Team Lab FAQ'S
Team Laboratory Chemical Co. is a specialty chemical manufacturer based in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Since 1977 we have built products that solve specific, stubborn problems for municipal and industrial customers, from wastewater operators to public works crews, and we back them with people who know the chemistry and the job.
General Questions
How do I get pricing or place an order?
Team Lab does not publish prices or sell online. Send a quote request with your product, quantity, and state, and it routes to your territory sales rep and sales@teamlab.net for a fast quote.
Why are there no prices on the site?
Team Lab quotes by product, quantity, and territory rather than listing fixed online prices, so you get pricing matched to your order and location. Submit a quote request and your rep follows up.
Who receives my quote request?
Your request routes to the Team Lab territory rep for your state and to sales@teamlab.net, so the right person can respond quickly.
Why do you ask for my state?
Your state is used to route your request to the correct territory rep. For certain regulated products, the rep also confirms what can ship to your state during follow-up.
How fast will I hear back?
A rep typically follows up within one business day. For urgent needs, call 1-800-522-8326.
How do I contact Team Lab?
Call 1-800-522-8326 or email sales@teamlab.net. Team Lab is based in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and serves customers across the Midwest.
Where is Team Lab located?
Team Lab is in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Mail can be sent to PO Box 1467, Detroit Lakes, MN 56502.
What does Team Lab make?
Specialty chemicals for municipal and industrial maintenance: wastewater treatment and bioaugmentation, BASE ONE® road and base stabilization, grounds and turf, street and pavement maintenance, paint, mosquito control, winter products, aerosols, and cleaners and degreasers.
Who does Team Lab serve?
Municipal and industrial customers: wastewater operators, county and city public works, parks and grounds crews, and facility managers. Team Lab does not sell to retail consumers.
When was Team Lab founded?
Team Lab was founded in 1977 in Bismarck, North Dakota by Gary and Dianne Sullivan, and has operated continuously since.
Who owns Team Lab?
Terry Maier, a long-time Team Lab employee, and his wife Michelle purchased the company in 2003 and moved it to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.
Can Team Lab help build a treatment program, not just sell product?
Yes. For wastewater especially, Team Lab helps design programs around your specific issues, such as odor, sludge, FOG, or nitrification, and supports them over time.
Can someone come out and measure how much sludge is in our pond?
Yes. Team Lab runs a sonar sludge survey, and the boat works on the pond as it operates, so there is no disruption to treatment. The usual pattern is a baseline survey before treatment and a follow-up after a season.
Where do I find the safety data sheet for a product?
On the product page. Where Team Lab has an SDS on file it appears as a download link on that product. If a product page does not show one, ask your territory rep.
Are Team Lab products registered with the EPA?
The pesticides, herbicides and disinfectants Team Lab sells carry EPA registration numbers, and the number appears on the product label. Always read and follow the label. It is the legal document, and application rates and approved uses come from the label rather than from this website.
Wastewater Treatment
What causes the rotten-egg odor at our lift station?
Hydrogen sulfide from septic conditions where sulfate-reducing bacteria break down organics without oxygen. Reducing the organic load lowers H2S generation at the source.
What is bioaugmentation?
Adding selected bacteria to a system that already has its own biology, so the population handling your specific problem is larger and better adapted. In practice it means faster digestion of sludge, grease and organics than the native population manages alone.
Can bioaugmentation reduce how often we dredge a pond?
Yes. Digesting settled solids over a maintenance cycle slows sludge accumulation, which lengthens the interval between dredging events.
Do these products require special equipment to apply?
Most dry blends are added directly on a dosing schedule. Liquid programs may use simple metering at the wet well. Your rep sizes the program to your plant.
How much sludge reduction has actually been measured?
It depends on loading, temperature and starting sludge depth, which is why a survey comes first. At the City of Mapleton, North Dakota primary pond, 5.4 tested acres surveyed in June 2021 and again in April 2026, average sludge depth fell from 19.68 inches to 11.64 inches and sludge volume fell 57.05 percent. Full results are on the case studies page.
Does biological treatment still work in cold weather?
It slows down, which is why there are cold-weather formulations built on strains selected to stay active at low temperatures. Northern lagoons are the environment these were developed for.
What is FOG and why does it matter?
Fats, oils and grease. It accumulates in collection systems and lift stations, fouls floats and pumps, causes blockages and overflows, and drives up jetting and disposal costs. It is one of the most common and most expensive problems our customers deal with.
Do you have to drain the pond or shut anything down for a sonar survey?
No. The boat works on the pond as it operates, so there is no disruption to treatment.
How accurate is sonar compared to a sludge judge?
Sonar readings track very closely with manual sludge-judge spot checks, and the survey takes far more readings, so the full-pond picture is more complete and repeatable.
How often should we survey?
A baseline before treatment and a follow-up after a season is the usual pattern. Annual surveys then track accumulation and tell you when dredging is actually warranted.
Can the sludge volume be used for a dredging bid?
Yes. The measured sludge volume and map give a contractor what they need to quote a desludging job accurately.
BASE ONE®
What is BASE ONE?
BASE ONE® is a base and aggregate surface stabilizer designed to improve the strength and stability of aggregate and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) materials. It raises density, stability and load-bearing capacity, so the base gives better support to whatever surface goes over it.
How is this different from a surface treatment or dust suppressant?
It works in the base layer rather than on the surface. The goal is a stronger, lower-permeability foundation, which is what carries traffic and resists failure over time.
Can it rebuild a road that is already failing?
Yes. Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation (SFDR) rebuilds old worn out asphalt pavements by recycling the existing roadway. The asphalt and a portion of the base material are pulverized, stabilized and compacted to produce a strong durable base for the upper road structure.
Does it work on gravel and aggregate surface roads?
Yes. Gravel Roads is one of the four applications BASE ONE® is built for, alongside Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation, New Construction and Reconstruction, and Thin Surface Overlay. Stabilization of the base material and surface gravel can help increase the load bearing capacity, reduce routine maintenance and potentially reduce gravel loss, lengthening your re-graveling cycles.
How is it applied?
Two methods. BASE ONE® is added to the water used to bring the base material to optimum moisture content for compaction, then incorporated using the preferred Reclaim and Inject Method or the Water Truck and Blade Mix Method.
Has BASE ONE been independently tested?
Yes. St. Croix County, Wisconsin used it on CTH G and CTH Z, 4.3 miles combined, both built over poor quality sand lift base. Testing by American Engineering Testing returned a resilient modulus of 79,000 to 101,000 psi against a 30,000 psi reference value, and a layer coefficient of 0.19 to 0.21.
Where do I find more detail on BASE ONE?
BASE ONE® has its own site at baseone.net with the application methods, specifications and project results. Your Team Lab rep can also walk through whether it fits your road program.
Aerosols
What do the marking paint colors mean?
Utility locating follows the APWA color code, where each color stands for a buried utility type. Using the standard color keeps your marks readable to everyone on site.
What colors does the inverted marking paint come in?
Standard colors are white, yellow, blue, red and green. Fluorescent orange, green, pink and blue are also available. Utility locating follows the APWA color code, so use the standard color for the utility being marked.
Penetrating oil or silicone spray?
Penetrating oil frees rusted, stuck parts. Silicone is a dry lubricant for rubber, plastic, and slides where you do not want oil collecting dirt. They are not substitutes.
Can I use marking paint on grass and pavement?
Inverted marking paint works on soil, turf, and pavement for temporary marks. For permanent striping or athletic fields, use the dedicated traffic or field paints instead.
Do I need a marking gun or wand, or can I spray by hand?
The inverted tip is made for handheld application. For larger projects Team Lab lists a marking gun and a long wand for use with inverted tip paint.
Which aerosol is made for cleaning electrical equipment?
Safety Solvent is a non-flammable pressurized spray with high dielectric strength and low toxicity. It removes grease, oils and tars from metal parts, tools, instruments and electrical equipment. Follow the label.
Cleaners and Degreasers
What is the difference between a solvent and a water-based degreaser?
Solvent cleaners dissolve heavy grease, tar, and adhesives fast. Water-based degreasers are safer on more surfaces and better for routine cleaning. We help you pick based on the job.
Can I use the same cleaner on concrete and finished floors?
Usually no. Concrete cleaners and etches are aggressive; finished floors need a neutral cleaner. Filter by surface above to see what fits.
Which degreaser can I use in a parts washer or dip tank?
Eliminator is a citrus solvent degreaser that works in dip tanks and parts washers, is non-fuming and non-conductive, and leaves no oily residue. Follow the label for use, and your rep can match the product to what you are cleaning.
Which cleaner do you use on a finished wood floor?
Daily Cleaner is an all-surface cleaner made for heavily soiled finished floors. Sport Prep is used on wood floors before recoating. Check the label for the floor you are working on.
When do we strip a floor finish instead of recoating it?
H2O-Based Finish is restorable, so ask your rep to look at the floor before you plan a strip. Restoring an existing finish avoids the downtime a full strip and recoat costs you.
Do you carry a heavy-duty hand cleaner?
Yes. Roughneck Grit is a pumice hand cleaner for shop and crew use. Ask your rep for what fits your dispenser setup.
Grounds Maintenance
When should I apply pre-emergent in a northern climate?
Before soil temperatures rise enough for crabgrass to germinate, typically early spring. Your rep can help you read the window for your area, since a late application misses the target.
Can I use a bareground herbicide along a fence line near turf?
Yes, that is exactly what bareground products are for. Keep them off areas where you want anything to grow, and respect the buffer to nearby turf and roots.
How do I keep athletic field paint from harming the grass?
Use a paint formulated for living turf and follow the dilution rate. Field paints are designed to mark brightly without smothering or burning the grass.
Which herbicides stay in the soil, and which break down once they hit it?
Bromacil is a soil sterilant that prevents vegetation for an extended period, working slowly as moisture carries it to the root zone. Prometon is absorbed through root and foliage and acts as a soil sterilant, controlling regrowth and new seedlings. Glyphosate and diquat dibromide both become inactive on contact with soil.
How soon can I replant after clearing vegetation?
Diquat dibromide is a contact herbicide that clears surface vegetation, so replanting can happen soon after. Replant intervals are set by the product label, so read it for the product you used.
We have algae and weeds in a pond. What is available?
The Cutrine copper-based algaecides handle algae, and there are separate aquatic herbicides for submersed, floating and marginal weeds. They work by different mechanisms, and your rep matches the product to the weed and the water body.
Do I need to add an adjuvant or surfactant to a herbicide application?
Cygnet Plus is the spray adjuvant in the Team Lab catalog, a wetting agent, activator and penetrant in one. It improves how well a spray wets the leaf and moves through the cuticle. The herbicide label tells you whether an adjuvant is called for.
Do you carry seed and fertilizer as well as chemicals?
Yes. Grounds Maintenance covers granular fertilizers, grass seed blends including an athletic mix of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, and organic top dressing, alongside the herbicides and adjuvants.
Mosquito Control
Should I use Bti or methoprene?
Both target larvae. Bti is a microbial larvicide that larvae ingest; methoprene is a growth regulator that prevents maturation and often lasts longer per application. Site and duration needs usually decide. We can help you choose.
Are the microbial larvicides safe around fish and wildlife?
Microbial larvicides like Bti and Bs are specific to mosquito and related larvae and have very few non-target effects when used per label. Always follow the label for the water body you are treating.
How often do I reapply?
Short-acting microbials often need reapplication around every 30 days as they degrade. Extended-release IGR briquets last much longer. The label and your rep set the schedule.
What is the difference between a larvicide and an adulticide?
Larvicides treat standing water and stop mosquitoes before they emerge, which is where most municipal programs put their effort. Adulticides treat flying adults, usually through ULV equipment. Many programs run both.
What should we use in catch basins and roadside ditches?
Methoprene briquets are built for small standing water such as ditches and storm drains, and extended-release forms are made for catch basins and lagoons. The label states how long each form holds.
Paint
Do I need glass beads on traffic lines?
If the lines need to be visible at night under headlights, yes. Beads are dropped onto the wet paint to create retroreflectivity. Daytime-only markings may not need them.
Will athletic field paint hurt the grass?
Paint made for athletic fields is formulated to mark brightly without harming living turf when used at the right dilution. Do not substitute a general-purpose paint.
Waterborne or solvent traffic paint?
Waterborne is the standard for most street and lot work: durable, fast, and lower odor. Solvent systems exist for specific conditions. We will match it to your surface and weather.
What colors do you carry for parking lots and fire lanes?
White and yellow for general striping, handicap blue for ADA stalls, and fire lane red for fire lane areas. Ask your rep about the right product for the surface you are marking.
How fast does traffic paint dry?
Fast Dry heavy-duty paint dries in one to five minutes and latex traffic paint in ten to twenty minutes. Both vary with weather, so plan the lane closure around conditions on the day.
What equipment do you have for striping lines?
For larger projects there is a marking gun and a long wand for inverted tip paint, plus a striping machine with an adjustable stripe width. Your rep can size the equipment to the job.
Can I use marking paint for permanent striping?
No. Inverted marking paint is for temporary marks on soil, turf and pavement. Use traffic paint for permanent striping and field paint for athletic fields.
Street and Parking Lot Maintenance
What crack width should I seal versus rout first?
Narrow working cracks take sealant directly. Wider or raveled cracks may need routing first for a clean reservoir. Your rep can help you set a threshold for your roads.
How cold is too cold to crack seal?
Most sealing is done in dry, moderate conditions when cracks are at a mid-range width. Very cold or wet conditions hurt adhesion. We can advise the window for your product.
How soon can a patched pothole take traffic?
Quality cold patch is built to open to traffic almost immediately, which is why it is the standard for fast public works repairs.
Do I need to heat the crack sealant?
Not for the cold pour products. Crackfiller is a rubberized anionic sealant applied cold with no heating required, for cracks up to half an inch wide. Wider or badly alligatored surfaces call for a heavy-bodied product instead.
What do I use on badly alligatored asphalt?
GatorFill is a heavy-bodied patching compound formulated with asphalt emulsion, rubberizing polymers, reinforcing fibers and mineral fillers, made for excessively cracked surfaces and cracks larger than half an inch.
Do you have a machine for applying crack sealant?
Yes. The Easy Spray Seal Machine is a gas powered unit that pumps and applies cold pour crack fillers and sealants, with an air diaphragm material pump, a 50 foot hose and wand, and straight pipe and crack shoe application assemblies. Ask your rep whether it fits the road miles you cover.
Do you sell the tar pot and squeegees too, or only the sealant?
Both. A Crackfilling Squeegee and Squeegee Replacement Blades are listed as their own catalog items, alongside the tar pots. Your rep can confirm what goes with the pot you are running.
Winter Products
What melts ice at the lowest temperature?
The Torch crystals and liquid both work down past -25F, well below where plain rock salt slows around 20F. The Liqui-Fire coating on the crystals also speeds melting in deep cold.
Is your ice melt safe for concrete?
The Torch crystals are safe for concrete after the first year of cure, and the liquid leaves no residue and will not track in. Use the right rate and avoid overuse on new concrete.
Why apply liquid de-icer before a storm?
Applied before freezing weather, it keeps ice from bonding to the surface, which makes clearing easier afterward and cuts how much material you need.
Liquid or granular, which should we run?
Liquid works best applied before a storm, so ice never bonds to the pavement. Granular is what you reach for once ice is already down. Most winter programs run both and your rep can help you split the season.
How do we keep hydrants from freezing up?
Hydrant Guard goes in after fall drainage to prevent freeze-up, and it is formulated for places where contact with drinking water is a concern. Follow the label for use.
Do you carry anything for plow blades and equipment?
Yes. Mr. Slick deposits a hard silicone layer on plow blades that reduces friction for more efficient plowing, and protects against rust and corrosion.