Chain Blocks—The Way to Go in 2019

06 June 2019

Why put people’s lives at risk if you don’t have to? That’s a question all handymen, construction managers, and site workers should ask themselves.

With so many solutions available in today’s market, your options to safeguard a crew are endless. What is one of the most popular safety features in today’s market? With good reason, you’ll find chain blocks on many work sites.

Yes, this is a device designed to assist in heavy lifting. But we’re mentioning this in relation to safety too: the more pressure modern tools can handle, the less chance there is of workers getting injured.

So, this is how you increase productivity as well as keep your crew safe. Ready to know more?

What is a Chain Block?

Chain blocks (also known as a hand chain hoist) is a mechanism used to lift and lower heavy loads using a chain. When the chain is pulled, it winds around the wheels and begins to lift the item that is attached to the rope or chain via a hook.

How Does it Work?

At the end of the lifting chain is a grab hook. This allows a worker to easily attach and detach a load. Also, most chain hoist lifting mechanisms have ratchets or braking systems that prevent the loads from slipping back. It also allows you to lower a load by pulling the other side of the hand chain.

You can see the increased control a site worker can have in a situation with one of these forms part of the equipment that’s available. Increased control affects productivity and safety.

So what can you expect from the average chain blocks?

Specs and Description:

500kg – 2000kg working load limit
All steel construction
Suitable for industrial environments where dependability is a must
Weatherproof twin pawl brake
The Weston style two pawl brake is designed to hold the load during the operation
Industrial grade powder coating which provides a long-lasting finish designed to suit harsh environments
Zinc plated hand chain for a durable finish
Fully enclosed gearing protects the gears from debris and contamination

Respected suppliers provide chain blocks complete with Grade 80 alloy chain and forged alloy steel hooks. You should also look for quality suppliers who provide a large range of chain blocks to suit your needs. Each construction scenario is unique, so make sure your equipment caters for your needs.

Why Use Chain Blocks? Benefits You Need to Know:

When you purchase the right types, chain hoists can positively affect most aspects of your project:

Cost: A chain hoist will have a lower price point than an electric wire rope hoist. This does mean the capacity won’t be as high, but it will still offer you much more than a manual hoist.
Flexibility: A chain hoist is usually easier to move than a wire rope hoist, meaning it can be transported between sites. This can be a great advantage for construction professionals who work in various locations.
Vertical lifting: You can easily achieve a vertical lift. There is no lateral movement, as the chain is moved over a sprocket.
Diverse application: Chain Hoists can be used with a wide range of lifting equipment, including jib cranes and gantries. They can be used in low headroom areas, allowing you more flexibility with your specifications.

Unique Features:

Understanding this range of equipment is essential to optimize your use of them. Are you benefiting from these features yet?

Chain containers: This is the collection box that collects up excess slack on the chain, preventing the chain from getting damaged and stopping it damaging the load.
Limit switches: An upper and lower limit switch will let you set minimum & maximum hook paths. It protects the load from human error when lifting it or placing it down. This will also protect the hoist itself when lifting a heavy load.

There’s a reason there are many types of chain hoists on the market. Each has its own benefits, so don’t ignore the ones you haven’t tried. Even though manual types may require more effort than electric hoists, they still come with many benefits.

Manual Chain Hoist Advantages:

While manual chain hoists won’t lift quite as fast and effortlessly as electric hoists, there are many advantages:

They don’t require any electricity or power source. This makes them much more portable compared to electric hoists so you can have the benefit of a hoist on remote work sites.
They’re more cost-efficient compared to electric or hydraulic hoists. Not only do electric hoists cost more initially, but they also raise electricity bills.
The simple design of manual hoists makes it easier to repair and maintain. No complex motors, wires, or electrical/hydraulic systems.
Although electric chain hoists can lift heavier loads, manual hoists can still have working load limits (WLL) up to 20 tons. As long as what you’re lifting is below that, there’s no reason not to opt for a manual hoist.

You can pick from two main styles of manual chain hoists: hand hoists and lever hoists.

Conclusion:

Are you up to date with the latest in construction equipment? It’s how you become more efficient and manage a safe work environment.

If you have questions or feedback, please share your comment on our page or tweet about your personal view and experience about chain blocks. Let’s learn from each other.

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The Benefits Of Exclusive Listing For Sellers

In real estate, an exclusive listing is a contract between a real estate agent and the owner that grants the agent the exclusive right to sell the property. The realtor will handle the listing for you without submitting it to the multiple listing service. In most cases, the agent will promote the property to prospective buyers and handle everything regarding the sale. The real estate agent will act as the owner’s sole agent. Only one agent will be appointed and expressly authorized to refer the property to potential buyers. On the other hand, in a non-exclusive listing, the owner retains the right to use any number of agents. You can click here to learn more about exclusive vs. non-exclusive listings and the pros and cons of exclusive listing. In this article, we will focus only on the benefits of exclusive listings for sellers and why this might be the best way for you to sell your home. Let’s dive in! Longer-Term Working Relationship With The Agent You are more likely to develop a genuine working relationship with a single real estate agent. Because your agent will be fully responsible for the sale, they will probably be more motivated to close the deal than open listings. In addition, your agent will put in more effort on your behalf: they will develop personalized marketing strategies to help your property stand out. As your relationship develops, your exclusive agent will make strategic recommendations regarding advertising, marketing, and even renovation strategies to attract higher prices. On the other hand, if your home is listed on the MLS, the public will be aware of your initial price and will be notified whenever you change it. However, with an exclusive listing, the agent can control who can access pricing. High-Quality Offers Your agent will work closely with you to ensure that you get the best price for your property. As mentioned, they may even recommend renovations if they are sure that renovating will pay off by increasing the cost of your property. In addition, they will devise powerful advertising strategies for you to attract higher bids. And exclusive listings typically receive more offers since many believe that non-exclusive listings indicate something wrong, even if there is not. And since people have more trust in an exclusive listing, they are more likely to pay more. In addition, your exclusive agent will spend more time choosing the best clients so they can get the best offer. Also, this eliminates the long negotiation processes with many offers, counter-offers, etc. The agent will put effort into structuring worthwhile offers for you. Read Also: What are the Best Real Estate Seller Leads? Exclusive Listings Attract The Right Buyers Open listing is more likely to elicit interest from more buyers, but this does not guarantee that the buyers are competitive or qualified. In non-exclusive listing situations, agencies keep the important property details private and show your home to as many clients as possible. So, the information about the property will usually be insufficient, resulting in your property being presented incorrectly to the wrong prospects. Even if the property is offered to potential buyers, these qualified prospects are given incorrect information. This is a significant benefit for exclusive listing. Because agents will market the property through their brokerage to a pre-chosen group of prospects, the clients will be more qualified, increasing the chances of a faster sale. In addition, an exclusive listing agreement will give agents the authority to approach the qualified buyers—those most likely to buy the property—openly and systematically. Privacy The reasons for selling a property can vary, from happy ones to reasons like someone passing away or a divorce. Some owners do not want their close ones to know they plan to sell their homes. Also, many people do not want the online world to know their address, the listing, or the selling price. When listing exclusively, your property will not be exposed online or to many agents, which is a significant benefit. In addition, you will gain price and privacy control over the listing. You can work with one agent and have more say over who comes to your property, which could benefit sites under construction or undergoing renovations. Wrapping up An exclusive listing is better suited for owners who prefer a more private selling process and want to control who comes into their property during the sale. Also, an exclusive listing is a perfect option for people who want to work with a single agent since that will give them the confidence that they are fully invested in the sale of their home. However, it is critical to work with a reputable and experienced agent to ensure that your property sells faster and attracts higher-quality prospects who will have better offers for your property. Read Also : How To Sell Your House Fast?! Five Must-Know Tips To Move Your Property! 6 Things You Must Know Before Selling Your Home Buying Or Selling A Home In Seattle?

Planning Your Next Commercial or Residential Project? 6 Ways an Architect Can Help

Whether you're interested in designing a new commercial building for your business, a new home to live in, or an addition for a home or business, the right help can be crucial. An architect is essential for these and related projects and can provide a number of benefits that will make a huge difference in the long run. Make Sure Everything is Practical Depending on what the plan is, there may be a need to check and make sure everything is actually practical. Is the land appropriately set up for the building or addition? Is there anything that doesn't make sense about the overall plan? An architect will look through to make sure everything looks good before getting into the details of the design. Cochran has more information if you'd like to learn more. Determine if There are Restrictions There may be a local, county, or state restrictions that can be applicable to the building or addition. These need to be discovered at the beginning of the design process so workarounds can be found. Restrictions may include zoning restrictions like how tall the building can be, how far the addition must be from the property line, or even whether the entire project is allowed. Add to Design for the Future Architects aren't just going to think of what's happening right now. They'll also consider the future for the business or home and help you come up with ideas that may future-proof the building or addition. This helps ensure the building is going to continue to be relevant and useful long into the future. Reduce Overall Costs Any construction is going to be expensive. While there are many ways to cut costs, some just aren't worth the savings. An architect can help find ways to save money without sacrificing anything that's needed or the overall quality of the project. If you're on a budget, hiring an architect can help reduce overall costs so the project stays on budget. Help Create a Green Building Energy efficiency can make a huge difference in energy bills and impact on the environment. If an energy-efficient building is needed or desired, an architect is a right person to ask for help. They can use various design elements to create a building or addition that's energy-efficient, or green, to help reduce the impact on the environment and help you save money. Visualize the Design What will the design actually look like when everything is done? Is it going to be what you're imagining? An architect can draft visual designs and stake out the property so it's easier to see exactly how big everything is, where everything will go, and what the project will look like when everything is done. That helps provide a better idea of what the final project looks like so you can ensure it will be exactly what's needed for your home or business. If you're planning any construction, whether it's commercial or residential, an architect can provide a lot of help and allow you to meet all of the goals. Take the time to speak with an architect today to learn more about what they can do to help with the project and what's going to be improved by having the right help from the beginning. You won't want to handle the project without them. Read Also: 3 Ways to Boost Employee Engagement in Your Business Important Things to Know Before Starting a Home Improvement Project

Commercial and Residential Construction: Key Differences

When it comes to construction, many business owners, who have faced residential projects before, are surprised at how different commercial projects are. The difference between commercial and residential construction approaches is big, starting from the volume of work and ending with regulations We’ve turned to the experts to list the key differences between commercial and residential construction. Knowing them is especially important when choosing general contractors and checking their portfolio, permits, and credentials. Commercial vs Residential Construction: Definition Before we go further, let’s define commercial and residential construction. When we are talking about commercial construction, we mean creating a building for commercial purposes. It could be a store, office, school, factory, storage facility, warehouse, and more. When it comes to residential construction, it involves building something for residential living, including houses, apartments, condominiums, etc. At first glance, it may seem as if the approaches to these two types of construction are similar. However, they vary substantially. There may be a certain crossover between the skills of commercial and residential construction experts. However, a company that focuses on commercial construction may not have what it takes to deal with residential projects and vice versa. Regulations and Permits According to construction experts from afsgeneralcontracting.com, the key differences between these two types of construction are codes, regulations, and permits. Any kind of construction project requires special permits to be completed. For commercial projects, the number of these permits and codes is much higher than for residential buildings. Safety codes pertaining to parking lots, elevators, fire safety, and more are different for commercial properties. General contractors must have extensive experience following these codes since failing to do so could result in the entire project being done in vain. Commercial buildings come with elaborate concerns for electricity, IT, and parking. That’s why the level of complexity for working with such properties is much higher. Building codes and standards don’t just vary from residential to construction projects. They can be different in each state or even city. That’s why it’s important to check whether the general contractor you’ve chosen has experience working in your area. Materials As soon as there is a building design in place, it’s important to identify materials needed for the construction project’s completion. Usually, materials required for commercial construction are drastically different from what you would purchase for a residential construction project. For example, an average residential building requires more wood since it uses a timber frame construction. Such an approach is considered to be cost-effective and well suited for buildings of smaller size. Even though some residential building owners prefer a steel frame for integrity, not too many agree. The reason is a much higher cost. Requirements for commercial construction project materials are stricter. The design is usually more complex than for residential needs. Timber framing often doesn’t cut it for large commercial buildings. Steel is the preferred material for companies building commercial properties. It’s resilient and allows for higher integrity and longevity of tall buildings. Obtaining large amounts of steel for framing requires an established relationship between a contractor and supplier. It may be easier for the residential owner to purchase timber directly from the vendor. However, in both cases, it’s better to rely on the contractor to find the right materials. Equipment and Training No matter how large and complex residential buildings can be, they are small and simple compared to some commercial projects. The large size of commercial buildings requires special equipment and workers’ experience. Operating tall cranes is different from working with aerial lifts. Meanwhile, the cost of such equipment, even if it’s rented, is much higher. Height-access equipment for commercial projects require specially trained operators. It’s also harder to find than aerial lifts for residential construction purposes. Some parts of residential construction projects are sometimes done by owners themselves or contractors using “How-to” videos. Even though it sounds questionable, these people often reach satisfactory results since the tasks aren’t hard. However, such an approach can never work for commercial projects. Mistakes that construction workers make with residential projects are much easier to fix than those occurring with commercial construction are. Meanwhile, commercial construction errors are likelier to result in a lawsuit. In most cases, residential construction workers need additional training to deal with commercial projects. Deadlines Commercial project deadlines are usually much stricter than their residential counterparts are. Higher construction costs and better-organized workflow usually mean that commercial construction tasks are executed much faster. For a company, a faster construction process means lower costs for labor and reduced financial investment. This motivates commercial construction workers to complete the project quicker. When it comes to residential projects, homeowners have a tougher time setting deadlines since they are prone to making changes. Meanwhile, some homeowners experience financial problems during the construction project, which may hinder deadlines. Residential construction projects require fewer workers than commercial construction does. This may also slow the process down. Costs The biggest difference between residential and commercial construction is cost. It doesn’t just stem from materials and compliance standards but depends on the costs of labor and equipment. The number of workers, as well as their experience and training, may reflect on the project costs tremendously. So can the use of specialized equipment, which is tougher to find and more expensive to rent. Residential projects require all of the above as well. However, due to their smaller scale, the costs go down proportionally. The approach to funding is different as well. For commercial projects, funding is found through bank financing, government agency or a wealthy owner/developer. Meanwhile, the homeowner usually funds a residential project through a loan. Final Thoughts Commercial and residential projects can be drastically different. The key differences between commercial and residential construction are materials, equipment, worker training, costs, and deadlines. When choosing a general contractor, the difference between the two is highly important since a company that deals with residential projects may not take up commercial construction tasks and vice versa. Read Also: Lifting and Rigging Equipment—Your Hardware Guide 3 New Age Engineering & Construction Technology All You Must Know About Construction Business Management Software

Chain Blocks—The Way to Go in 2019