What are Grooved Fittings?

Ohio Pipe is an authorized distributor of ASC Gruvlok, one of the few Domestically manufactured and trusted Grooved brands around. Anvil International, (now ASC), acquired Grinnell Grooved Mechanical Product suite in 2017 expanding their product offering, technical services and Grinnell’s Anniston Alabama foundry.

Grooved fittings have many benefits associated with them. They are a great way to cut down on install and down time, add flexibility to your piping system, and reduce installation costs. There are several different gasket grades and types, as well as the valves and ancillary products to choose from. With an easy and quick installation process, grooved fittings decrease system down time which decreases job costs and the overall cost of labor. Grooved fittings also reduce tension on piping systems and provides an easy-to-inspect, as well as productive, method of installation. Due to its flameless technology, grooved fittings eliminate safety hazards such as fire, electric shock, use of compressed air and the release of toxic fumes. This allows for easy rerouting or installing of new systems with little downtime. This also lowers overall costs and makes the purchase of grooved fittings worth it. There are several other benefits to grooved fittings as well.

When talking about grooved couplings, there are couplings and gaskets for almost every application. A few varieties of 2-bolt couplings are: rigid, flexible, and Slidelok. There are several different grade and gasket styles available that serve specific functions while utilizing the same sealing concept. The compression of the gasket by the coupling housing causes the gasket to seal, whether it be on the pipe or the fitting. Some applications include but are not limited to Industrial, Food & Beverage, Commercial, Data Centers, Plumbing/HVAC & Mechanical Systems.

The different gasket grades and types serve different temperature ranges and different applications.

Grade “EP” EPDM is good from -40F to 250F and is recommended for ware service, diluted acids, alkalis solutions, oil free air and many other chemical services, but is not for use in petroleum applications. The “EP” gasket has a visual indicator of a Green & Red stripe on the gasket.
Grade “E” EPDM is recommended for the same services as the “EP” gasket, but its temperature range differs, -40F to 230F, and its visual indicator is a Green stripe. Both EPDM gaskets are NSF-61 Certified.
Grade “T” Nitrile gasket has an Orange Stripe and is good for -20F to 180F. This gasket is good for Petroleum applications and Air with oil vapors as well as vegetable and mineral oils. Not for use with Hot Water or Hot Air.
Grade “O” Fluoro-Elastomer is good for 20F to 300F and is indicated by a Blue stripe. Recommended for high temperature resistance to oxidizing acids, petroleum oils, hydraulic fluids, halogenated hydrocarbons and lubricants.
Grade “L” Silicone is a Red color stripe. Good for -40F to 350F and is good for dry, hot air and some high temperature chemical services.
Gasket Types: Standard C Style, Flush Gap (1” – 24”), End Guard (2” – 12” Fig 7004 & 7377) & Slidelok (2” – 8”)