Every old boiler gasket tells a story. Before you throw away a used handhole or manway gasket, take a closer look. The compression marks, cracking, uneven wear, and buildup can tell you whether the gasket was centered properly, whether the sealing surfaces were cleaned, and whether the gasket was over-tightened. In this Weekly Boiler Tip, Jude explains how to inspect old boiler gaskets and what those signs can tell you about past installation problems. Safety notice: Always consult experts for complex repairs. Weekly Boiler Tips are compiled by the knowledgeable and remarkably prolific content creators at WARE, a family owned, third-generation, 69-year-old commercial and industrial boiler rental and service firm based in Louisville KY. You can learn all about this and more at WARE's Boiler University.