities, moisture-wicking debris is one of the most common. There are two issues we’re seeing more and more frequently when our team are inspecting cavity walls:
If debris is not cleared from the cavity wall before new insulation is installed, homeowners will face the exact same problem in the future: damp and mould.
Damp and mould are serious problems. Not only can they reduce the value of a property and make it more difficult to sell, but wet insulation also does very little - if anything - to retain heat, meaning homeowners could be paying more to heat their home than needed. Of course, another concern is health and wellbeing. Some types of mould can have major health consequences, including breathing issues.
The big problem that cavity wall extraction specialists face today is that so many of the ‘standard’ tools that are used for removing old, damp insulation are only good for that specific purpose: insulation removal. Very few can be used to clean rubble and debris from the cavity, too, making it ready for new insulation to be installed.
That was a major driver behind our decision to create the Extract Vac cavity wall clearance machine, ensuring that specialists have the all-in-one tools and systems they need to not only remove insulation, but prepare the space for new insulation.
The Extract Vac solution features high pressure nozzles and combined with a powerful air compressor to effectively remove both insulation and debris from an obstructed cavity, leaving it clean and clear for qualified installers to add new insulation to the wall if required.
]]>However, not only is it one of the most popular, it’s also one of the most likely types of insulation to need replacing, too. This type of insulation absorbs moisture easily leading to problems with damp and mould. It also makes an excellent material for vermin bedding and small animal nests, often resulting in a loss of insulation.
As an insulation professional, you’ve probably noticed that quote requests for removal of blown-in loft insulation is on the rise. So how are you ensuring that you and your team are able to remove this insulation efficiently, effectively, and perhaps even more importantly, without creating any damage to your client’s loft space?
There’s a notable trend today to use industrial vacuum cleaners to suck up blown-in materials and clean the space ready for re-insulation. However, there are a number of significant problems with using equipment that wasn’t designed for this job:
While industrial vacuum cleaners are certainly a better choice than domestic models, they are still prone to blockages when dealing with loose-fill insulation.
Should your equipment become damaged on the job, it may be challenging to claim money back should the industrial vacuum be used for non-approved purpose.
Blown-in insulation is notoriously messy. Using a vacuum that isn’t as powerful as needed can make it challenging to remove all material, dust, droppings, and more.
An inability to rapidly suck up materials can increase the risk of respiratory problems during the work, and contact dermatitis from mould, dirt, and animal waste.
High powered insulation removal systems have been commonplace over in the United States for some time. The UK, however, has been lagging behind. Until now.
The Extract Vac loft insulation removal vacuum has been specially designed to quickly suck up blown fibre, beads, loose polystyrene, and vermiculite insulation with superior suction driven by the 13hp Honda Engine GX390. The first of its kind in the UK, the portable device effectively]]>You don’t always hit the jackpot on your first try. In the Formula One 2022 season, for example, not one but two pre-season testing periods - lasting six days in total - have been assigned to allow the drivers to become accustomed to their vehicles, and iron out any potential issues in the competitive order. F1 drivers are continually testing their cars and improving their approach… just like us here at Extract Vac.
Testing & Improving
Having started out in the insulation industry ourselves, we understand how rapidly the landscape can change; how quickly customer needs and expectations can evolve. That’s why we believe Extract Vac products can’t be static; they must be continually adapted to ensure they keep delivering on their promises to make insulation removal more efficient and more effective than ever before and delight customers.
Our mission is to always be delivering the most relevant, most useful, most practical products to UK businesses. And through stringent testing and improving, we can.
Our Process
Our product testing and improvement is all handled by our sister company, Extract Insulation. Our team of energy saving contractors at Extract are on site with customers every day, providing services such as cavity wall insulation removal, loft insulation removal, cavity clearance, and so on, making them the ideal team to use, test, and feedback on the performance of our products in real world settings.
That’s really what makes Extract Vac products different: they’re not designed by someone sitting in an office, separate from the usage environment; every feature and function is influenced by the real people who are out there conducting jobs.
Got Feedback?
While we’re certainly not strangers to the industry, we’re always keen to know how our customers are getting on with Extract Vac products on the job. If you have any feedback, observations, recommendations, or suggestions for the future of Extract Vac, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch: We would very much like to hear your thoughts, opinions and find out how you are getting on with our products.
]]>You can get some at your local Toolstation or Screwfix.
Under a section headed ‘avoiding fuel related problems’, Honda states not to use gasoline "containing more than 10% ethanol in your Honda lawn mower".
For storage or more than 30 days, Honda recommends adding a gasoline stabilizer to the fuel tank and filling the tank as air in the tank will "promote fuel deterioration during storage".
A stabilizer is also recommended by Extract Vac, as "ethanol causes multiple problems for small petrol engines".
This increasing issue for homeowners right around the country has resulted in a heighted demand for cavity wall insulation extraction. And as people have unfortunately been bit before, many are extremely wary about who they employ to undertake the extraction.
Building companies must make sure they are trusted by customers who may already feel let down by the industry. And there are a few ways they can do this; testimonials are one of the best ways to showcase previous work, as are accreditations and making sure they use robust and correct equipment for the jobs in hand. But none of the above is possible without training and education.
At Extract Vac, we offer a training programme to businesses that is second to none to ensure everyone who undertakes this extraction is trained to a high standard and able to conduct the extraction efficiently and effectively to meet the needs of their clients. So committed are we to ensuring everyone who wants to get rid of cavity wall insulation to make their homes feel like home again, that in addition to training, we also supply cavity wall insulation removal equipment to ensure the removal is made in the right way. We supply nozzles, compressors, hoses, extraction hoovers and extraction bags, which all work with most machines and can be cut to size to fit any piece of equipment. To ensure value for money and the longevity of a business, the equipment is also reusable.
With the buzz around cavity wall insulation reaching a peak, now is the time that companies must come to the forefront of the industry, cement their position as leaders in the sector and gain feedback to enable them to continue providing a stellar service to earn the trust of homeowners left scorned by the cavity wall insulation industry. And our training and development is at the forefront of that.
Find out more about our training and development services by contacting us here.]]>