News & Tech Tips

Gasket Installation Mistakes

Greencrest Digital on January 12, 2026

Common Gasket Installation Mistakes (and How to Prevent Them)

According to the Fluid Sealing Association (FSA), 85% of gasket failures stem from improper installation. While we provide custom, high-quality gaskets ideal for your facility’s applications, proper installation is a must to ensure reliable performance.

Learn about the most common gasket installation mistakes and how to prevent them to ensure installation is done right the first time, every time.

 

Mistake #1:  Failure to Check for Damaged Parts

If the installation did not begin by checking for damaged or warped parts, then be warned, big problems may lie ahead! Take the time to thoroughly inspect all components of the equipment required for installation. For example, large nicks, deformations and other major surface imperfections in the flange will wear out even the best gasket, so that would need to be resurfaced or replaced before installation.

Mistake #2: Neglecting to Properly Clean Surfaces

Before installing a new gasket, it’s important to clean mating faces and bolt holes to remove any old gasket material, oils, residue, dirt, etc. Failure to do this can lead to improper torque and expensive leaks. When it comes to gaskets, the cleaner the surface the better.

 Mistake #3: Improper Tightening of Bolts and Fasteners

Bolts and fasteners require a correct sequence when being tightened, which is in opposite pairs. For example, top/bottom then left/right. We recommend tightening the bolts in at least three tightening passes, increasing bolt torque gradually with each pass to achieve an optimal seal.

Mistake #4: Reusing Old Gaskets or Bolts

As surprising as it seems, this does happen. Old gaskets and bolts are unreliable. Do yourself a favor and avoid any temptation to reuse, therefore potentially saving your facility thousands.

Mistake #5: Not Knowing Flange Load Requirements

Gaskets require sufficient flange pressure to compress and form a tight seal. This “y” factor or minimum seating stress would ideally be even, but in reality, pressure is highest near bolts and lowest between them. Make sure to account for this uneven distribution to ensure reliable sealing performance.

 

Have More Questions About Gasket Installation?

If so, we’d love to answer them for you!  Contact the team at Expert Gasket & Seal and we’ll help you find the best gasket solution for your application and provide you with the information needed for a successful installation!

Seal the Toughest Jobs With Durlon® Durtec® ETG Gaskets and Expert Gasket & Seal

Greencrest Digital on September 10, 2025

Certain industries, such as industrial, manufacturing, automotive and chemical processing require demanding applications — and gasket failure is not an option. If gaskets in your facility need to stand strong in environments with high heat, crushing pressure and exposure to aggressive or toxic chemicals, the Durlon® Durtec® ETG gasket may be the perfect solution.

As an authorized Durlon® distributor and fabricator, Expert Gasket & Seal provides the full line of Durlon® gasket materials, trusted for their durability and performance. One standout option is the Durlon® Durtec® ETG, designed to deliver exceptional sealing under demanding conditions:

  • Machined metal core ­- Bonded on both sides with soft sealing layers, typically flexible graphite.
  • Virtually uncrushable design – Offers superior strength compared to conventional gasket cores.
  • Reliable sealing performance – Reliable performance even under low bolt loads, ensuring consistent protection in critical applications.

Need a gasket that provides dependable sealing in applications such as flanges, valves, vessels, heat exchangers, towers and tanks? Contact Expert Gasket & Seal and learn more about our custom Durlon® Durtec® ETG gasket options.

Pump Up Productivity at Your Plant!

Greencrest Digital on August 19, 2025

Overview

For chemical manufacturers, pump failure leads to costly production downtime, as pumps are critical for moving chemicals through the manufacturing process. If a pump fails, entire production lines may come to a halt. Pump failure can also pave the way for future issues, such as damage to seals, valves and tanks — resulting in more extensive and costly repairs.

When a major chemical manufacturer experienced repeat shutdowns at their facility due to railcar unloading pump seals that frequently failed as a result of crystallization that formed when the product hit atmosphere, they reached out to Expert Gasket & Seal for solutions that would prevent hazardous spillage and monthly pump failure.

seals

Solution

After carefully assessing the issue, Expert Gasket & Seal contacted longtime seal supplier, Advanced Sealing International for their insight. They suggested using a single cartridge seal with a quench gland. Grease was then added to the quench gland and sealed on both ends to prevent product from reaching the atmosphere. The grease continued to be changed on a regular basis to eject the spent material and add fresh material to stop crystallization.

Results

This solution has allowed the chemical manufacturer’s railcar unloading pump, once failing monthly because of the seal issue, to run consistently with no issues for over a year. With the problem identified and the new seal solution in place, the manufacturer has eliminated pump downtime and potential spillage, enhancing both productivity and safety.

Ensure that pump failure is a thing of the past by contacting Expert Gasket & Seal for superior pump solutions!

What Gasket Materials are FDA Approved? Why Is This Necessary?

Greencrest Digital on June 2, 2025

FDA-approved gaskets are important in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Why? Because any product or material that may come into direct or indirect contact with consumable products has strict rules and regulations.

Common Materials Used in FDA-Approved Gaskets

We provide a variety of FDA-compliant materials for our gaskets, including:

  • PTFE Sheet and Gaskets
  • Durlon 9000/9600 FDA Sheet and Gaskets
  • FDA Rubber Sheet Including Nitrile, EPDM, Neoprene, Viton® and Silicone
  • Standard in Line, MPU, I-Line, Q-Line Pipe and Sanitary Gaskets
  • Siftex FDA Flexible Connectors
  • FDA Vulcanized & Molded O-Rings

Why Are FDA-Approved Materials Necessary?

  • Safety and Hygiene: It’s important to find gasket materials that prevent chemical leaching, contamination or bacterial growth.
  • Compliance: Using materials that are not FDA-compliant in applications could lead to contamination, posing health risks and potentially violating regulations.

Have questions? Contact the experts! The highly qualified team at Expert Gasket & Seal would love to help you find the best solution for your FDA- approved gasket or seal application.

Prevent Downtime With Our Custom Solutions

Greencrest Digital on April 3, 2025

Overview

Experiencing downtime at a manufacturing facility is not only frustrating, but an easy way to quickly lose thousands of dollars in a short amount of time. When a large chemical manufacturer was experiencing downtime due to issues with a custom sized, vulcanized O-ring breaking under pressure at the splice, they contacted the team at Expert Gasket & Seal to find a long-term solution.

Solution

After inspecting the defective O-ring, Expert Gasket & Seal provided the chemical manufacturer with a solid, fully molded O-ring that eliminated the joint or splice where the failure was occurring. The O-ring required a custom mold and tooling, so Expert Gasket & Seal worked with an offshore partner to keep tooling costs to a minimum and allow the manufacturer to achieve ROI much sooner.

Results

With the failure identified, the centrifuge could run consistently with no outage, saving 8-10 hours of production downtime for the chemical manufacturer.

Don’t lose time and money with ineffective solutions –  Contact Expert Gasket & Seal and start saving more and stressing less!

Prevent Leaks With Proper Gasket Installation

Greencrest Digital on February 1, 2025

As a leading distributor of custom and standard gaskets, we know that gaskets play a crucial role in sealing joints and preventing leaks for a wide variety of applications. Improper installation, however, can lead to gasket failure, leaks and costly repairs. To avoid this happening at your facility, check out our top tips to ensure proper gasket installation and long-lasting performance.

 

Choose the Right Gasket

When installing a new gasket, it’s important to first make sure the gasket material is suitable for the fluid or gas being sealed, and can withstand extreme temperatures, pressure and chemical exposure if necessary. We offer a wide variety of gasket materials, including metal, soft plastics such as PTFE and rubber such as Neoprene, Silicone and Viton FKM. Gasket size and thickness are also crucial to proper function, so before installation it’s important to ensure that the gasket matches the dimensions of the joint, including inner and outer diameters and thickness.

 

Clean Sealing Surfaces

To get the best seal from your gasket, it should be applied to surfaces that are as clean as reasonably possible. Remove any old gasket material, dirt, oil or debris from the sealing surfaces using a scraper or solvent, and also repair or replace corroded or damaged flanges before proceeding.

 

Ensure Proper Bolting

Bolting and the selection of appropriate fasteners for gaskets play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity, performance and safety of bolted flange connections. Proper bolting provides the necessary clamping force to compress the gasket and form a tight seal, preventing leaks of gases or liquids in piping systems, equipment and other applications. Without proper bolting, the gasket could lose compression, leading to system failure, so it’s important to make sure that bolts and fasteners can withstand the internal pressure of the system.

 

Inspect Flange Condition

Uneven surfaces can compromise the seal, so it’s important to check your flange for warping, dents or irregularities on the flange surfaces. Also, repair or replace corroded or damaged flanges before proceeding with a new installation.

 

Flange Load Requirements

Gasket materials must receive adequate flange pressure to compress sufficiently and create a tight, continuous seal. This required flange pressure, also known as the “y” factor or minimum seating stress, must be evenly applied across the entire seating area to ensure an effective seal. However, in real-world applications, the pressure distribution is rarely uniform. The highest force is concentrated near the areas around the bolts, while the lowest force typically occurs midway between two bolts. Flange designers must account for this uneven distribution to ensure reliable sealing performance.

 

Apply Gasket Properly

Before tightening your gasket, first do a dry fit to ensure proper alignment. For best fit, the bolts holding the gasket shouldn’t merely be each tightened in turn, but in a pattern of opposite pairs – for example, top/bottom then left/right. We recommend doing at least three passes and tightening each bolt a bit more with each pass to create the best seal.

 

Perform a Final Inspection

Perform a final inspection that includes checking alignment and conducting a pressure or leak test to confirm the integrity of the seal before full operation.

Is it time to install new gaskets at your facility? Then contact us to speak with our experts about your specific project needs and we’ll help you find the perfect gasket solution!

Prevent Safety Hazards and Protect Your Plant With Expert Gasket & Seal

Greencrest Digital on October 30, 2024

When leaks occur in a chemical plant, it presents a very serious safety hazard for plant personnel, and also nearby residents if not taken care of thoroughly. If the hazardous substance drains or gets into the plant waste collection, it must be collected and treated, as no manufacturer wants to release any of the toxic chemicals into nearby streams or rivers. When a chemical manufacturer was having trouble with a leaking man-way gasket, they knew they needed to find a solution fast, so they reached out to the team at Expert Gasket & Seal.

After some initial research on the materials used for the man-way gasket, it was determined to be a bolting issue and not a material compatibility issue. The customer was using a grade 5 bolt on a flange where more bolt torque was needed, as well as a higher-grade bolt material.

Durlon gaskets

Solution

Expert Gasket & Seal switched to a grade 8 bolt, which combined with washers and a thread lubricant, were successfully able to get the proper bolt yield needed to achieve a strong seal. Expert Gasket & Seal leveraged its long relationship with Durlon, its gasket sheet material supplier which has a special bolting program to get the needed bolt torque. From there, the leaking issue was resolved very quickly.

Results

The upgraded bolt and increased bolt torque have prevented further leaks from the man-way gasket. The customer feels peace of mind knowing they found a solution that protects their employees, residents of the city and the environment.

Don’t let hazardous chemical leaks threaten safety at your facility — contact Expert Gasket & Seal and start protecting your plant today!

When Prototyping Gaskets and Rubber Parts, Precision is Key

Greencrest Digital on October 4, 2024

Gaskets and rubber seals are critical components of industrial manufacturing, as they are necessary for operating the machinery and production processes that maintain high throughput and minimize production downtime. Even the slightest deviation can lead to significant issues in performance and safety, which ultimately leads to higher costs at your facility. At Expert Gasket & Seal, our decades of experience combined with the quality materials we use and state-of-the-art technology, ensures that our prototyping has the highest level of precision. Learn more about why precision matters in prototyping and how we make it possible.

Proper Fit Means Proper Function

The primary role of gaskets is to form a seal that prevents leaks and maintains pressure between surfaces. Rubber seals are applied in pumps, valves and other components, and ensure stability under intense pressure by acting as vibration dampeners, insulators or protective coverings. Precision ensures that a prototype aligns perfectly with the intended application, reducing the need for costly reworks.

Improved Performance, Lower Costs

When gaskets and rubber seals are precisely designed to meet the needs of a particular system, they run more efficiently and require less maintenance. Additionally, when high-quality materials are used for prototyped parts, it allows them to more effectively withstand high temperatures, corrosive substances or the intense pressure that comes with specific environments.

The Expert Gasket & Seal Difference

Materials Used:

At Expert Gasket & Seal, we provide quality molded rubber parts from multiple compounds, including:

  • Silicone,
  • Viton®
  • EPDM
  • Nitrile
  • Neoprene

We also have FDA-compliant compounds available for food contact applications.

Advanced Technology:

We are proud to utilize optical scanning technology for our prototyped gaskets, seals and rubber parts. This technology is able to create highly accurate 3D representations of physical objects, then utilize lasers to create a detailed digital model of the object being scanned. Check out these great benefits:

  • Precision: Optical scanning technology offers unparalleled precision, capturing even the smallest details of gaskets and rubber parts.
  • Time Efficiency: Optical scanning eliminates manual measurements and tedious trial-and-error processes, reducing the time required to create an accurate replica.
  • Replicate Parts That Have No Tooling, Drawings, or Files: Optical scanning measures the size without needing CAD or other design files.
  • Cost Savings: Optical scanning saves money by minimizing errors and reducing the need for multiple iterations.

We are confident that our expertise, quality materials, technology and focus on precision can provide your company with gaskets and rubbers seals that will improve operations at your facility. Contact us today to learn more about our prototyping process!

 

How Custom Gaskets and Custom Molded Rubber Parts are Critical for Manufacturers and Industrial Companies

Greencrest Digital on June 2, 2024

Manufacturers and Industrial companies alike frequently rely on proprietary machines to achieve their business goals. These machines are often custom designed to meet a specific need or function that only these companies can provide. As with all machinery, the machines also rely on gaskets and specific molded rubber parts to ensure their smooth functionality, and due to their unique construction, will require custom designed gaskets and molded rubber parts that can’t be bought as standard pieces. Here are some reasons why custom gaskets and custom molded rubber parts are critical for manufacturers and industrial companies.

Unique Manufacturing and Industrial needs

As mentioned above, many of the machines and systems used in manufacturing and industrial production require very specific and custom design gaskets and molded rubber parts to meet a specific need. These gaskets serve a specific purpose, and a single failure could result in loss of product and their financial bottom line. Custom gaskets and molded rubber parts allow proprietary machines to run as efficiently as possible due to their unique engineering.

Reduction in Downtime and Maintenance

Utilizing custom gaskets and molded rubber parts for manufacturing and industrial machinery can reduce overall downtime and maintenance. When these parts are specifically designed to meet the needs of the system, they will run more efficiently and require less overall maintenance than if they used gaskets that were less than ideal for the system. These gaskets and molded rubber parts are often precisely engineered to provide the most efficient function from the system they’re used in.

Regulatory Compliance

Some industries, like those that must meet FDA regulations, require custom gaskets and molded rubber parts made from specific approved materials. These materials may not always be available from standard gasket producers, so a custom solution can be provided. These types of gaskets help manufacturers and industrial producers meet the required material regulations and keep the systems running smoothly.

In short, custom gaskets and molded rubber parts are critical for manufacturers and industrial companies to ensure their systems continue to function efficiently, reduce overall downtime and maintenance, meet the unique manufacturing and industrial machinery needs, as well as keep within regulatory compliance. Expert Gasket and Seal can help you with your custom gaskets and molded rubber parts in all of the areas mentioned above.

To learn more about our custom gasket and molded rubber parts solutions, contact Expert Gasket & Seal today at (800) 956-8766

Production Delays Are a Thing of the Past with Expert Gasket & Seal Solution

Greencrest Digital on May 6, 2024

Downtime and production delays are not only stressful, but can cost manufacturing facilities thousands of dollars if not handled properly. When a chemical additives producer was experiencing constant production delays due to pump and seal failure, they reached out to Expert Gasket & Seal for solutions.

Upon investigating the issue, it became clear that many of the issues the customer was facing at their facility were compounded by the fact that they had multiple pumps and mixers hooked up to a single recirculating gear pump for their barrier fluid protection. One specific pump was a constant source of failure. Additionally, the “press” pump was seeing higher pressure than the balance of the group, due to back pressure buildup from a filter press getting clogged and overcoming the seal/stuffing box pressure.

recirculating gear pump

Solution

After Expert Gasket & Seal consulted with an engineering partner, it was determined that the facility needed a double seal with its own ASME stamped seal pot/barrier tank. The pressure on this seal pot would need to be set higher for this single barrier system than what the filter press would create with its back pressure. The tank pressure was set at roughly 65 PSI, which the 595 double pumper cartridge seal can handle easily. The 595 double pumper cartridge seal with the barrier tank is independent of the pump and the pressure associated with the process.

Results

Isolating the 595 double pumper cartridge seal from the others on a “community loop” setup will greatly extend the life of this pump and seal process. By setting this one pump and seal up to its own pressured barrier tank, it can run longer and for extended periods without downtime. This solution should double or even triple the life of the seal and eliminate downtime on a very valuable piece of production equipment for this facility.

Struggling with production delays and downtime at your facility, but can’t seem to get to the root of the problem? Then contact Expert Gasket & Seal for solutions that save time, money and reduce stress!