While heating up bitumen material, what is the best practice to ensure safety and quality?

Circulating the bitumen material on a regular basis during the heating process is crucial for both safety and the quality of the material. This practice ensures that the heat is evenly distributed throughout the bitumen, preventing overheating and the formation of hotspots. Hotspots can lead to degradation of the material, affecting its adhesive properties and overall performance. Regular circulation also helps to maintain the consistency and viscosity of the bitumen, making it easier to work with once it is applied.

By keeping the bitumen well-mixed and at the right temperature, the material maintains its intended characteristics, which are essential for proper application and longevity of the roofing system. Furthermore, this practice minimizes the risk of combustion, which is a danger when heating flammable materials like bitumen.

Other methods, such as allowing the kettle to heat without circulation or covering it to maintain heat, may not effectively control the temperature or quality of the material. Using a lower temperature setting can also be tempting, but it might impede the material from reaching the necessary viscosity for effective application. Therefore, regular circulation is the best practice for achieving both safety and quality when heating bitumen.