Are Canning Lids Supposed to Pop? Why are My Canning Lids Not Sealing?
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Are canning lids supposed to pop? This is the third in a series of videos relating possible reasons why your jars are not sealing or popping.
First, remember…if you just didn’t hear the sound but the jar is sealed, that’s okay. The goal is the seal. The pop or ping is so super satisfying. But sometimes, you just may not hear it. Maybe you stepped away from the jars as they cooled or they simply didn’t make much noise. As long as the jar is sealed, that is what counts.
If the jar truly did not seal, these might be some causes with the canning lids.
Using Old Lids
If you have lids that have been hanging around for a long time, that rubber seal on the canning jar lid may dry out and loose its flexibility. I remember buying a lot at an auction that had jars and lids. The lids ended up being dried out and un-flexible. I just tossed them. Stocking up on lids is a good idea, but don’t buy so many that they are not useable by the time you get around to them.
Old jars are usually great! But be very cautious with lids.
Using Canning Lids More than Once
There are those who swear by using canning lids a second time. I’ve seen anecdotal stories that it works fine, as long as you check the seal and make sure it is not indented. This may be so. However…and this is kind of a big however in my book…that seal will not be as secure long-term as a new lid.
You may process your food, allow it to cool, and check the seal. It may look great! You store it on the shelf. Later, when you are not looking, that weaker seal may not hold up and you’ll end up with unsealed food in your pantry.
Newer lids don’t seem to have the same amount of rubber compound, and it is more likely to not hold up. In my mind…canning is too much work to have jars unsealing in my pantry to discover later. So, I do recommend using new lids.
If you really want to reuse your lids, you should check into the reusable lids that are on the market. These lids are specifically made to be reused. There are a couple of brands available.
Learn more about reusable canning lids.
Using Poor Quality Lids
Some lids have been coming out lately that seem to be failing more. I’ve seen reports of lids being sold on the internet that claim to be Ball brand lids. However, when you get the lids, they are a generic, unbranded, low-quality lid. Many are having issues with these lids.
If you look closely at these new websites, you’ll notice that it is actually not a Ball website…but they are deceitfully giving that impression. Be very careful of where you buy lids. Make sure it is a legitimate company.
Now having said that warning, I don’t want to imply that generic lids are all bad! Not at all. I buy generic lids because of the cost savings of buying in bulk.
There are several companies that sell un-branded, generic lids that are perfectly legitimate and I’ve had good luck with them. FillmoreContainer.com is a sponsor of Simply Canning, and I’ve used their generic lids with no issues at all. They are a great price if you do a lot of canning and buy a lot of lids.
Then there is the old standard/reliable Kerr, Ball, and Jarden Brands. If they are really branded lids and not a knockoff, they should do great.
Are Canning Lids Supposed to Pop? A Conclusion.
What do you think? Are your lids effective? Did you use lids a second time? Or is it something else going on with your canning methods?
Let’s figure this out. Links to the rest of the videos in this series are below.
- What Causes Jars to Not Seal: 10 Common Reasons
- Why are My Canning Jars Not Sealing? Canning Jar Issues
- Are Canning Lids Supposed to Pop? Why are My Canning Lids Not Sealing? <– you are here.
- Why are My Canning Lids Not Sealing? Issues with your canning methods.
More Canning Chats
What Causes Jars to Not Seal: 10 Common Reasons
What causes jars to not seal? It’s frustrating when you realize a jar didn’t seal properly. This series is all about figuring out what might be the problem.
Why are My Canning Jars Not Sealing? Canning Jar issues
Ever asked yourself, “Why are my canning jars not sealing?” One possibility is that you have issues with your canning jars.
Why are My Canning Lids Not Sealing?
Why are my canning lids not sealing?” Let’s figure this out with SimplyCanning.com, shall we?!
Page last updated: 7/2/2021
Should you be able to remove sealed lid with just your fingers?
Yes, it should be tight… listen for a sucking sound. If the lid is just loose sitting on the jar that is not good. THere should be some sort of a seal.
Hello! Thank you for this informative site!
I have some of the bulk Fillmore Container lids. This is my second batch of jars that I’ve done with them and they all sealed, (tomatoes – water bath canned for 40 minutes) but 4 of them didn’t “dink down” in the center, even 12 hours later, until I pressed them lightly. I’ve tried pulling the lids many times with my fingers and they are tight, but I’m a little worried about them. Can you offer advice?
So you are not supposed to need to push the lid down to create the seal. It should pull down and seal itself. It could be it is just not a tight seal. If you are worried you can always have peace of mind and just dispose of those jars. I can say that I’ve used Fillmore Container Bulk lids for several years and they are good lids. So I don’t believe it would be the lids themselves. There are some generic lids being sold that are low quality but I’d personally trust Fillmore.
I ordered some lids on the Mason jar site, thinking it was an American company…..the lids came in an unmarked plastic bag with a sticker written in Chinese….
Unfortunately, they can look pretty legitimate. Sometimes it is easy to see when things are not right but you do have to check close.