Fixing Refrigerator Door Problems

Posted on: 7 May 2015

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Your refrigerator is like part of the family. It is crucial to your everyday life and thanks to it, you have cold beverages and fresh food. Since it is an appliance, there are many things that could go wrong with it that creates the need for repairs. Here are two common door repair problems that you can fix yourself.

Refrigerator Doors Sagging

This is a strange sounding problem unless it has happened to you. If you look at your refrigerator, the doors should be lined up and level in their corresponding spots. If you notice that one or both are sloping downwards, you have a sagging door.

Luckily, this is usually a simple fix. Remove the cover, if there is one, from the refrigerator door hinge on the top or side of the refrigerator. Have someone hold the door in its correct position and use your tools to tighten the hinge. Voila. This is a simple fix, but it is important because the cold air could be leaking out of your freezer or refrigerator due to this sag.

Worn Out Refrigerator Door Gasket

If it seems like your refrigerator door just isn't getting the seal it used to get, the door gasket could be worn out. This is a problem because the gasket is responsible for keeping the cold air in and the warm air out to help your refrigerator run more efficiently and keep your food cool.

When you are ready to begin the job, put the new gasket in the sink of warm water so it is more flexible and easier to install. Pull back the old gasket to find the retainer. This is usually metal and you will see screws holding the gasket to the retainer. Loosen the screws, but don't remove them completely.

Work around the edge of the refrigerator door and remove the gasket from its retainer. Install the new gasket by working from a top corner of the door and working around. The gasket will only go on the door one way, so you can easily tell if you are installing it correctly.

When you are finished with the install, apply petroleum jelly to create a thin layer of lubricant on the gasket on the hinge side of the door. This will prevent the gasket from being too tight until it gets worn in properly.

These two simple repair jobs can have your refrigerator door back to normal quickly. If you have a bigger problem with your refrigerator, make sure you call in a professional like Arnie's Dependable Appliance Repair.