Have you ever wondered how a bad gasket can affect a restaurant? A faulty, ripped, missing, or damaged gasket can cost the customer big time. U.S. EPA studies have shown that a single reach-in under counter door with an unsealed gasket can cost a restaurant as much as $90 a year per door gasket. So that means the average restaurant that has 12 doors in their kitchen could be loosing $1080 a year in energy cost. They also estimate that $1 in average energy savings is equal to $59 in sales!
When a gasket isn’t sealing properly warm outside air is entering the cooler and creating a lot of extra energy consumption and mechanical stress on the unit. Run times can be double, causing premature compressor and fan failures, not to mention spoiled food. Now the cost is really adding up!
What to look for:
- -Check the door gasket’s contact with the cooler frame: One proven method is to use a dollar bill or piece of paper. Sticking the dollar half way into the door, the dollar should be held snuggly in place. Work your way around the door, if it moves easily or falls out, then your loosing a lot of energy.
- -Cracks and tears are common on the corners and top edge of door gaskets. Or in the area nearest where product is moved in or out of the cooler. Open the door and visually inspect, folding the gasket over if needed to see rips. These rips will cause energy loss and also collect old food, debris , and bacteria.
- -Check your hardware: A loose or warn hinge will stop a door from laying flat on the frame. Latches and closers can leave doors open a jar. For reach-in doors inspect them for levelness, or sag. On walk-ins doors, look for sagging or warn hinges and latches that don’t latch or lock.
- -Spring loaded hinges are designed to pull doors shut, if you notice doors are easily staying open on their own, you may have warn springs, never giving the gasket a chance to close.
What Can YOU Do?
Though gaskets look to be a fairly simple piece of rubber, making sure you have the correct size, profile, and fit, isn’t quite so straightforward. This is when you’ll want to contact your local friendly Gasket Guy to come out to your location to inspect your gaskets for leakage. Inspect and tighten your hinges to ensure the door is flush. Replace any broken or missing walk-in cooler strip curtains.
These simple and cost effective solutions will go miles toward saving you bundles in Energy Cost!
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