Commercial refrigerator gaskets help maintain cool environments for logistics facilities, retail locations, and other businesses in need of maintaining perishable items. Companies that need gaskets for their commercial refrigeration systems utilize gaskets that are manufactured with various types of materials. Let’s reiterate what commercial refrigeration gaskets are, then let’s discuss the different types of materials that commercial refrigeration gaskets are made of, why some of these materials are better to use compared to others, and why it is important to maintain them to achieve the most optimal long-term results.

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Commercial Refrigeration Gaskets

different commercial refrigeration gaskets side by side made with different types of materials

Commercial refrigeration gaskets attach to the outer edge of a refrigerator or freezer door to maintain cool temperatures for perishables. Mainly designed to form an air-tight seal, they serve as a barrier between the cool air inside the refrigerated space and the warm environment in operations facilities and retail stores.

 

What are Commercial Refrigeration Gaskets Made Of?

Commercial refrigeration gaskets can be made up of various materials, including silicone, SBR, neoprene, Viton, and more. For the purpose of this article, we’ll focus upon the two primary materials used, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV). Let’s dive deeper into these two materials.

PVC

PVC is the world's third-most widely produced synthetic polymer of plastic. About 40 million tons of PVC are produced each year.

PVC comes in rigid and flexible forms. Rigid PVC is used in construction for pipe, doors, and windows. It is also used in making plastic bottles, packaging, and bank or membership cards. Adding plasticizers makes PVC softer and more flexible. It is used in plumbing, electrical cable insulation, flexible sealing products, flooring, signage, phonograph records, inflatable products, and in rubber substitutes

In respect to commercial refrigeration gaskets, although PVC has a relatively low material cost, it also has a relatively narrow temperature range, from -15°F to 140°F. It’s easily cleaned using soap and water but has poor resistance to citrus-based or chemical cleaners and exposure to hot oil.

TPV

TPV products are vulcanized alloys consisting mostly of a combination of fully cured EPDM rubber particles and polypropylene, combining the characteristics of vulcanized rubber with the processing properties of thermoplastics.

TPV has a higher material cost and is more difficult to manufacture. It does have a wider temperature range, from -40°F to 260°F. It also maintains better flexibility at extreme temperatures and provides the best resistance to both citrus-based and chemical cleaners.

The most popular TPV brand trades under the name Santoprene™ and is becoming the predominant material used in commercial refrigeration applications.

 

Why Some Materials are Better Than Others for Your Commercial Refrigerator

a commercial refrigerator used in a commercial kitchen that requires refrigeration gaskets made from high quality materials

For a commercial refrigerator, several types of metals are commonly used, including aluminum, cast iron, chrome, copper, and stainless steel. For commercial interior and exterior equipment metals, you would find aluminum and stainless steel. Aluminum alloys are stronger than commercially pure 1100 aluminum, which makes them better suited for manufacturing commercial equipment that needs to stand up to use in hectic food service operations. Stainless steel is comprised of carbon, where the higher the number the stronger it is. The most common types of stainless steel for refrigeration equipment are 304, 316, and 430.

 

Get Your Custom Commercial Refrigeration Gaskets from Us!

It’s plain and simple. A properly fitted gasket = lower energy bills + less food waste for your business!

Breakaway Enterprises is a distributor and manufacturer of commercial refrigeration gaskets. It doesn’t matter if you use a specific type of gasket—you need it, we have it. We offer a wide collection of commercial refrigeration gaskets for all types of refrigeration and freezer units used throughout the commercial food service industry. In an expansive offering of shapes and sizes, we guarantee we have the gasket you need to fit any door, model, or equipment.

Our commercial door gaskets are equal to popular OEM brands including True Manufacturing, Hussmann, Silver King, Delfield, Anthony, Ardco, Kolpak, Beverage-Air, and many others. If you can’t find the gasket you need, we will custom make it for you. Every custom commercial refrigerator gasket we make can be applied to any OEM door on the market. Click here to start your custom order or click here to shop for your new gasket.

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