The Most Practical and Affordable Manhole Covers Available Online
By Space Coast Daily // October 17, 2019
The drainage and plumbing system of your residential or commercial property is vital to maintaining a trouble-free household.
Leakages and damages to piping systems can result in unseen damages that could compromise the very foundation of your home.
Water is perhaps mother nature’s most vital and most destructive element. Its properties can erode away entire mountains and even the strongest of metals.
Amongst the only things that water can not completely degrade is plastic and that is why building plastics has become so common in the construction industry.
If you are a contractor or construction company you know the importance of having a clean and high-quality drainage and plumbing set up as it is one of the most essential components of a solidly built home.
Whether it be ducting, piping or various kinds of building plastics that you need it is important to find the right supplier that can deliver high-quality building plastics that are affordable and can last a lifetime.
What Are Manhole Covers? Why Are They Important?
Manholes are an essential element to a well-constructed home as it allows access to maintenance workers to repair and inspect telecom lines and underground piping.
They also serve as an access point for meters and gages that are integral to maintaining the flow of water.
Manhole covers are designed as a safety measure to ensure that nobody falls into a manhole by accident. They are also designed to keep out unwanted materials and unauthorized personnel.
Types Of Manhole Covers
Manhole covers can often be found in various shapes, designs and sizes and made of different materials. Each manhole cover offers its own unique set of advantages and knowing which one is more effective for your needs requires some quick research into the different types of materials used to make manhole covers.
BMC (Bulk Molding Compound)
A common material used for the manufacturing of manhole covers is BMC that comprises materials such as steel bars, glass fibers, polyester resins, calcium carbonate and trasys.
These covers have a uniform cover and have a smooth surface and are simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
SMC (Sheet Molding Compound)
SMC is the other material used to manufacture manhole covers and tends to be more expensive and more complicated to make.
FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic)
This is the best composite material for manufacturing manhole covers by a country mile. These manhole covers tend to be a lot more durable and have components such as quartz, glass fiber, polyester resin, and additives. Even though they are complicated to manufacture they are definitely the best manhole covers around.
Plastic, Fibreglass, and Composite Manhole Covers
Cast iron manhole covers, although common at one point in time, have proven to be ineffective over the years and this has given rise to alternative materials such as plastics, fiberglass, and composites to gain popularity in the marketplace.
These modern manhole covers are more lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and much more secure. Since they are made of plastic, they are also less likely to be stolen as they have no scrap value unlike ones made of metal.
These plastic manhole covers also offer a better fit and a better seal to prevent pollutants from getting in.
Plastic, fiberglass and other composite materials are also much less likely to degrade and can last much longer than metal alternatives. Plastic drain covers can also be fitted with security systems to keep them locked in place and prevent unauthorized entry, theft, and tampering.
How Heavy Should A Manhole Cover Be?
Manhole covers can range from being very lightweight to quite heavy depending on there intended use. Lightweight manhole covers are ideal for covering up manholes in areas with light pedestrian traffic such as driveways, patios and gardens and tend to be a lot less expensive.
The heavier manhole covers generally made from cast iron or other stronger compounds are used for highways, main roads, car parks, and even airports and docks.
The heavier and more heavy-duty manhole covers are essential when dealing with government contracts and in the construction of large complexes or buildings.
Things To Consider Before Purchase
Before choosing on a manhole cover for your home or office it is important to first determine what type of manhole cover you need and for what purpose. Several things have to be considered such as:
Size, Shape & Design
Making sure your manhole cover is the right shape and size to fit your manhole opening is essential to minimize delays. Always measure the size of the opening and make sure you have the right shaped manhole cover to conceal the opening completely. The design also plays its part as some manhole covers are smooth-surfaced while others offer more grip.
Loading Capacity
This is also worth considering as you want to always invest in a manhole cover that can handle the daily wear and tear. The traffic and load capacity that the manhole cover will handle every day is important to know in order to determine what material would best be suited to handle the daily traffic.
Choice Of Material
When purchasing manhole covers you generally have three options; plastic, steel or iron. Traditional manhole covers were made of iron, but as we have learned in this article so far, more durable and versatile materials like plastic and fiberglass have proven to be more effective. Plastic manhole covers tend to be dark and are perfect for driveways and patios.
To get covers and many other building plastics no source is better than EasyMerchant. These guys have all the building plastics you need in stock, at a fair price and offer fast shipping and top-notch customer service.
