UST Sump Lids Covered by Mats?

Rubber Mats vs. Steel Camel to Block Water Intrusion in Sumps & Spill Buckets.

​​Since the first containment sumps were required some 30 years ago,  station owners, inspectors and contractors have struggled to keep water out of the sumps during big rains and snow melts……….particularly in our home state of Florida where it rains ping pong ball droplets for 4o minutes…….all summer long. This matter has increased importance since state and federal rules 40 CFR Part 280 now mandate that containment sumps must be kept free of all liquids and debris.

The simplest answer is for a station owner to obtain a well-made lid and a matching well-made rubber gasket and then forget about it!  Unfortunately, that situation doesn’t always work for a variety of reasons including:
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• Un-even parking lots
• Sump location in a low spot
• Water pouring off canopy to overwhelm sump
• Poor installation technique
• Chipped or worn receptacle

 
Even with well made lids and matching gaskets, there are other issues such as excessive temperatures that cause expansions and cracks of concrete and metal. Some station owner are going to the lengths of rising the concrete an inch or two…….still, big rains are no match.

​So with water intrusion station owner have to take extra steps to avoid compliance violations, alarms and the high cost of water removal, storing, transporting and disposal.  Speaking of disposal fees, In today’s world the larger “Vac Trucks” are requiring a $500 minimum to come pump out a 100 gallons.
In todays world, there are a few options, 1) Rubber mats that act as a physical topical barrier. And 2), water blocking gels, doughs and gaskets where go underneath the lids and block water through both physical attributes and chemistry.  Lets explore further.
 
Rubber Mats can be purchased online and run anywhere form $50-80 for one 44” mat They weigh about 25 pounds and have a tendency to get heavier the more they soak up rain.

The benefits are they will block the water over a long time if left un disturbed and everything works according to plan…………..but we are talking gas stations and lots of traffic.
The drawbacks  of rubber mats are many including:

• They get stolen…….hard to block water when they are not present
• They tear..thus reducing effectiveness
• They warp and get disfigured…. thus reducing effectiveness
• They have tendency to get heavy as they degrade.
• Employees don’t like moving them around
• Little room to store Mats in service station the non rainy season.

Finally, the mats often pose a trip hazard as they can change  from the elements.  At trip and fall by either and employee or customer is never a good thing.
Steel Camel Water Blocking Products
Seeing that the rubber mats were not working very well,  Steel Camel create water blocking products with its patented water blocking technology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLj95QLErDs&t=10s .
 
Each products works by suing the water blocking principals in the chemistry.  The more it rains, the more they each block water. Three products are currently on the Steel Camel roster.
 

• AquaBlock Gel:  The original and most used of the three. Easy to Apply with caulking gun.
• Camel Dough:  More robust than the gel…used for cracks and wear patterns.
• Dead Snake:  Newest edition…..mostly for sumps where inspectors and contractors are the ones opening.

More details can be found at https://www.steelcamel.com/water-removing-filters.html
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​How Long Do the Products Last?
The longevity of each product is different.  The AquaBlok Gel is averaging 2-3 week at a normal station and 1-2 weeks at a super busy station.  The application with a caulking gun is quite simple and costs about $9.00 per application.

​The Dead Snakes are lasting 3-4 months even during harsh winters and heavy rains.  They products are meant to be used by contractors, store owners and inspectors who are maintaining the station and typically the ones to open lids.

​In summary,  rubber mats look great on the surface…….until mother nature or the public kicks in……..both unavoidable.  Steel Camel products have both innovative technology and innovative applications to solve this complex problem of water intrusion.  For more information, please contact Steel Camel at 813-877-4665.