Commercial Fridge Door Not Sealing? 10 Signs You Have Damaged Gaskets & What to Do
Is your commercial fridge door not sealing properly? Whether your freezer door opens when the fridge closes or isn’t sealing when shut, you may have a damaged gasket.
A door gasket is a flexible, elastic strip that attaches to the outer edge of a refrigerator or freezer. It’s a critical part of your appliance that forms an air-tight seal, acting as a barrier between the cool air inside and the warmer temperature outside.
Damaged door gaskets not only negatively impact your unit’s performance, but also your business. You risk spoiled commodities from heat leakage and increased overhead costs from higher energy use. That’s why it’s essential to know what to look for if it’s time to replace your gaskets.
Learn the common signs of damaged door gaskets and how to replace them to keep your refrigerated goods stable.
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Commercial Fridge Door Not Sealing? 10 Signs Your Door Gaskets Need Replacement
Like all commercial refrigeration appliances, your gaskets need routine maintenance to ensure longevity. It not only ensures your gaskets don’t prematurely break down, but also improves your unit’s lifespan. We recommend inspecting and cleaning the interior and exterior of your refrigerator at least every four weeks for optimal performance.
If your commercial fridge door is not sealing, these are the 10 top signs that you have a compromised gasket.
1. Refrigerator Doors Aren’t Shutting Completely And/Or Opening When Freezer Doors Close
When gaskets are worn down or damaged, your freezer doors can open when the fridge closes or won’t stay completely shut. If your refrigerator doors feel loose or aren’t sealing closed with that “stuck” feeling, it’s often from a broken gasket. Slamming your refrigerator’s doors consistently can also contribute to this.
Depending on the gasket’s condition, you may only need to clean it of food particles and dirt buildup.
2. Refrigerator Isn’t Maintaining or Showing Drastic Drops in Internal Temperatures
When commercial refrigerators don’t maintain internal temperatures, it’s often due to a lack of an air-tight seal. If you see that the internal temperatures aren’t remaining consistent or have drastic drops, you may have a damaged door gasket from heat leakage.
3. Higher Energy Bills
When door gaskets are worn down from long-term use or damaged without timely replacement, your refrigerator can increase energy bills. Your unit is spending more energy to maintain set internal temperatures due to heat leakage because your fridge door is not sealing properly.
The Department of Energy even states that well-maintained and fitted door gaskets enhance energy efficiency in commercial refrigeration, demonstrating their critical importance in utility savings and timely parts replacement.
4. Excess Condensation and/or Frost Building Up Inside the Refrigerator
When your fridge door is not sealing properly, heat leakage can also cause frost buildup inside the appliance. A worn-down or damaged door gasket can allow warm, moist air to enter, causing condensation that freezes into frost buildup. This type of frost buildup is often found on the indoor edges of your unit.
5. Internal Overheating Issues
Another impact of inefficient refrigerator energy performance from a damaged door gasket is overheating issues. As mentioned above, when your unit spends more energy trying to maintain internal temperatures from heat leakage, it can cause the compressor to overheat from working overtime.
Warm spots inside your refrigerator are a common indicator that you have a compromised gasket.
6. Feeling Warm Spots Outside the Refrigerator Door Frame
Warm spots outside your commercial refrigerator are another sign to watch. Heat leakage can create these warmer areas around the door frame that you can feel with your hand, signaling sealing issues.
7. Frequent Pre-Mature Spoiling of Refrigerated Goods
If you find that your refrigerated goods are spoiling more frequently before their expiration date, this is a strong indication that you have a damaged door gasket.
Even newer units can have performance issues from a lack of an air-tight seal because their doors aren’t shutting properly.
8. Mold and/or Grime Building Up Inside the Refrigerator
When gaskets are cleaned routinely, it can cause mold and grime buildup inside your refrigerator. Food particles and dirt prevent gaskets from sealing the door shut, which can be an easier fix if you catch this early.
9. Refrigerator Showing Performance Issues
Compromised door gaskets can contribute to overall performance issues for your commercial refrigeration. If your unit requires monthly repairs or is breaking down prematurely, it can be a sign of a damaged door gasket, causing the unit to overwork more than necessary.
10. Seeing Visible Gasket Issues
During your routine refrigerator maintenance, add gaskets to your checklist. If you find physical issues like warping, bending, cracks, hard/brittle texture, or gaps, these are visible signs that your gasket needs to be replaced.
How to Fix a Broken Refrigerator Door Gasket
Now that you know the signs of a damaged door gasket, you may be able to fix it yourself without replacing it. If it’s minor issues like dirt or food buildup, a simple cleaning with routine appliance maintenance can likely solve your fridge door sealing problem.
However, major issues like physical damage will require a gasket replacement and installation.
How to Know Which Replacement Gaskets Your Model Requires
Replacing commercial refrigeration gaskets starts with finding your unit’s specific identification numbers. Depending on the OEM and appliance, these often require the model and serial number found on the data plate or operational manual.
These specs are what OEM-equivalent gasket distributors will list in their product descriptions to ensure it applies to your model.
If you’re unable to locate the data plate or operational manual, you can look at your existing gasket tag on the door (not the frame), which also works as a work order/serial number lookup.
If the gasket tag is faded or has fallen off, you can also measure your door gaskets to gather the dimensions distributors will need to help you find the right replacement parts. Simply measure the outdoor gasket edges from one edge to the other, by length, width, and height.
Damaged Door Gasket FAQs:
Can You Replace the Seal on a Fridge?
Yes, you can replace the seal on a fridge. As long as you know your unit’s specific identification numbers, like the model number, serial number, and gasket dimensions, you can buy the replacement parts specific to your appliance.
How Do You Fix a Broken Seal on a Refrigerator?
Depending on the seal’s condition, repairing a gasket for minor issues like dirt or food buildup only requires a simple cleaning. However, if the damage is too severe, like warping or gaps, you need to replace the gasket.
How Do You Replace a Refrigerator Door Gasket?
Replacing a refrigerator door gasket varies per OEM. In most cases, you’ll need to find your unit’s model number, serial number, and gasket dimensions. This information is the identifier for the type of gasket your model requires and what parts distributors will list on their product pages for you to reference.
Prevent Commercial Refrigeration Issues: Shop OEM-Equivalent Door Gaskets Today
If your commercial fridge door is not sealing and your gaskets are beyond repair, get them replaced as soon as possible. At Breakaway Enterprises, we’re an OEM-equivalent distributor and manufacturer of commercial refrigeration door gaskets. We can also help you with the lookup process to ensure you buy the right replacement parts for your model.
Don’t see the gaskets your model requires in stock? We’ll custom-make it for you.
Our custom gasket builder is applicable to any OEM door on the market. Simply enter your basic gasket details, like size, shape, and appliance type, all online.
Browse our OEM-equivalent stock door gaskets or contact us to help you find the replacement parts you need today!
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