🔍 Key Concepts

• Function of hand holes and hand hole gaskets on an auxiliary boiler • What happens when high-pressure fluid leaks past a small opening over time • Which effect would be most critical for long-term damage to the boiler seat and gasket area

💭 Think About

• Think about which option describes damage to metal surfaces caused by a small, continuous leak under pressure. • Consider which choice would permanently affect the ability to reseal that hand hole properly later on. • Ask yourself: which effect is most realistic in actual boiler operation, and which seem less likely or less serious?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which option mentions damage to the gasket seating surface, not just the gasket material itself. • Consider how a high-velocity leak through a small gap can affect both the gasket and the metal seat over time. • Eliminate any choices that describe conditions that are not a typical primary concern of small leaks at boiler hand holes.