More About Grommets

 Grommet description:

The hand hole liner grommet is a specially sized circular grooved rubber grommet.  It is designed to fit into an industry-standard 5″ diameter hole, which has been cut into a steel reservoir roof to access/install a cathodic protection system.  The hand hole liner grommet fits snuggly into the hand hole of the reservoir, sealing the opening and preventing corrosion. It is recommended that the contractor installing the grommet apply caulking to its groove to seal the exposed steel along the edge of the cut.

Problems solved by the new hand hole grommet:

 When a hand hole is cut into a steel tank, the resultant exposed steel edges are a repair issue. They must be sealed or else corrosion will ensue.  Traditional hand hole covers alone do not accomplish this seal. The grommet does. It also can be used to fix existing hand hole steel edges in poor condition.

Presently, an attempt is made to seal newly cut steel edges by painting them. This strategy is problematic for several reasons. First, paint cannot be applied too close to the edge of the hole or it will fall into the tank. Second, the tank underside exposed edges cannot be properly painted. Third, waiting for the paint to dry before final placement of the hand hole cover is not cost effective, so it is typically installed while the paint is still tacky. Consequently, when the cover is removed for maintenance, it sticks to the roof coating and that coating is damaged.

Benefits to the new hand hole grommet users:

 Provides a superior hand hole seal, thereby, avoiding corrosion.

  • Eliminates the need to paint steel edges, thusly allowing immediate hand hole cover installation.
  • Avoids coating damage during hand hole cover removal for maintenance.
  • Saves labor time and materials.