How to Tell if Your Refrigeration Door Gasket Needs Replacing

When was the last time you changed your commercial refrigerator’s gaskets? If it wasn’t within the previous 12 months, you are probably overpaying for electricity and spoiling your food much faster. Gaskets preserve the internal temperature of a unit by keeping cold air inside. If they are damaged, they cannot keep hot air out, so all the food in the refrigerator gets warmer. Therefore, the unit must work harder to maintain a lower temperature leading to overheating and higher energy bills. To save money and food costs, routinely check your refrigeration gaskets and replace them every 12 months.

Signs You Need to Change Your Door Gasket

Door gaskets are the single most used part of commercial refrigeration equipment. It experiences the highest traffic and damage from daily use. However, it’s easy to overlook your gaskets because they don’t catch your eye right away. As you use your units, pay close attention to these signs for commercial refrigeration gasket damage:

• The refrigerator door does not close completely.
• The refrigerator gasket is cracked or torn.

• The unit’s cooler and condenser are overworking and overheating.
• The food in the refrigerator spoils.

4 Steps for Refrigerator Gasket Replacement

Once you’ve determined that the fridge gaskets need replacing, you can begin swapping them out for newer ones. This commercial refrigeration repair process will make your life much easier.

Step 1

Remove the old refrigerator door gasket. Some seals are screw-in or clip-in. Regardless of the type, make sure to remove the old gasket altogether. Do not leave any stray pieces or chunks.

Step 2

Clean the grooves in the refrigerator. Once the door seal is gone, clean out the tracks. Gaskets use a combination of glue adhesive and screws to stay in place. Remove all gunk for easy installation.

Step 3

Soak the new gasket to soften the rubber. Once the water softens the rubber, the gasket is easier to manipulate and fit into grooves to form an air-tight seal.

Step 4

Fasten new gaskets with glue adhesive and screws.

As you are installing the new gaskets, check for any gaps. You want the entire commercial refrigerator door covered.

Conclusion

Gasket replacement is an easy way to preserve the life of your commercial refrigeration unit. Once your gaskets begin to lose their seal and crack, you know it’s time for a replacement. While the replacement process is easy, it is tedious, especially when changing dozens of gaskets. PGS can help you with this process. We specialize in small-part repair and conduct Smart Checks to ensure your door seals operate as expected.