Of all the components of a walk-in cooler or freezer, door seals are easy to forget about and ignore. Unfortunately, door seals can begin to wear out, become faulty, and cause major problems. Door seals are meant to keep outside air out and inside air in. They help your walk-in from having to work overtime to regulate temperatures. In addition, door seals keep moisture out of your walk-in and help control humidity levels.
Make sure you are on top of these three door seal concerns:
DOOR SEAL MAINTENANCE
Regularly inspecting your door gasket for cracks, tears, or holes is the first step to ensuring that your walk-in cooler or freezer has a strong, air-tight seal. An easy way to tell if your door seal is faulty is by placing a thin piece of paper or a dollar bill between your door and gasket. If your paper or dollar easily slides out from between the door and gasket there is a leak and your gasket needs repair or replacement. If your paper or dollar securely stays in place you have a strong and efficient seal. This test needs to be performed all the way around the perimeter of your door to make sure all sides of the gasket are working properly.
DOOR SEAL CLEANING
Door gaskets can easily trap food, dirt, and debris over time. With food safety in mind, it is important to occasionally clean seals in order to avoid mold growth that can spread and compromise inventory. Soapy water and a simple nylon scrub brush are perfect for cleaning door gaskets.
DOOR SEAL REPAIRS
If you find that your door seal is no longer tight a hands-on approach can sometimes do the trick. Minor gasket adhesive problems can be temporarily repaired by placing petroleum jelly on the flat surface of the gasket. If you find that these quick repairs are not holding, you should contact a professional so that they can come in and determine if you need an expert repair job or a complete gasket replacement.
Well-maintained door seals help your walk-in use less energy and keeps costs down. They also protect inventory from mold, icing problems, and excess condensation. Working gaskets are easy to forget about but regular maintenance and inspection can help you avoid major repairs and replacement situations. Be sure to regularly check, clean, and repair your gaskets when necessary to ensure your walk-in coolers and freezers always have a tight door seal!