Refrigeration is part of the daily routine for New Orleans restaurants, markets, convenience stores and other food businesses. While the equipment gets plenty of use, the flexible seals around its doors can be easy to overlook.
Those seals, called door gaskets, help keep cold air inside. When they wear out, loosen or tear, they can allow cold air to escape and warm air to enter. Refrigeration equipment may then work harder to maintain temperature, increasing avoidable energy use.
As you plan year-end maintenance, a closer look at your refrigeration doors can reveal a practical opportunity to reduce energy waste. Energy Smart can help eligible businesses assess their gaskets and understand the next steps.
Look for visible signs of wear
Check the doors on your commercial coolers and freezers for:
- Cracked, loose, torn or missing gaskets.
- Condensation or frost near the doors.
- Doors that do not close securely.
These signs can indicate a sealing issue, but they do not establish the cause on their own. An energy advisor can help assess the equipment and identify qualifying gasket opportunities.
Why door seals matter
A proper seal helps limit warm-air entry and cold-air loss when the door is closed, helping your refrigeration equipment maintain temperature without unnecessary runtime caused by air leakage. Include door seals in routine maintenance checks so worn components get attention.
What to expect from an assessment
Energy Smart offers a no-cost refrigeration assessment to eligible small and medium businesses served by Entergy New Orleans. An energy advisor can review your refrigeration equipment, identify qualifying opportunities and explain available incentives that may help lower eligible project costs.
The assessment gives your business a clearer picture of which doors need attention and how to move forward. You do not need to know which gasket measures qualify before reaching out.
Plan your next step
Use your year-end maintenance planning to give refrigeration door seals a closer look. A no-cost assessment is a practical first step toward keeping cold air inside and reducing unnecessary energy use.
