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Date: July 1988 (Revised June 1996)
Source: University of Wisconsin
If your pressure canner has a dial gauge, have it checked once a year before the canning season. Also check it during the season if you use the canner frequently. Your local NDSU Extension Service office can check the dial gauge on pressure canners.
If you cannot get it tested nearby, write to see if the manufacturer can do it. The manufacturer's name and address will be pressed into the canner or on a plate attached to it. Ask for shipping instructions. Pack it like fine crystal and label the package "fragile." If you do not have an instruction book for your canner, write for one.
If the gauge reading is off one pound or more, buy a new pressure gauge. If it is off less than one pound, tie a tag on the canner to remind yourself of the difference and adjust to pressure reading to allow for difference.
The weighted pressure control on canners does not need to be checked. Keep it clean and rust free.
In most canners there is a gasket. These gaskets are made of rubber or rubber-like compounds to keep steam from leaking out around the cover. You can remove and replace most gaskets as needed. Some only need to be turned to ensure a tight seal. Replace a worn, stretched or hardened gasket with a new one. Refer to the canner instructions for directions. Leakage makes it difficult to reach the right pressure and may cause the canner to boil dry.
If you have further questions, contact your county office of the NDSU Extension Service for additional information on canning.
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