A gasket-sealed vault uses a rubber or polymer strip between the dome and base to create a compression seal when the two pieces are joined. The gasket works well initially but is a consumable component. Over years of burial, exposure to soil chemistry, temperature cycling, and sustained pressure can cause gasket material to degrade. Once the gasket fails, the joint is unprotected.
An air seal vault eliminates that single point of failure. The seal is generated by the geometry of the dome rather than by a material bonded to the joint. CMV Fabrication builds air seal construction into its metal burial vaults as a standard feature. For funeral directors comparing vault protection levels for their client families, the distinction between a gasket-dependent seal and a mechanical air seal is one of the most meaningful differences in the product category.
