6 Weird and Wacky Places You’d Never Expect to Find a Gasket
It’s not news to you that we’re passionate about gaskets.
(If it is news, welcome! We’re glad you could join us. We’re Gorilla Gaskets, and—you guessed it—we’re all about ‘em.)
Regardless, what probably is news to you is the number of places that gaskets appear in your everyday life.
Think about it: A gasket, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is a “a flat piece of rubber, etc. placed between two surfaces in a pipe or an engine to prevent steam, gas, or oil from escaping”. It also controls water, temperature, and chemical release.
Think about all of the appliances in your life that require that sort of regulation!
It’s one of the reasons why we love what we do so much and are so proud of our contribution. We really are helping the world stay sealed and functioning.
But enough about us—you came here for gaskets, and we came to deliver.
Not all of these are gaskets that we actively keep in stock, but we are more than happy for you to consult us on the right gasket for your project, and to help you find it. And we certainly work with these materials, and regularly!
So, get ready—here are some of the weirdest, most unexpected places that you’ll find the ever-powerful gasket, ready to save the day. These 6 gasket-dependent contraptions will have you smacking your own forehead, saying, “Why didn’t I think of that one?”, or maybe they’ll even leave you a little stumped.
Now, let’s get on to the gaskets!
- IVs and Catheters
The gaskets found in IVs and catheters are the real heroes of the gasket world, and they have saved countless lives.
It’s crucial for healthcare and biosafety that different bodily fluids and chemicals stay contained, and that’s where gaskets come in. They maintain everything in its place, keep outside contaminants from entering the bloodstream, and ensure that medicine is delivered safely.
We’re proud to make gaskets from the same material that is used to make the gaskets in catheters—Viton® FKM—and we’re in awe of the potential that gaskets have to make such an important difference in the world.
- Your Coffee Maker (Old-School AND Capsule-Style)
Whether coffee is your literal lifeline or you’re just a fan of the taste, it’s the gasket that’s got your back!
Gaskets are an important part of sealing and temperature control that ensure your morning cuppa joe comes out just right. And if you’re a little more cosmopolitan with your tastes, the espresso maker depends even more heavily on the gasket to control its high-pressure hydraulics.
Coffee maker gaskets are often made of silicone or rubber, though they can be found in a variety of other materials as well.
And don’t think that, just because your capsule coffee maker is quicker, it doesn’t rely on gaskets, too! Gaskets are vital for sealing off surfaces to make sure that your highly-pressurized capsule works like magic.
- Your Fridge/Freezer
You better not have thought that your coffee machine was the last gasket in your house! If you took a good lap around your kitchen, you could probably find ten items that use gaskets without any effort at all.
But some of our personal favorite kitchen gaskets are the gaskets in your fridge.
In order to regulate temperatures and to keep things nice and sealed up, your fridge requires quite a number of gaskets. Those gaskets ensure that you’re eating fresh food that’s been stored at an appropriate temperature.
Fridge gaskets are some of the easiest to determine in terms of validity—and your food will be the first to tell you. If you sense that your fridge gaskets are wearing out, do not ignore the problem and hope that it goes away!
- Water Slides
Water slides make any home or club the envy of everyone during those hot summer days. And just like the other items on our “weird and wacky” list, they rely on gaskets!
The gaskets that are used in water slides control the flow and pressure of water that turns you into a human torpedo. Most of them are rubber, but they can be found in a variety of materials, from lower tech to as-high-tech-as-they-come.
Though all long-term use gaskets require regular replacement and inspection, water slide gaskets are a crucial piece of equipment that is often overlooked. This is because they often become “winterized” during the off-season, or weathered from simply being exposed to constant water and outdoor elements.
If you’re unsure whether your water slide gaskets are worn out or not, err on the side of caution!
- Your Fish Tank
Are you a fish fan, but you’re not so keen on that old “glass bowl” scene?
Then you’re probably big on aquariums—and they use gaskets, too!
Depending on the size of your aquarium, you’ve got a variety of gaskets in a variety of shapes and sizes, primarily made from PVC, silicone, or plain-old rubber—just like we like ‘em!—to keep pumps flowing, tanks clean, and our underwater pals feeling great.
And remember: Just as with all gaskets that have a direct impact on health and personal consumption, our fishy (and otherwise!) friends deserve high-quality materials that ensure their well-being. It’s important to choose a gasket with high durability—save on your aquarium decorations, but don’t skimp on your gaskets.
- Soft-Serve and Milkshake Machines
Believe it or not, whenever you order your favorite milkshake or ice cream treat (or maybe a little piña colada for our over-21 readers), you’re relying on a gasket!
In the same way that your coffee machine controls the flow of liquid, temperature, and pressure, the soft-serve and milkshake machine gaskets maintain all of those elements in order, keeping your sweet tweets frosty-cold. Soft-serve machines typically use a variety of o-rings and gaskets, in fact, to keep operations—and your ice cream—flowing smoothly.
So, if the local fast-food joint that, ahem, always seems to have their machine broken starts back up with their same old song and dance, now you’re prepared. Tell them not to worry— you know just the place where they can get a gasket to fix it right up.
So, what did you think?
Would you have guessed that all of these gadgets are held up by gaskets?
Our challenge for you this week is this: Explore your home and the world around you. Using what you know now about gaskets, tell us in the comments below something weird and wonderful that we’ve left off the list.
And if you’re not sure if what you’ve found has a gasket or not, don’t be afraid to ask us! We’re here to help, and when it comes to gaskets, it’s what we love to do.
Gorilla Gasket
1012 N 1st St
Artesia, NM 88210
(575) 336-1446
Find us on Social Media
https://www.facebook.com/GorillaGasket