# Group seal.



## nicholasj (Nov 11, 2013)

My Silvia is six months old. On average only about 10 espresso per week.

I do clean the seal after each brew with a brush but when is the seal due to be replaced?


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## kyoczek (Apr 25, 2013)

As long as it doesn't drip or spray water around portafilter while brewing or backflushing, there's no real reason to change it yet


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

It is worth taking it out to give it a good scrub occasionally, this also ensures it does not get "welded in" making it difficult when you do nee to replace it.

The heat from the brew head is a major cause of seal failure through the hardening of the seal/ becoming brittle.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Yes-ish, however...without a spare one to hand you could damage the one in situ trying to get it out thus defeating the object of trying to get it out as you will be without coffee until a replacement arrives.

However, unless there is a problem as noted above best to get something like a pallo brush or group brush and give it a scrub with this. If you wanted to replace the gasket then the green cafelat one as sold by BB here is much more flexible and lasts longer (am sure you can find one more local if needed, just ignore the description in the BB blurb as the red and blue ones are 8mm and 8.5mm, the green fits the silvia a treat)

Hope of help

John


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

All are right and I agree with John - if it's not leaking, keep it clean and buy the correct Cafelat one to replace it when it finally starts to leak. As Frank said, after a few years they do get very hard and brittle. At this point, removing it will probably kill it so you need a new one to hand. I've got a (blue) Cafelat one in my R58 and it's very different from the black rubber one I took out, which had become glazed and feels almost like glass if you tap it against your teeth (as one does hahaha!) The silicone ones are much softer and seal well with only a light nip up of the PF handle, so no need to lock it in hard.


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## AussieEx (Jul 10, 2013)

Just a datapoint - I've have had my Silvia for coming up to 4 years doing ~1 coffee a day, and I'm still going strong on the original group seal. YMMV, but if it ain't broke...


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