Why Does My Pressure Cooker Leak?

While pressure cookers have become quite a common household item in the kitchens, due to saving both time and effort on the cooker’s behalf, they are not without their own issues.

Despite improved technology and advanced mechanisms, pressure cookers do encounter problems that impact the quality of the food you receive and the cooking time it takes to make the food.

This is because pressure cookers can incur damage from use, require part replacements, and are prone to issues with their gasket seals. Unfortunately, checking the owner’s manual often doesn’t provide you with the answer you are looking for, so we will.

Why does my pressure cooker leak? The most common answer to this is because there is an issue with the rim of your lid, with the gasket that seals it closed, or with food particles accumulating during the pressure buildup.

Let’s take a look at why these issues cause leakage and how you can go about preventing your pressure cooker from leaking in the future.

Reasons Why Your Pressure Cooker Is Leaking

There are several reasons why your pressure cooker may be leaking, here we will list out the most common problems.

You have a damaged gasket that prevents your pressure cooker from building up enough pressure. This can result in your pressure cooker leaking vapor out from the sides of the lid, causing vapor to be released out of the pressure valves, or just simply prevent it from building pressure.

Your gasket is installed incorrectly. Often gaskets get shipped inside out so that the notched side is up. This notched side will match the lip of the lid but needs to be placed on the outside. If you place it on the inside, you are going to get leaks.

You have a defective gasket. If there are divets or injection molding artifacts in your gasket, this can cause leaking.

You have too much steam leaking from your pressure cooker. If you see steam leaking from your pressure cooker, not only is your pressure cooker unable to build the desired pressure, but this is typically indicative of a dirty or damaged gasket.

Vapors are escaping from your vent pipes. Although it is completely normal to have vapors released from the valve of your pressure cooker, if you see food particles in the vent pipe or excess amounts of vapors, you may have a debris buildup.

Vapors or water is oozing out along the rim of your pressure cooker. This occurs when you are using a pressure cooker that uses a regulated weight system. As soon as your pressure cooker hits the desired pressure volume, the vapors will stop oozing out. If you still have the issue once your pressure cooker reaches maximum pressure, take a look at the vent pipe and clean it out.

Your pressure cooker has a warped lid. If you have an aluminum pressure cooker, the lid can become warped which causes steam to leak out. This can be due to overheating, aging, or the lid being dropped.

If the base of your unit has a damaged rim, it may not be able to adequately seal closed. This will cause your pressure cooker to leak. The only solution for this is to buy new parts or purchase a new pressure cooker.

The latch metal is bent out of shape. Your pressure cooker lid will have a metal hook piece on the front underside of the handle. If the metal for this latch is bent out of shape, it cannot apply enough downward pressure on the lid, causing the pressure cooker to leak.

Float valve is continuously leaking. If your float valve is leaking, it is likely because there is either food debris on the silicone seal or the seal is worn out.

How To Stop a Pressure Cooker From Leaking?

This is dependent on where the pressure cooker is leaking from and what seems to be the issue. Here are some common tips to try to stop your pressure cooker from leaking.

Gasket: if you notice that you have a damaged/defective gasket, replace the gasket completely. If your gasket is just simply dirty and filled with food particles, remove the gasket from the pressure cooker and clean it out. Re-install it correctly and the problem should go away.

Leaks from Vent Pipes: the first thing you should do is check to see if the vent pipes have any food particles in them. If they do, clean them out! If they do not have any food particles, check to make sure that your pressure cooker is weighted properly while in use.

Latch Handle: if you find that your latch handle is bent out of shape, you are going to need to replace it. However, if it isn’t bent out of shape, it could be because it is not in the sealing position. Try double checking to make sure that it is sealing correctly.

Steam is Leaking from the Sides: check to make sure that you have a sealing ring/gasket. Make sure that the gasket is not stretched out, damaged, or has food particles. Either clean the gasket, replace the gasket, or place it in the freezer for a few minutes to shrink it.

Warped Lid/Damaged Rim: either choose to replace the warped lid and parts that are damaged or choose to purchase a new pressure cooker.

How Do You Maintain a Pressure Cooker Gasket to Prevent It From Leaking?

Your pressure cooker’s gasket (sealing ring) is either going to be made out of rubber, silicone, or a combination thereof. To prevent it from breaking down, leaking, and being damaged, you will want to do the following.

Clean It Thoroughly. After every single use, remove the gasket from your pressure cooker’s lid and wash it with soapy water. Do not place the gasket in the dishwasher. When you go to wash the gasket, make sure to check for any signs of wear and tear or damage – often cracks will be the first thing you see. Cleaning it out will prevent food particle buildup which will ensure that it seals properly when in use. Please make sure it completely dries out before you re-install it.

How to Prolong Its Life. After you are done cooking your food, make sure to wipe down the rim with a clean, damp cloth. This will remove food from around the rim before unlocking the lid. If you remove the lid while there are food particles stuck to the rim, the gasket may tear when you lift the lid up.
- Do not let your pressure cooker run completely dry. The internal heat will damage the gasket. You always want to use a sufficient amount of water when cooking.
- If your gasket is older, it may become brittle or dry. Try soaking it in hot water for five to fifteen minutes before use. Keep in mind that this is a temporary solution and you will need to replace the gasket eventually.

How to Store It Properly. Keeping the gasket inside the lid is perfectly fine, just make sure to not store the pressure cooker with the lid locked, otherwise, it could compress the gasket. If you have a spare gasket, store it in a plastic bag and if your environment is humid, use a bit of baking soda to prevent moisture buildup.

Do You Use Oil On Your Gasket?

No. Oil has a higher boiling point so it can become too hot on the gasket and shorten its life span. Beyond this, cooking oils can become sticky and cause the gasket to stick to the metal, causing it to tear when you lift the lid up. Oil can also catch dirt and food debris which can coat the gasket and wear it down. Newer models of pressure cookers will come with silicone gaskets, so no oil is needed.